20 Dec 2018 Rosy outlook for Rooibos
The world is counting on agriculture to produce more nutritious food, and SA’s iconic Rooibos tea fits the mould, according to Nicie Vorster, spokesperson for the SA Rooibos Council (SARC).
Rooibos is only grown in South Africa, mainly farmed in the Cederberg and Sandveld areas of the Western Cape.
“Major Rooibos markets view the tea as a premium healthy lifestyle product and promote it in its pure and unblended form, which health-conscious consumers want more of.
“The increased emphasis on health and well-being globally is fuelling a revival and preference for experiences and products that promote wellness,” Vorster says.
“These days, consumers are placing far more value on health, such as using devices and apps to encourage exercise, consuming organic and natural foods, taking health supplements, etc more than ever before, and it’s a trend that will continue well into the future.”
Vorster added that Rooibos is also very versatile. Apart from being a beverage, Rooibos is used in articles ranging from beauty products and nutraceuticals to alcoholic drinks, confectionery and everyday foodstuffs, such as yoghurt and cereal.
“Every year, we are seeing new and exciting innovations in the Rooibos category as entrepreneurs and branders experiment with the product,” Vorster adds.
Record high plantings
The current area planted under Rooibos is at a record high of 57 000ha – almost double that of a decade ago as more farmers, especially those in the Swartland region, have cleared existing farmland to make way for Rooibos.
According to Vorster, the sector is also attracting more growers, especially grain farmers who are looking to diversify, since Rooibos is a hardy, dry land crop which is generally less affected by drought when compared to other rain dependent crops.
Vorster says Rooibos farmers took various steps to proactively manage supply in the face of the severe drought that plagued the Western Cape over the past few years, by implementing more sustainable farming practices, removing water-thirsty alien invasive plants in the vicinity of fields and limiting pest and disease outbreaks.
“Even though Rooibos farmers are accustomed to periods of drought, since the region is considered a semi-desert, harvests are not immune to the effects of climate change. Yet, based purely on the average rainfall for the past year, we should see an improvement in crop size in 2019,” says Vorster.
Some more good news includes government’s recent approval to raise the Clanwilliam Dam wall by 13 meters. The move will treble the dam’s storage capacity and provide farmers in the area with a more secure water supply. Construction on the project commenced last month and should take about five years to complete.
The Rooibos industry currently employs an estimated 8 000 farmworkers and additional employment is created in upstream activities, such as processing, packaging and retailing.
About half (between 6 000 and 7 000 tonnes) of Rooibos is consumed locally, while the balance is exported to more than 30 countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, the UK and US.
Source: SA Rooibos Council