OVERVIEW
Agriculture Rooibos has won the battle for unique regional status SECTOR INSIGHT Mohair is making a comeback via the Responsible Mohair Standard.
Blueberries are a good investment. Credit: Primocane Capital.
S
outh Africa has a number of unique agricultural products but winning the right to exclude other global producers from using the name of the product is a tough task. In June 2021 rooibos became the first South African crop to win from the EU the status of protected designation of origin (PDO). Champagne or Port wine are the best-known products that fall into the protected category. The PDO identifies and links a product to a region, making sure that the consumer will get “the real thing” that is specific to that area. Products that are included in the Geographical Indication Register of the EU currently generate about R1.24-trillion annually. The Western Cape Provincial Government is investigating ways in which other products such as Aloe Ferox, Buchu and various types of flora unique to the province can be added to the list. Karoo lamb is another sought-after delicacy with its own distinct flavour. With about 350 commercial farmers cultivating 70 000ha (and a further 100 small-scale farmers), the industry produces about 15 000 tons of rooibos, about half of which is exported, mostly to Europe and Japan. The EU designation could lead to higher prices being available to producers. Another product of the Karoo is mohair. Although more than half the world’s mohair is produced in a relatively small geographical area
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north of the small Karoo town of Jansenville, there is no chance of getting a PDO for the fleece of the Angora goat because the first animals were imported into South Africa. However, a certificate of another kind has had a big effect in recent months in helping to revive the sector. The mohair industr y took strain after a television documentary claimed that animals were routinely abused. This was denied at the time but the introduction of the Responsible Mohair Standard allows consumers to have peace of mind that animals have been well treated. The RST was set to confirm with standards established by a non-profit organisation, Textile Exchange. A unique product that is generating a lot of interest is the marula fruit, found in large quantities in Mpumalanga and Limpopo. A Marula Industrial Hub is envisaged for the Palaborwa area which will provide a platform to further exploit the tasty marula fruit, which has a high vitamin C content and is already produced as a beer and a liqueur. The Limpopo D epar tment of Economic Development and
