Likened to Ceres, area has huge potential
THE Eastern Cape agricultural sector has identified an area in the cold northern part of the province where deciduous fruit is grown, with the hope of employing thousands of workers in the next few years.
The area, Gubenxa Valley, is 1 419m above sea level – which is ideal for fruit farming – and is situated between Elliot and Ugie.
One of the farmers who benefited from government funding to start growing his fruit in the area is Lundi Kama.
Kama, a trained agriculture economics student, used the money to grow grapes and apples on three hectares of his 3 026 ha Goedgedacht farm.
He planted grapes a few years ago, and last year was his first harvest.
He also bought and planted 1 700 apple trees on the farm last year.
He also runs 400 cattle, with 350 of them Bonsmara. Maize meal is grown for the cattle. He employs 13 youths.
“I am passionate about farming and doing this for this valley is going to create more jobs for the people,” Kama said.
“For instance, for every hectare of land we use, we create jobs for two people, and if we plant more than 3 500 hectares of arable land in 24 farms in our area, we are going to be employing more than 1 500 youth.”
Gubenxa is likened to Ceres in the Western Cape.
“I worked in the Overberg district in the Western Cape. They are struggling to get land to plant but they are producing by the tons.
“The Eastern Cape has huge arable land that is suitable for deciduous fruit and if we are able to use the land, we can be the best producers in the country,” said Kama.
Twenty-four farms in the area fall under the Gubenxa Valley Primary Co-operative headed by Ncedile Tasana. Most of the farms are privately owned.
Eastern Cape rural development and land reform chief director, Zukile Pityi praised what Kama and other farmers were doing in the area.
He said the challenge with the Eastern Cape was that young graduates were not working.
“With projects like these in Gubenxa Valley that are run by young people like Kama, it is important for us to support such initiatives. Vegetables and fruit will be planted here and we need to get involved,” said Pityi.
A processing plant was also planned for the area.
“Once the area is up and running, a processing plant for juice, which will be the first for the area, will be built and that will create more jobs,” Pityi said.
Tasana said the area had potential to grow but needed government assistance in order for that to be achieved.
Recently, the area received three tractors and implements worth more than R10-million from the department of rural development and land reform. The tractors are at Kama’s farm.
Kama said: “My story is a story of resilience. Challenges are there, like using your own money but I don’t give up.
“I know that what I am doing is going to be good for my community and also the Chris Hani District municipality that is also playing a huge role in supporting us.”
Eastern Cape department of rural development and agrarian reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane last week revealed that his department had invested R7.2-million in acquiring tractors, sprayers, and production inputs for new orchard development.
“In pursuing the agriculture economic transformation strategy, the department increased financial investment into farmers in the Langkloof with an additional R5-million investment through a partnership with the Deciduous Fruit Development Chamber,” he said.
Qoboshiyane said about 49% of the deciduous fruit produced by Eastern Cape farmers was exported, 18% was sold locally and 34% was processed. —