Karoo to host international mohair summit in November 2009

04 Aug 2009

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Karoo to host international mohair summit in November 2009

PORT ELIZABETH

In order to showcase local and international interest and applications for mohair, which has not been focused on over the past decade, South Africa will host the inaugural world gathering for the industry, in the heart of the Karoo.

The event will coincide with the International Year of the Natural Fibre as declared by the United Nations.

It was confirmed at the launch of the Summit at the Mohair South Africa head quarters in Port Elizabeth that the Summit would uniquely be held from November 5 to November 9 this year in the Eastern Cape’s semi-desert Karoo towns of Graaff-Reinet and Jansenville.

CAPITAL OF THE INDUSTRY

The Karoo, steeped in beauty and acclaimed for its quality Angora goats is regarded as the capital of the industry -producing over 50% of the world’s mohair.

The International Mohair Summit, organizers said, will bring world industry role-players together to deliberate around the future of the industry, develop new markets, partnerships and applications for mohair.

Mohair reached the pinnacle of global fashion and decor trends in the 80s when South African production, like its global counterparts, reached all time highs of 12 mil lion kilograms.

Current worldwide production has dropped to 5.6 million kilograms. with South Africa producing 54% of the total or around three million kilograms in 2007.

But revenues remain high with the change in market dynamics adapting to the volumes available without compromising the demand for high quality South African mohair, says Mohair SA GM Deon Saayman.

IKWEZI TO HOST INITIATIVE

The initiative is hosted by the Ikwezi Municipality, (representing the Karoo region), Mohair South Africa and the South African government.

Saayman said the Summit was an Ideal and ?unique opportunity? for the worldwide mohair family to gather and grow mutual prospects and exchange ideas and information. ?The Summit is an historic event with the potential to open up new opportunities for mohair - which means the breeders, growers, processors, manufacturers, fashion role players, retailers and marketers both locally and internationally are the greatest beneficiaries.

Ikwezi Mayor Sizwe Mngwevu said the Summit would generate significant revenues for the region in hosting an expected 1 000 delegates.

Our people depend on mohair to make a living and the Summit will not only bring immediate cash inflows but sustainable returns as it boosts a number of tourism initiatives, including a potential home stay programme for guests.

This will require us to establish facilities and structures that will be used for the Summit and long thereafter.

Ikwezi Municipal Manager Thandekile Mnyimba said the municipality was also eager to raise the standard of living for impoverished Karoo communities.

The Mohair Breeders Association, Mohair Growers Association and the Mohair Experimental Farm are all based in Ikwezi Municipal Area.

Our people who produce this highly expensive material however are the poorest people in South Africa. They do not fully benefit from one of the two major industries in the area. The unemployment rate is 62% and the majority of the people live below the United Nations poverty line of $1 a day.

“Through the International Mohair Summit, the municipality intends to invite international and local investors to come and form part of the solution on how to incrementally add value to the raw material within the area. This exercise will create employment, stimulate the economy and ultimately improve lives our people” Mnyifnba said.

Event Coordinator Andrew Binning said the Summit was a business to business initiative which included a two day conference, an exhibition and networking programme, including site visits.

“It is rather peculiar for relatively small towns to host an International Trade Show, but its proximity to Port Elizabeth International airport and its offering to visitors with respect to the animals and attached processing operations make Graaff-Reinet and Jansenville the obvious location for this initiative.”

The Eastern Cape is home to the majority of 900 Angora goat farmers who produce over 50% of world production, as well as two of the world?s major processing plants worldwide.

BACKGROUND:

The International Mohair Summit emanated from the Ikwezi - Cacadu Goat and Mohair Initiative which is the brain child of Mayor Sizwe Mngwevu. In March 2007, Ikwezi Local Municipality hosted the first Mohair Festival in Jansenville which was highly successful.

The Mayor wants this festival to be an annual event that is supported by all relevant stakeholders.

The Ikwezi - Cacadu Goat and Mohair Initiative?s primary objectives are, tn transform the farming and mohair industries and to redistribute land as means of production. The municipality is working in partnership with the Office of the Premier, Cacadu District Municipality, Department of Agriculture, Department of Land affairs. Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs, Mohair South Africa and Development Bank of Southern Africa. Independent Development Corporation, Eastern Cape Development Corporation and PPC have also shown interest in this ground breaking initiative.

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