THE Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) has launched a financial incentive programme to support qualifying agro-processing businesses seeking to expand production capacity, improve operational efficiency, enhance competitiveness and create sustainable employment opportunities.
Administered by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), the new Agro-Processing Support Scheme (APSS) will provide targeted financial assistance. The programme aims to strengthen South Africa’s agricultural value chain, promote value addition and stimulate investment in the agro-processing sector.
The DEDEAT says it remains committed to advancing the Eastern Cape’s priority sectors through targeted interventions that strengthen key industries, including agro-processing and manufacturing. These efforts focus on facilitating investment and business expansion, supporting SMMEs and cooperatives, driving industrial development, localisation and value addition within provincial value chains, promoting job creation and economic inclusion, particularly in township and rural areas.
It is within this context that the Department says it encourages eligible businesses to explore the Agro-Processing Support Scheme (APSS), a national incentive that provides financial support for business expansion, productivity improvements and increased competitiveness in the agro-processing sector.
