By: Staff Reporter 

Mpumalanga Premier, Mandla Ndlovu has embarked in a week long investment mission to the People’s Republic of China. This in an effort to foster partnership between Mpumalanga and China. 

With youth unemployment currently standing at 46.4% in Mpumalanga, the Premier is taking steps to reduce this number by engaging with various stakeholders who will assist in the creation of opportunities for the people of Mpumalanga. 

The delegation visited a 1 million hectare Oliver Orchard (a high value crop) farm that looks into the entire value chain mechanism), focusing on research, training, production and agro-processing of olives  for consumption (dry and fresh olives and olive edible oils), olive whisky, olive cosmetics, and olive pharmaceuticals for treatment of among others cancer and diabetes.

The Premier says the visit is very key in assisting the province to achieve many of its goals during the 7th administration.  He added that Mpumalanga could benefit from such an industry not only by importing olives through the International Fresh produce market but also to farming and agro-processing of similar olive products through twinning Mpumalanga farmers in the olives sector with the Longnan market leader farm in olives production.

“This initiative has the potential to stimulate agro-entrepreneurship which will in turn strengthen the Mpumalanga economy while reducing the high unemployment in the province especially youth graduates and youth in general” said the Premier. 

The delegation also visited the Zhejiang  University’s  Integrated Industry-academia-research institute in Tianjin. The institute conducts research on various industries such as health, they lead chronic research for the treatment, early detection and prevention of cancer.