Agro-Processing Sector can change the current outlook of SA’s negative trade balance – Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Mzwandile Masina
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mzwandile Masina says agro-processing is the capital intensive sector which government can use to change the current outlook of South Africa’s negative trade balance. Deputy Minister Masina was addressing the inaugural Gauteng Agro-Processing Industry Summit in Kliptown, Soweto yesterday.
The summit, which was attended by more than five-hundred small-holder and commercial farmers, food retail companies and finance institutions culminated from the workshops conducted by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to solicit inputs from stakeholders into drafting the Gauteng Agro-Processing strategy. Its aim was to also focus on ways that government can explore to unlock the full potential of agro-processing in the province.
Masina said there was massive potential for growth in the agro-processing sector.
“This potential requires strategic choices in particular Industrial Policy which can draw a wide array of players into the economy,” he added.
Masina also said in pursuit of this, the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) was engaged in a policy process for the development of industrial players from historically marginalised sections of society.
He highlighted that the way in which the dti participated in the summit to ensure that it communicates its services, the department would do the same with mega projects like the Black Industrialists Programme.
The Premier of Gauteng, Mr David Makhura said the summit must help to position Gauteng as the Agro-processing hub of the country and the entire continent.
“As part of taking forward the National Development Plan, the Agricultural Policy Action Plan and the Industrial Policy Action Plan, the Summit must help us increase the contribution of agriculture to the provincial economy by strengthening our focus on value-add to primary agricultural products,” said Makhura.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 079 492 1774
Tel: 012 394 1650
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Twitter: @the_dti
