The wool and mohair industries of Mzansi took center stage at the Commonwealth meeting organized by Agri-Expo. The event gathered agricultural leaders and guests, including Princess Anne from the UK.
Industry representatives highlighted a common challenge: how can South Africa increase opportunities and retain most of the value throughout the natural fiber supply chain—from farm to final product?
Although South Africa is a global leader in mohair production, the key question is who gets to participate in and benefit from this industry. For Beauty Mogkwamme, who manages the Mohair Expansion Fund in Mohair South Africa, transformation means assisting emerging farmers in transitioning to commercial production.
The Fund identifies farmers with suitable land, assesses their infrastructure and production capacity, and then provides qualified Angora sheep farmers with interest-free five-year loans. Mogkwamme explained that farmers also receive training in animal husbandry, farm management, financial management, and leadership, with commercial farmers and other industry partners providing mentorship and technical support. This model aims to help farmers ultimately become self-sufficient. 'We don't just give our farmers money. We buy them sheep and go with the farmer through this entire five-year period.'
Mogkwamme added that farmers return a portion of their mohair income to the fund, allowing the funds to support other farmers entering the industry. Currently, the fund supports nine projects, and approximately 12 projects have been completed since 2018. Mogkwamme also reported that one farmer completed the program in four years, ahead of the five-year term, after producing more than tons of mohair in six months.
Stefan Gerber, a wool producer and founder of Gerber & Co, stated that the future of South African wool should not end when the fiber leaves the farm. Speaking at the Commonwealth meeting, Gerber discussed how drought, rising feed costs, and competition challenges in the global raw material market prompted him to think beyond just producing raw wool.
These reflections led to the creation of an integrated South African wool and textile value chain, covering the process from farm through processing to finished goods. Gerber & Co operations begin with sheep farming at Nuwe Era Boerdery in the Northern Cape. Gerber explained that the business then goes through the wool scouring stage, where greasy wool is cleaned and turned into clean wool and wool tops. From there, the fiber can be used in non-woven products such as blankets, felt, and technical fabrics, or sent for textile processing, including carding, spinning, weaving, knitting, embroidery, and garment manufacturing. The final stage delivers the products to retail and B2B markets.
He also noted that the goal of this model is to keep most of the value chain within South Africa, from farm to finished goods. Gerber also spoke about finding value in what others might consider waste. The company extracts and utilizes byproducts of wool processing, while also researching biological detergents and composting. His message is simple: local wool should not travel around the world for every processing step before returning as an expensive finished product. He concluded: 'One day in South Africa we will wash the wool again. We have achieved this.'
For Gerber, the current task extends beyond just wool; it is about whether South Africa can develop industries around its agricultural produce, create local skills and jobs, and retain more value closer to the farms where production begins.
