South Africa: AB InBev commits to invest R610 mln in increasing hop production

AB InBev and SABMiller�s R610-million investment in the agricultural sector is set to turn South African Breweries Hop Farms (SABHF) into a net exporter and grow production by 250 tonnes annually, the Press Reader reported on March 2.

The global brewer announced on March 1 it was committed to investing R610 mln by 2021 in raising hop production, creating employment and upskilling workers by investing in research and development.

There are 424 hectares of hops under cultivation in the southern Cape.

SABHF and contracted private growers harvest less than 1% of the world�s production of 855 tonnes a year. Of this, about 735 tonnes are for SAB and the local craft beer industry, while 120 tonnes are exported to the rest of Africa, primarily for SAB beers.