Mzinti:Mpumalanga Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Zuko Godlimpi and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Nokuzola Capa are set to lead the Grower Imbizo with sugarcane farmers in Mpumalanga on Friday. The event, organized in collaboration with the South African Sugar Association (SASA), will take place at the Holiness Union Church Centre in Mzinti, Nkomazi.
According to South African Government News Agency, prior to the dialogue, the deputy ministers will visit sugarcane farms in the Malalane and Nkomazi areas to assess farming conditions. This event follows a successful dialogue in KwaZulu-Natal last month, where sugarcane farmers discussed sustainability challenges.
The sugarcane industry, primarily based in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, comprises over 26,000 farmers, crucial to rural economies. The Grower Imbizo aims to update farmers on the implementation of the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan to 2030 and address key industry challenges for long-term solutions.
Adopted in April 2026, the Master Plan seeks industry recovery and sustainability through diversification into bioethanol, sustainable aviation fuel, bioplastics, and cogeneration. The Mpumalanga dialogue will also address growing season preparations, considering El Niño impacts, and discuss support measures for sustaining grower operations.
Deputy Minister Godlimpi noted recent government interventions, including tariff relief and block exemptions, to protect the sugar industry from cheap imports and facilitate the Master Plan's implementation. Deputy Minister Capa emphasized the importance of identifying gaps affecting growers and the potential for practical interventions to support the industry. The sugarcane sector supports over a million livelihoods, mainly in rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.