He says during this year’s annual event, an extra 60 new exhibitors will be added to take the number of exhibitors taking part in the four-day event, to 750 - the biggest number since the inception of the event.

The festival is scheduled to start 14 to 17 May in Bothaville, Free State.

Minnaar says the event accommodates about 18 000 visitors a day from across the country and beyond.

He says Nampo has over the years created opportunities for direct communication between the suppliers of agricultural products and services and the users.

Minnaar says farmers will exhibit the latest farming products and equipment and they are particularly thrilled with the number of exhibitors who continue to grow in leaps and bounds.

He added that practical demonstrations of usable machinery are one of the most important highlights of this event.

AND

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the South African Cane Growers Association agree there is a need to urgently address potential threats associated with an increasing replacement of local sugar with imports, particularly with unemployment on the rise. 

This followed a meeting with Trade and Industry Minister,  Rob Davies, and the South African Cane Growers Association,  to discuss the impact of imported sugar on sugar cane growers in particular. According to the DTI, the meeting was to seek rapid solutions to the challenges facing the sugar industry focusing on short- and medium- to long-term plans. 

The DTI says there is a need for the local sugar industry to consider diversifying its product offerings, amid fears that increasing imported sugar could cripple the domestic sugar value chain. It says the challenges they face need urgency in finding solutions before the situation deteriorates to becoming an existential threat for the survival of sugar cane growers.

OFM News/Michael Tlhakudi