Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu announced the commencement of operations at the Mpumalanga International Food Market (MIF) on Tuesday, marking the end of repeated construction delays.

The R2b facility in Mbombela is receiving deliveries from farmers, with trading now under way.

The Mpumalanga Provincial Government said this marks an important milestone in strengthening the province’s agricultural sector and creating economic opportunity.

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Ndlovu described the facility as the country’s first fresh produce market since liberation and called on all Mpumalanga farmers and residents to utilise it, noting that the opening is expected to create employment for locals.

According to Ndlovu, the market has already created 47 direct jobs, and once fully operational it is expected to create about 156 additional direct jobs.

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“To date, 1 153 jobs have also been created through small, medium and micro enterprises benefiting from the Agrofund programme. These enterprises will supply produce to the market, creating further opportunities for local businesses to participate in the agricultural value chain.”

Regulation and compliance

Francois Knowles of the Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC) said APAC’s involvement with the market has focused on its statutory responsibility for the regulation of agricultural produce agents.

In preparation for the new market, APAC engaged with MIF management as well as prospective agencies around the requirements for registration and regulatory compliance.

An APAC presentation in April specifically addressed agency registration, legal compliance and the readiness of agents intending to operate at the market.

“Importantly, APAC’s role is not to operate the market or manage the commercial relationship between farmers and buyers,” said Knowles. “Its role is to regulate the agents who act on behalf of producers and to ensure that those agents operate within the statutory framework established to govern the profession.”

APAC is a statutory body established in terms of Section 2 of the Agricultural Produce Agents Act 12 of 1992, and regulates fresh produce, export and livestock agents.

Timeline of delays

The MIF was initially announced in November 2018 and was due for completion by September 2020, but various challenges led to multiple delays.

Another deadline intended as a soft launch – announced by Ndlovu during his State of the Province Address in February – was missed in April.

On July 12, Ndlovu said the market would open by the end of the month, but that deadline was also missed.