On Friday July 6, the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs (Dardlea) announced it has officially introduced an operator who will oversee the running of the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market (MIFPM).

Dardlea’s spokesperson, Zanele Shabangu, said the Brand New Harvest (BNH) Joint Consortium was officially introduced to the department’s team of senior managers and officials who will be ensuring that farmers are supporting the MIFPM as soon as it starts operating, and that they will benefit from it.

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According to Shabangu, the BNH has experience in operating and managing international fresh produce markets in the country and beyond. On the day BNH was introduced, the team also visited the MIFPM for a stakeholder engagement with officials of the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport (DPWRT) and the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (Dedet), as well as some others, for some final touch-ups ahead of the handover that will take place soon.

When asked when the MIFPM would officially be opened, Shabangu did not give an exact date, although she said: “The appointed contractor for construction of the MIFPM is still on-site and is ready to commission the project. The appointed operator is expected to enter into a transition phase as soon as all works are commissioned and the project is officially handed over to the department. The transition phase, which is not expected to take less than six months, will include, among other things, the due diligence process, roadshows to buyers and suppliers, as well as recruitment and training.”

When asked what the public can expect, she said: “All Mpumalangan farmers will be offered a fresh approach to food marketing and trade, and therefore must be on the lookout for the dates of the roadshows that will provide details on what to supply to the market. These dates will be communicated.”

Shabangu said the market’s opening will bring a lot of opportunities for all producers in the region. There are even plans to expand the basket offering to include grains, aquaculture and animal products in the near future.
The DPWRT’s spokesperson, Bongani Dhlamini, said the project is completed. “Currently it’s in a process of handover, which will be completed by July.” He also added that the opening is the responsibility of Dardlea and Dedet.

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In March, Dhlamini said the progress on-site was estimated to be at 97%, and that the majority of the physical work had been completed. “The contractor is currently finalising minor electrical installations as well as air conditioning in some buildings. A few activities relating to paintwork, the final coats, as well as external works such as road signs, marking and boom gates are also being finalised.”

Despite that, the MIFPM had missed its completion date before. The MEC for finance, economic development and tourism, Nompumelelo Hlophe, said during the provincial budget speech: “The budget for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism amounts to R1.413b. Of this amount, R167.7m is for the completion of the MIFPM. Dardlea is allocated R1.513b. Included in this allocation is R54m to operationalise the MIFPM.”
Hlophe is now the MEC for agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs following the new government.