North West agriculture and rural development MEC Madoda Sambatha has handed the Cassper Agri-Life Vegetable Packhouse to farmers in Mogogelo village in South Africa's North West province, the third agricultural packhouse the department has opened recently.
The department funded and set up a fully equipped packhouse, production tunnels, a borehole, a backup generator and mobile cold rooms. It said the facilities will raise production, keep produce in good condition and help farmers reach wider markets. The launch follows the opening of the MOR Farming Packhouse in Lekwa-Teemane and the Jantjies Boerdery lucerne packhouse in Greater Taung.
"Smallholder and emerging farmers often face challenges due to limited facilities for handling, processing, storing and marketing their produce," the department said, adding that these gaps lead to post-harvest losses, poor quality and difficulty entering formal markets.
Beneficiary Thapelo Madumo, founder of the Cassper Agri-Life Project, thanked the department for the packhouse and its extension services, and told young farmers to start the work themselves before asking for help. "Farming requires commitment and discipline," he said.
Bojanala Platinum District executive mayor Suzan Nthangeni called Moretele "a home of agriculture" and urged residents to use the municipality's and the department's offices for information. Sambatha said such investments improve market access, reduce post-harvest losses and let farmers take part in the value chain.
Photo: Peter Barr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Source: Food for Mzansi
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