An association of Chinese businesses has made an agreement to buy 500 hectares of fruit-growing land in the East Cape province of South Africa, local press reported.

The Yebo Africa Trading Hall (ATH) in Shangai, China, had entered into an agreement with the Alfred Nzo district municipality to use land in the area for pomelo citrus fruit cultivation bound for the U.S. market. ATH is an association of Chinese businesses formed to help build ties between Chinese and African companies.

"Eastern Cape's abundant agricultural land has seen China survey the province for farming business opportunities to supplement its scarce land resources,"  Ikhona Mvaphantsi, spokesperson for the East Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) was quoted as saying.

The ECDC has been lobbying and promoting the region as a land of opportunity for Chinese business and investment.

Photo: citrussafari.com

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com