The Eastern Cape province has vast opportunities for crop farming and associated production, manufacturing and product beneficiation.  This given the vast tracts of land that are available and the province's agricultural history.  Government-led agricultural initiatives and projects, including a number of irrigation schemes around the province including Ncora, Qamata and Shilow, have shown the potential that exists for extensive crop farming.

The preferred business model for potential investors in agricultural crop-production is based on community public-private partnerships.  Opportunities that exist include:

• Essential oils - crops associated with essential oil farming has proved successful in the central regions of the province and opportunities exist for extended crop growth and downstream value-adding processes associated with essential oils.
• Sugar beet - the Provincial Department of Agriculture has experimented with sugar beet and associated processing in the Fish River Valley. Pilot projects have generated high yields of sugar beet in this particular area.
• Pineapples - the heart of the pineapple-growing area in the Eastern Cape remains on the Sunshine Coast. However opportunities exist further along the coast for significant expansion of this crop for both a domestic and export focus.
• Medicinal plants, herbs and spices - offshore investors have shown great interest in medicinal plant, herb and spice farming in the Eastern Cape. A few small local operators have already invested in these crops and are preparing to enter the export market. Opportunities exist for investors and businesses to partner with local operators and expand growing and production of medicinal plants, herbs and spices.
• Aloe ferox - aloe ferox grows abundantly in the province and significant opportunities exist for rural harvesting, processing and production.
• Organic produce/vegetables - global demand for organic produce/vegetables is on the increase. The province offers high potential in terms of available irrigable land for the planting, harvesting, packaging and export of organic produce.
• Sub-tropical fruits - the sub-tropical coastal areas in the Pondoland region of the Eastern Cape offer opportunities for the cultivation, harvesting and beneficiation of sub-tropical crops and fruits.
• Olives - potential exists for large-scale olive growing and processing in the interior of the province. At present there are a number of small producers in the Grahamstown area. Significant expansion potential exists in the interior of the province for olive growing and associated industries.