Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, has welcomed the positive performance of the province’s agricultural sector as reflected in the Agricultural Economic Quarterly Report for the second quarter of 2025.
The report provides an overview of the economic performance in the Western Cape, with a focus on the agricultural sector, and is informed by the national and sub-national economic performance statistics for the second quarter of 2025 (Q2 2025) released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) last week.
According to the report, the Western Cape economy expanded by 0.7% quarter-on-quarter and 1.3% year-on-year, with agriculture making a significant contribution to this growth. The agricultural sector accounted for 4.7% of the provincial economy and recorded a robust 2.5% growth quarter-on-quarter and an impressive 14% year-on-year increase.
Minister Meyer stated, “Agriculture remains a cornerstone of the Western Cape’s economy. The sector’s resilience and growth are a testament to the hard work of our farmers, agri-workers, and agri-processors. This performance supports our Growth for Jobs Strategy, which aims to achieve 4–6% economic growth per annum and create 6,000 new jobs by 2035.”
The report highlights that the Western Cape consistently contributes 20% to South Africa’s national agricultural gross value added (GVA), driven primarily by the horticultural sector. In Q2 2025, horticulture generated R44 billion in gross farm income nationally, with citrus, vegetables, and deciduous fruits leading the way.
Employment figures also reflect the sector’s importance. Agriculture and agri-processing combined supported 302,604 jobs in the province, representing 11% of total employment. Of these, 202,120 jobs were in primary agriculture, with crop production accounting for 81% of agricultural employment. The agri-processing sector added 100,484 jobs, with food manufacturing and beverage production being the largest contributors.
Minister Meyer added, “The agricultural sector not only drives economic growth but also plays a vital role in job creation, especially in rural communities. We remain committed to supporting this sector through innovation, infrastructure investment, and market access initiatives.”
Enquiries:
Daniel Johnson
Spokesperson for Minister Ivan Meyer
Cell: 079 990 4231
E-mail: Daniel.Johnson@westerncape.gov.za
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