South Africa looks to revamp its honeybush industry
The government of Eastern Cape, a province of South Africa, is looking for ways to boost its honeybush production. Honeybush tea, also known as bush tea, grows naturally in the mountain ranges of the southern Cape and is a sister to rooibos. The region cultivates only 30% of the crop, with the rest being harvested in the wild. According to an expert, this situation is unsustainable and a cultivation of honeybush on a larger scale will not only help supply the growing demand for the plant, but will also relieve the pressure on wild honeybush populations. At the moment, international demand far outstrips the supply and the industry has the potential to increase output from 150 tons to 1500 tons by involving small and emerging farmers.