Investment trip to Spain bears fruit
The short investment trip to Spain and France, undertaken by the Premier, Stanley Mathabatha and other delegates recently, has led to the building of relationships in the agricultural sector.
LIMPOPO – As a result of this some Limpopo farmers will visit Spain next month to market their products under the leadership of the provincial government and will participate in a fruit fair in Madrid.
Limpopo is the leading province in the production of sub-tropical fruit, with orchards covering at least 204 square kilometres and the sector employing at least 8 200 people. “Fresh fruit exports contribute to foreign exchange earnings in the country. The Limpopo Economic Development Agency (Leda), working with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development plan to expand the primary production in this sector to double the size of its current capacity in order to increase levels of exports and inputs into food processing,” Phuti Seloba, Provincial Government Spokesperson, said at a media briefing last week.
“Spain is a serious global competitor in agriculture, especially in citrus production. Our entry in the Spanish agricultural market is through the expansion of our niche agricultural competitiveness in which Spain is less dominant in order to enhance market opportunities for the expanding sub-tropical fruit production, especially, avocados and macadamia nuts.”
Seloba said the aim is to increase exports by at least R500 million in the next three years.
In France, the University of Rennes in France – one of the leading universities in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) – has agreed to partner with the Limpopo Connexion, a subsidiary of Leda. Leda is in the process of rolling out broadband in the province and the University of Limpopo is in the process to build knowledge of economy in the province. “This breakthrough enhances the potential success of the Innovation Hub project which is being developed by the Limpopo Connexion,” Seloba said.
He added Leda is building the information, communication and technology sector in order to enhance production efficiencies, expand access to information by people across the province and to create opportunities for youth development in the field of ICT. “The transport, storage and communication sector contributes R13,1 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the province (4,8%). This sector must contribute at least 6% of the GDP of Limpopo, expand access to knowledge in rural areas and bring the talent of our young citizens into manifestation,” he concluded.
