In the rural villages around Peddie, where opportunities are scarce, a group of emerging farmers is transforming fertile land into jobs, income and a growing agricultural success story.
What began as a small, community-driven effort in 2014 has evolved into a network of co-operatives supplying pineapples to Summerpride Foods in East London, while creating employment in some of the Eastern Cape’s most underdeveloped areas.
Today, the farms produce about six percent of the pineapples processed by Summerpride and have created 155 permanent jobs and 120 seasonal positions.
The initiative has steadily expanded over the years, with Bingqala co-op established in 2014, followed by Cornfields in 2018, Tharfield in 2019, Benton and Bathurst in 2020, Lixo Pty Ltd in 2022, and most recently Tainton in 2026.
For Litha Zithsu, who leads the initiative, the project is about more than farming — it is about unlocking the potential of land that had long been left unused.
The farms have made productive use of “vast lands that lay fallow not producing anything”, taking advantage of the area’s fertile soil and ideal growing conditions.
“Because our villages are the poorest of the poor, in the deep, deep rural areas where there are no chances of urbanization, these farms have helped people with jobs,” Zithsu said.
With support from the department of agriculture and the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the co-operatives have grown in both scale and ambition.
Zithsu said the next step is to move further up the value chain by establishing a processing plant — a plan backed by Summerpride.
“Our aim is to expand and be in a position to set up even a mini processing plant, so we can create more job opportunities and assist with the socio-economic sustainability in our villages. There are no other opportunities for industrialisation in this area,” he said.
But the growth has not come without challenges.
Poor road infrastructure remains one of the biggest obstacles, affecting both transport and the quality of the fruit.
“It really hinders the process of transporting our fruit to the market. The trucks that load our fruit have a lot of breakdowns. The roads are very poor and in a bad way, but somehow, the government will hopefully assist, but it is a major challenge,” Zithsu said.
Despite this, the co-operatives have continued to gain recognition, recently winning several awards at the Bathurst Agricultural Show, including Best Plant Crop, Best Ratoon Crop and Heaviest Fruit.
The initiative has also built links with tertiary institutions such as North West University and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, offering internships and practical experience to final-year students.
Behind the scenes, the farmers receive technical support from industry experts, including Summerpride field officer Paul Beyleveld and agricultural advisor Xolisile Mbiko.
“We couldn’t do it without their assistance. Mr Beyleveld helps to monitor and supervise our farming, giving us the forcing programmes and programmes for the maintenance of our crops, and Mr Mbiko assists us considerably,” Zithsu said.
Beyleveld said the Peddie area holds significant potential for pineapple farming.
“The area is possibly the best for pineapple in the entire Eastern Cape and the possibilities are great,” he said.
“From a field officer point of view that checks fruit quality, I am amazed at the tenacity of the different farms that are operating in the Peddie area — from physically clearing the lands by hand to preparing for planting and sharing of equipment.”
He said it was rewarding to see small farms becoming increasingly viable over time.
“Small farms that become more viable as time goes on and increase areas for harvesting.”
Mbiko, who has been involved in guiding the farmers, said the co-operative model was key to the initiative’s success.
“I encouraged the farmers to form the coops with the intention of revitalising these farms for pineapple production,” he said.
Chief executive of Summerpride Foods Ant Albers said the company saw strong potential in supporting the initiative.
“Summerpride is extremely happy to be able to support the emerging farmers in the Peddie area. We see this as a focus area for growth in the Eastern Cape pineapple industry,” he said.
For the communities involved, the project represents more than agricultural output — it is a growing source of stability and hope in areas where opportunities are limited.
Daily Dispatch