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Port Elizabeth - The Eastern Cape government has set aside R1.5m to kick-start an expanded honeybush tea industry, The Herald Online reported on Thursday.
This followed on results that emerged from a study of the honeybush industry, commissioned by the Coega Development Corporation (CDC).
CDC spokesperson Senzeni Ndebele said that R1.5m had been invested by the department for the first phase of the project, which was already underway.
"The honeybush tea in the Eastern Cape grows wild in Kouga and Koukamma municipalities, and these are the areas that will benefit immensely."
Phase one would focus on expanding the existing wild harvesting in the Langkloof and proposed controlled access to some of their protected areas.
It also focused on establishing a honeybush tea plantation, Senzeni said.
"This phase should be completed by the end of this year."
Honeybush tea was uniquely South African and grew only in the fynbos areas of the western and eastern Cape.
Marlise Joubert of the Agricultural Research Council in Stellenbosch said she and her team were working closely with local authorities in the western and eastern Cape to ensure better control to protect wild honeybush as a resource.
Kouga municipality spokesperson Laura-Leigh Randall said that local authority was very pleased and excited with the results of the study.
"It complements the priorities of our new council - namely rural development and job creation."
This followed on results that emerged from a study of the honeybush industry, commissioned by the Coega Development Corporation (CDC).
CDC spokesperson Senzeni Ndebele said that R1.5m had been invested by the department for the first phase of the project, which was already underway.
"The honeybush tea in the Eastern Cape grows wild in Kouga and Koukamma municipalities, and these are the areas that will benefit immensely."
Phase one would focus on expanding the existing wild harvesting in the Langkloof and proposed controlled access to some of their protected areas.
It also focused on establishing a honeybush tea plantation, Senzeni said.
"This phase should be completed by the end of this year."
Honeybush tea was uniquely South African and grew only in the fynbos areas of the western and eastern Cape.
Marlise Joubert of the Agricultural Research Council in Stellenbosch said she and her team were working closely with local authorities in the western and eastern Cape to ensure better control to protect wild honeybush as a resource.
Kouga municipality spokesperson Laura-Leigh Randall said that local authority was very pleased and excited with the results of the study.
"It complements the priorities of our new council - namely rural development and job creation."
