Home: Agricultural Economics: HONEY BUSH TEA
by Bongiswa Matoti
Honeybush
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The market appears to have a promising future for the honeybush industry over the next 5-10 years. The forces in place are time-proven and significant, and should continue to positively affect growth for the future. However, as the saying goes, ‘you snooze you loose’ and nothing should be taken for granted. Therefore the industry will only reap these benefits if it aggressively pursues the growth opportunities before it. The product’s health properties, coupled by sheer versatility, are its greatest strength which is a strength that has been far from fully exploited given its potential value and applications in areas as diverse as traditional medicines, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, food flavourants, organics and fair trade. Even in its most traditional form, as a hot beverage, honeybush is away too far to meet the escalating demand.
Harvesting honeybush
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As also highlighted in the previous studies, one critical element in honeybush production is research especially on the technical issues affecting production. This therefore calls for support from both private and public sectors if South Africa has to fully utilise its comparative advantage and hence the benefits offered by its biodiversity. Also, the industry should always remember and learn to what has happened to industries such as rooibos regarding the intellectual property issues, otherwise it will also be ‘a wake up call’. Even the comparative advantage that the industry has is not static, as can be strengthened or eroded by changes in economic conditions. Another call is on land, capital and other resources that need to be made available and to be devoted to the development of the industry, well being of the people and the country at large.
From the financial analysis conducted in this study, it could therefore be deduced that honeybush has an economic potential in various regions of the Western Cape. However, its future viability depends on a number of things, including improved yields, better quality, and elevated prices. Also, it is essential for honeybush to be competitive with its counterparts like rooibos and other herbal teas. This is extremely important for the future of the product and the industry at large, as buyers are always looking for cheaper alternatives and or substitutes, which is one of the problems that are threatening some local industries like buchu.
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Radio Elsenburg recently discussed honeybush tea production. Listen to the insert (in Afrikaans) here
