AGRICULTURE
WANDILE SIHLOBO: Eastern Cape farmers need investment
‘To reach full arable potential capital is needed for clearing, soil preparation, irrigation facilities and farm infrastructure’
The overemphasis on the Eastern Cape’s economic challenges often overshadows the debate about its potential. It is true that the province’s unemployment is above the national rate of 26.5%, with youth unemployment also higher than the national figure of 35.6%. Yet the Eastern Cape plays an important role in SA’s economy, contributing about 8% to national GDP. This makes it the fourth-largest contributor to GDP after Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. While typically considered a rural province, the provincial economy is mainly dominated by secondary and tertiary sectors such as manufacturing and automotive industries as well as trade and finance. The untold story of the Eastern Cape is that it produces a third of SA’s fresh milk and wool. The province is also a key producer of citrus, with emerging farmers joining the industry. New commercial grain and oilseed farmers are also rising in areas around Matatiele, Ugie and Maclear. The province’s 2016-17 total commercial maize...
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