INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES PRODUCE MARKET

Selected Strategic High Impact Projects: Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market

MEGA is establishing a R1.2-billion fresh produce market facility located in Mbombela, the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market (MIFPM). To date the province has invested an estimated R540-million in the project.

Mpumalanga is one of South Africa’s most productive and important agriculture regions. It is home to predominantly tropical and subtropical crops and vegetables owing to its conducive climate. The tropical and subtropical crops consist of avocado, banana, citrus, ginger, granadilla, guava, litchi, macadamia nut, mango, papaya and pineapple.

The vegetables produced include potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkins, sweet corn, onions, sweet potatoes, beetroot, carrots, green peas, cauliflower, cabbages and green beans.

Site: The site is in Mbombela on a 248ha plot less than 10km from the Central Business District. It is situated within the Maputo Development Corridor (MDC), linking Mpumalanga, Gauteng Province and the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone with the deepwater Port of Maputo in Mozambique.

The market: The market will give local farmers access to local, regional and international fresh produce markets and will aid in ensuring food security for the region.

The infrastructure of the MIFPM will attract international as well as the large domestic food retailers as a key processing and distribution point. It will also secure Mpumalanga’s position in the regional export market in fresh produce.

The market will offer:

• Open trading halls for fruit and vegetables

• A meat, fish and flower market

• Complementary cold storage, ripening facilities and pallet handling

• Processing facilities

• An export hall

• Bulk-breaking facilities for retail outlets

• Links with statutory organisations such as customs, PPEBC and EuroGap

• Transport and logistics enterprises

• Shared collation and pack house facilities for SMMEs

• Commercial services including banks and restaurants

• A food bank for NGOs

Feasibility study: completed

EIA: completed

Bulk infrastructure: completed

Top structures: underway

Model: JV, BOT

Value: R1-billion