An Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) loan has helped establish what could be the first workers trust in the province’s infant floriculture sector, effectively giving the trust’s members a 65% stake in a new flower farm venture in Somerset East called Misty Mountains.

The remaining stake in Misty Mountains has gone to the Blue Crane Route Municipality which is responsible for the towns of Somerset East, Pearston and Cookhouse, and the farm’s project manager and mentor Harold Taljard.

The Karoo has been getting special attention from the corporation who asked the area’s municipalities to forward to it business plans worthy of assessment. One of the plans forwarded was the Misty Mountain initiative.

Blue Crane Development Agency says that flower farming has a much higher yield than, for example, maize. It makes this venture even more beneficial as it will create more jobs in the area.

“The ECDC’s loan to the workers’ trust has allowed its members to finance the initial set of the farm’s infrastructure which includes ten tunnels, a 1500m2 shade cloth structure, a pack house complete with a cold room and a fully automated irrigation system,” says ECDC project development manager Ken Bern

In turn, the municipality’s contribution to the project has been land valued at about R200 000 and installation of the electricity and water infrastructure.

Finally, Taljard who already owns a farm in the area has brought unique flower farming skills as well as a substantial financial contribution to the initiative. In addition, Taljard is responsible for managing the project and upskilling the workers.

Using only local labour, the experienced and seasoned floriculture husband and wife team of Harold and Adele are transferring these scarce skills to the trust’s team.

Misty Mountain’s flower crops - ruscus, ornamental sunflowers, asters, lisianthus - are destined for Cape Town, Jeffreys Bay, Port Elizabeth and George with the excess stock to be sold on the Johannesburg market. The team will also grow tomatoes for local demand.

“Since these flowers are destined for the local market, they will learn in an environment where conditions are less stringent. Once these skills have been mastered, we aim to target the international market,” says Adele Taljard.

This is the 5th flower project in which the ECDC is providing financial assistance. The corporation is also involved in talks with promoters of another five floriculture projects in the province.