The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies says the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), Eastern Cape Provincial government and Nestle South Africa will create 800 permanent and seasonal jobs by 2019. Minister Davies was speaking at the Chicory MoU signing ceremony that took place in Alexandria, Eastern Cape today.

The MoU is part of the Public-Private sector collaboration between industry and government for the chicory sector. This chicory programme is aimed at encouraging local farmers to grow chicory and supply Nestlé for use in its manufacturing of Ricoffy thus contributing to the revitalizing of rural economies.

Minister Davies said the dti saw it fit that there be an MoU between the major agro-processor of chicory in order to provide a platform for the emerging farmers, chicory producers and government interaction on managing the challenges affecting the industry.

“This development in the chicory industry within the pronouncement of the National Development Plan and the point nine agro-processing programme that the President announced during his State of the Nation Address earlier on this year, which has set a target of 1 million jobs for the agriculture and the agro-processing sector,” said Davies.
He added that the agro-processing sector especially chicory farming has the potential to generate an industrial impetus that can create jobs and answer some of the economic challenges that the country is currently facing.

Minister Davies urged the emerging farmers and chicory producers to recover the agricultural land in the Eastern Cape and create sustainable jobs.

The Director for Communication and Public Affairs representing the CEO of Nestle, Ian Donald; Mr Ravi Pillay said he was optimistic that the MoU signed with the Eastern Cape Chicory farmers will assists with addressing some of the regression currently facing the industry in South Africa.

He said Nestle will provide technical support to ensure optimal quality and specification of chicory in the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces. He further added that this is a long term commitment of 5 years with the dti to curb imports and promote local procurement in South Africa.

Caption: Minister Rob Davies addressing the community of Alexandria in the Eastern Cape today.

Issued by The Department of Trade and Industry