KwaZulu-Natal province’s Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone has announced that it is getting ready to open its latest development, the 18-ha Dube AgriZone 2. This is a fully-serviced development centred on agriculture and intended to create opportunities for smaller growers, emerging farmers, horticulturalists and trailblazing agri-entrepreneurs. It will provide the province’s small-scale farmers with a link to previously inaccessible high-value markets.

Dube TradePort is located within the precinct of Durban’s King Shaka International Airport (KSIA). Its AgriZone 1 was established as a key centre for growing perishable produce, as well as post-harvesting handling and distribution.

“Last year, produce worth R50.3-million was grown and/or handled within Dube AgriZone,” reported Dube TradePort senior manager for investment promotion and facilitation Nomaxabiso Majokweni. “With Dube AgriZone 2, we aim to significantly expand this output while helping small-scale farmers tap into South Africa’s fresh-produce market, valued at over R53-million annually. Dube TradePort is addressing the real barriers that limit small-scale farmers by providing infrastructure and support services that unlock access to high-value perishables markets.”

The infrastructure and support services that Dube AgriZone 2 will provide comprise warehousing and logistics support, pack-houses and cold-storage facilities, modern internal road networks, reliable water and electricity supplies, an already-established distribution network that supplies major South African retailers, and direct access to export markets, through the Dube Cargo Terminal at KSIA. Sites in AgriZone 2, which are ready for development, range in area from 10 500 m² to 30 000 m². They provide flexible options for growers, agri-processors and investors, looking to scale up their operations.

“Through this new development, we are giving smaller producers a real stake in a global-scale value chain,” she affirmed. “Investment interest is strong; we have already received multiple proposals, with two agribusiness ventures currently in due-diligence. This early momentum demonstrates clear confidence in this new phase.”