Rural woolgrowers in the Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality, previously known as Engcobo, are celebrating a significant financial boost after earning a remarkable R10.9 million from wool sales during the previous shearing season. The substantial income has brought much-needed relief to woolgrowers in the area.
Xolile Jezile, the chairperson of the Ngcobo Woolgrowers Association, shared the news with DRDAR News during the official handover of a multi-purpose shed to the Siyakha Woolgrowers Association (WGA) at Nqancule Village. Jezile revealed that shearing sheds across the Dr AB Xuma Municipal area contributed 170,000 kilograms of wool in the previous season. The majority of the wool was sold to BKB, while 2% was sold to CMW.
The joyous occasion of the multipurpose shed’s construction, funded by the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR), was met with jubilation and ululation during the official handover to the Siyakha WGA. Among the thrilled farmers present were two youths, Yonela Mtatshana, 32, and Noncedo Jama, 34, who turned to livestock farming due to unemployment.
Mtatshana, the owner of 44 sheep, explained her motivation for entering the wool-growing industry: “In livestock farming, you are able to grow and sell sheep and get money for survival. Before this multi-purpose shed was given to us, we had some challenges because we did not have all the required machinery, including a dipping tank. But now, with the shed, we will be able to dip our sheep and vaccinate them, which will improve the quality of our wool.”
Jama expressed relief at the department’s investment, as they had previously relied on an old shed constructed by their parents. Alongside her parents, Jama owns 108 sheep. “As a child, I used to rear sheep and take them for dipping,” she reminisced, highlighting her affinity for farming. Jama eagerly anticipated the learnerships that the DRDAR would introduce to her village through the new shearing shed.
According to Statistics South Africa’s 2021 Agriculture Survey, the income generated by the agriculture sector from animals and animal products surpassed R159 billion, with national wool sales contributing R2.4 billion—a slight decrease from the previous year. Sheep farmers earned an impressive R9.8 billion from sheep sales.
During her address at the official handover, DRDAR MEC Nonkqubela Pieters emphasized the department’s investment of R1.2 million for the construction of the shed. “For any investment, there must be a return. The returns are not for the government, but for the farmers,” Pieters emphasized. She urged farmers to operate as businesses and reinvest their income into their wool-growing enterprises.
MEC Pieters also encouraged members of the Siyakha Woolgrowers Association to involve more young people in the industry, stating, “There are good young farmers who are doing well. Farming is not just for older people. We need more young people in agriculture.”
The success of wool sales in the Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality has provided a much-needed boost to the local economy, offering hope for further growth and prosperity for woolgrowers in the region. With continued support and investments from the government, the agricultural sector is poised for sustained development, ensuring a brighter future for rural communities dependent on farming and livestock.
Article by Lebo Mothlabane | 0631452504 | lemuel@ournews.co.za