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South Africa’s Mpumalanga province is including industrial hemp in its efforts to boost agricultural trade with China, positioning hempseed and wellness derivatives as promising export categories alongside avocados, macadamia nuts, and citrus.
The initiative is part of an outbound investment mission led by Premier Mandla Ndlovu, who is visiting key Chinese cities through June 23 to promote the province’s emerging agri-industries.
The trip is under the framework of Brics, the bloc of five major emerging economies—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—formed to promote economic cooperation and offer an alternative to Western-dominated global institutions. Ndlovu is hoping to fast-track the launch of the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market (MIFPM) and build ties with Chinese buyers amid shifting global alliances.
Small, but strategic
Although commercial hemp growing in Mpumalanga remains limited, the province is advancing a multi-pronged strategy for the crop, backed by blended finance schemes with the Land Bank, integration into provincial agri-hubs, and targeted land reform programs. The Land Bank, a federal institution, offers specially tailored loans for land purchases, equipment, production inputs, and even energy projects. Its mission includes bolstering commercial farming while also empowering emerging and historically disadvantaged farmers with affordable credit and capacity-building support
Supported by findings from Genesis Analytics and the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), Mpumalanga has identified industrial hemp as one of seven priority growth sectors, particularly for its potential on 240,000 hectares of degraded mine land. Trials are exploring hemp’s role in phytoremediation, soil regeneration, and rotational cropping with forestry, while pilot farmers are also cultivating hemp for fiber, grain, and flower extraction.
China’s growing appetite
A separate report by SOFI (Sustainability Opportunity and Feasibility Index) has outlined pilot efforts using hemp biomass for biochar, bioplastics, and sustainable construction, while also highlighting its value in traditional medicine markets—a sector of growing importance in China.
China imported more than $218 billion in agricultural products globally in 2023, with ongoing demand for oilseeds, wellness crops, and plant-based proteins.
The province’s investment mission includes visits to Longnan City, known for traditional medicine, and the Tianshui Inland Port, a logistics hub for agricultural development.
By placing hempseed products, hemp protein meal, and flower-derived wellness ingredients on the agenda, Mpumalanga aims to leverage China’s global supply chain in food and health, particularly as regulatory clarity improves on the South African side.
Connecting farmers, markets
Once operational, the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market is expected to support more than 1,400 smallholder farmers and generate over 115,000 on-farm jobs, including opportunities in hemp. The government is also finalizing a Nutrition Sourcing Bill that will secure market access for emerging producers via public feeding programs.
“By aligning emerging crops like hemp with high-demand global categories,” said a provincial official, “we’re not just exporting food—we’re exporting transformation.”
In addition to agri-market infrastructure, Genesis Analytics and PCC recommend investment in R&D, regional processing capacity, and testing standards to help scale Mpumalanga’s hemp sector to commercial export readiness.
‘Not a malicious plot’
The broader vision is for Mpumalanga to become a preferred African supplier in China’s premium agri-product space, particularly as geopolitical realignments encourage South-South trade. The province’s seventh administration sees hemp as both an economic enabler and a diplomatic tool, capable of delivering jobs, investment, and global visibility.
With international partners now in view and internal systems taking shape, Mpumalanga is betting on hemp as a bridge crop—linking local farmers to global wellness and sustainability trends, and rebalancing the province’s place in the world’s agricultural economy.
“This is not a malicious pivot,” a senior provincial official told South Africa Sunday World. “Even US President Donald Trump is constantly on the phone with President Xi Jinping discussing trade and tariffs. What we are doing is no different – it’s about expanding trade opportunities and empowering local farmers.”
“}]] The province is advancing a multi-pronged strategy for the crop, backed by blended finance schemes with the Land Bank. Read More
