South African beverage manufacturer SAB has high expectations for its first lime harvest, following a large investment in local production. The company embarked on the Moletele lime initiative in Limpopo in response to a lime shortage in South Africa.
Despite limes being grown in the country, they are less profitable than other citrus fruits and therefore less popular among farmers. However, the public-private partnership between SAB, the Moletele Community Property Association, Komati Fruit Group, and the department of agriculture & rural development has resulted in approximately 34,000 trees on the 60 ha Moretele farm producing the limes required by SAB.
Zoleka Lisa, an executive at SAB, commented that the company aims to ensure its beer is local and inclusive, with 95% of SAB’s raw materials sourced domestically. The lime initiative is seen as a further step in SAB's localisation strategy, following the start of Corona production in South Africa at its local plants.
The lime initiative has received R19 mln in investments from SAB over the four-year partnership, which has been used to procure machinery, equipment, and the necessary technology to ensure year-round lime availability.
Agriculture minister Thoko Didiza stated that public-private partnerships and localisation are key to building a sustainable sector, and suggested that the lime initiative could serve as a model for similar initiatives across South Africa.
Source: businesslive.co.za