South African Breweries turns to lime farming to support Corona beer

Record ID: 1767758

  • Title: South African Breweries turns to lime farming to support Corona beer
  • Date: 21st February 2024
  • Summary: HOEDSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA (FEBRUARY 13, 2024) (REUTERS) LIME ON THE GROUND/WORKERS ON THE LIME FARM VARIOUS OF FARM WORKERS REMOVING SPOILT LIME HAND-PICKING A FRESH LIME FROM THE TREE VALVE OPERATOR AND LIME FARM WORKER PONTSHO MATHEBULA WALKING PAST THE LIME TREES MATHEBULA LOOKING AT IRRIGATION PIPE WATER DRIPPING FROM PIPE VARIOUS OF MATHEBULA ADJUSTING WATER VALVES (SO
  • Embargoed: 6th March 2024 09:01
  • Keywords: agriculture beer citrus fruit corona economy farming limes unemployment
  • Location: HOEDSPRUIT, PRETORIA AND JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • City: HOEDSPRUIT, PRETORIA AND JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Africa,Human-Led Feature,Human-Led Stories
  • Reuters ID: LVA001076815022024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:At a farm in South Africa's Limpopo province, a mother of two, Pontsho Mathebula, is checking the irrigation system to make sure water is distributed evenly in the fields.
    She is one of a number of community members benefiting from a local lime farming project initiated by AB InBev's South African Breweries (SAB) to provide the citrus fruit locally to go along with its premium Corona beer.
    "I could not even afford to support my kids, because I have kids so now I am able to support my family – my mum and my kids,” the 39-year-old told Reuters during a shift at the farm, where she operates the irrigation system.
    "Because of that job, my kids will never go to school hungry... They will be able to have a school bag, shoes on their feet," she added.
    "Paradise is best served with lime," states one of the taglines in Anheuser-Busch InBev's <ABI.BR> advertisement for their Corona beer, which is typically served with a slice of lime wedged in the neck of the bottle.
    But as the Mexican-origin beer gained popularity in South Africa, a domestic shortage of limes threatened the essence of the drinking ritual, prompting SAB to invest 19 million rand ($999,000) in a local lime farming project in the northern Limpopo province.
    "The challenge is that less than 10% of citrus farm land in South Africa was dedicated to lime," SAB Corporate Affairs Vice President Zoleka Lisa told Reuters.
    "So there was actually a shortage of limes ...it meant that we were importing. Now imported limes means that you never know when they'll be available and secondly it also drives costs (up)."
    Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, said much of the lime produced in South Africa is exported.
    SAB partnered in 2020 with the Moletele community which provided the land in the province and Komati Fruit Group to establish and run the farming project that largely serves the maker of Carling Black Label beer.
    The lime harvest for the 2023 financial year has yielded around 700 tonnes, more than double a target of 300 tonnes, said Piet Smit, the CEO of Komati which runs the 60-hectare farm.
    "It's quickly become the biggest lime farm in South Africa," he told Reuters at the farm.
    (Production: Siyabonga Sishi, Sisipho Skweyiya)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register