Joburg Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Economic Development, Cllr Lawrence Khoza, has pledged support for the organic and natural products sector, saying it is well placed to help stimulate economic growth in the City.
MMC Khoza was speaking on 22 June at the Organic & Natural B2B Virtual Talk Shop, organised by the South African Trade Promotions and South African Organic Sector Organisation (SAOSO) as part of the Organic and Natural Expo currently underway.
The Organic & Natural B2B Virtual Talk Shop brings together suppliers, retailers, distributors importers, exporters, associations and government bodies, from the organic & natural sector both locally and internationally to explore business opportunities across the African continent.
With demand for organic produce outstripping supply, there is great potential for farmers to enter the organic market where they can be rewarded for being custodians of the soil for future generations. The City of Johannesburg is a key partner in the Organic and Natural expo, as manufacturing and agro-processing are highlighted as major sectors for economic growth and organic produce falls under these sectors.
“The organic and natural products sector is one of the industries that continues to show growth both in the domestic and global markets. It is also one of the industries that is expected to show long-term growth and yield lot of profits, as consumers become more aware of healthy lifestyles. We are aware that this sector represents a high-value niche sub-sectors with the potential to create a lot of jobs in both the primary agriculture and agro-processing stages of the value chain,” MMC Khoza said.
“As a City we support this initiative, especially since it is also one of the sectors that show a huge export potential and can contribute towards employment creation. It is therefore imperative that we invest in programmes that will increase the competitiveness, capacity and capabilities of local supply,” added MMC Khoza.
Speakers at the talk shop delivered practical information and case studies covering various aspects of the organic and natural business. Featured supplier pages offered the ability to interact with companies at leisure, or via live chat and video meetings scheduled in the platform software.
The market for organic products is ever increasing, not only in Africa but also in the Nordic countries as well as in the USA.
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For Media Enquiries:
Lelethu Ndyamboti
Media Liaison Specialist: Office of the MMC for Economic Development
Email: LelethuNdy@joburg.org.za
Cell: 083 702 3688
