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From mangoes to avocados: Limpopo MECs declare the province a hunger-free region
According to Monama, Limpopo produces about 75% of South Africa’s mangoes, 65% of its papayas, 36% of its tea.
MEC Rodgers Monama at the media launch of the 3rd upcoming Limpopo Investment Conference 2023. Picture: Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism/Facebook
October is national Food Month and with the price of eggs and chickens skyrocketing due to avian flu, two Limpopo MECs have declared the province a hunger-free region “thanks to the rich and fertile soil the province has been blessed with”.
MEC for economic development, environment and tourism Rodgers Monama and MEC for agriculture and rural development Thabo Mokone said there will be no hunger and poverty in Limpopo during Food Month and beyond.
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They said Limpopo was one of South Africa’s richest agricultural areas, producing up to 60% of its fruit and vegetables.
The pair added that Limpopo was the breadbasket of SA and no one should go to bed on an empty stomach here. Under the theme, Water is Life and Water is Food, the two MECs vowed to work to defeat hunger and poverty.
Yesterday, Monama said more than 45% of the R2 billion annual turnover of the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market comes from Limpopo. He said the province was noted for the production of livestock, fruit, vegetables, cereals and tea.
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According to Monama, Limpopo produces about 75% of South Africa’s mangoes, 65% of its papayas, 36% of its tea, 25% of its citrus, bananas and litchis, 60% of its avocados, 60% of its tomatoes, 285 000 tons of potatoes and 35% of its oranges.
One of the major players in agribusiness in the province is ZZ2 (Pty) Ltd. He said the company supplies 40% of South Africa’s tomatoes.
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“We are all aware that SA has entered in a memorandum of agreement with China for Africado, a subsidiary of ZZ2, to supply avocados to the People’s Republic of China. Our aim is to engage other members of Brics to follow suit.”
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