Al-Mawashi reveals developmental plans for EC farming sector
EASTERN Cape farmers of various commodities are set to benefit grandly from the international trading stage facilitated by the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform and Al-Mawashi South Africa.
Al-Mawashi is a trade and exporting company from Kuwait that began trading in livestock with Eastern Cape farmers in 2019. More than hundred thousand livestock have been shipped to Middle Eastern countries from the East London harbor since Al-Mawashi struck a deal with local farmers with the livestock exported mostly being sheep.
Today [June 23] the company finalized the loading of 56000 sheep and 1000 cattle destined for Kuwait and MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Nonkqubela Pieters joined the delegation and witnessed the loading of the herd of cattle at the East London harbor.
With the Eastern Cape being known as the capital of livestock, the international market has opened a channel for both fully-fledged farmers and the developing ones who have been struggling to secure a stable market for their animals.
The trade between Al-Mawashi and Eastern Cape farmers has been around livestock but Al-Mawashi South Africa managing director, Ilyaas Ally has revealed their grand developmental plans for farmers of different commodities in the province.
In an engagement session with MEC Pieters ahead of their shipment, Ally revealed that the Middle Eastern countries have shown interest in locally produced food like vegetables, fruits and honey among others.
“We have been exporting live and chilled meat, but taking into consideration that there aren’t much farmlands that side, 90% of their food is imported. And we are exploring to diversify with the above as we have seen the growing interest and demand for them,” said Ally.
He added that they will be embarking on a drive to uplift developing farmers across the six districts in the province. This done together with Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, ECDC and ECRDA
The partnership will see Al-Mawashi signing offtake agreements with two emerging farmers each district and this will help farmers to access credit as the deal will guarantee them a sale of 3000 livestock a year.
“There is a lot we are planning for the Eastern Cape and everybody is set to benefit and we will be going on a roadshow soon if the covid 19 regulations allow,” he said.
In each shipment of the livestock, Al Mawashi spends at least R150 million in the province and some of the beneficiaries include livestock feed producers as the company utilizes 30 000 tons of feed in its four shipments a year.
MEC Pieters pledged the department’s support to the strategic partnership and said the interest shown by the Middle Eastern countries to Eastern Cape agricultural commodities would spark an interest in diverse farming and make locals realize the value of land.
“Government continues to encourage people to work the land and actively partake in local and international trades. These developments greatly contribute in growing the economy of this province,” said Pieters.