BOARD Newsletter Edition #1

Edition #1 4th Quarter 2024

SAHTA VISION AND MISSION
The South African Honeybush Tea Association is more than just an organisation – we are your dedicated partner in growing and advancing the honeybush industry. Our association consists of 81 members, including producers, processors, wild harvesters, NGOs, and academia, all working together towards a common goal. Our mission is to support you, the farmers and processors, by driving sustainability, empowering all stakeholders, and preserving the
natural environment. We are also committed to protecting the rich Khoi and San heritage that is at the heart of our unique honeybush tea tradition, ensuring a thriving future for all.

This newsletter provides a quarterly update on the activities the Board has undertaken on behalf of our members.

AGM 2024 – The SAHTA AGM was held at the Outeniqua research farm in July 2024. It was attended by 40 members.

Presenters and Key findings:

Dr Ahmad Hassan: Microbial diversity of the honeybush rhizosphere (ARC): 
Bradyrhizobium was found to be common to most Cyclopia spp. Levels of host/microbe specificity was found to be low and there are a diversity of root undulating bacteria associated with honeybush. Dr Hassn spoke about plans to develop a reference collection for honeybush rhizobial bacteria, with funding from DLRAD. An understanding of these soil microbes could promote the cultivation success of the various honeybush species.

Ms Muriel Knipe: Bruchid beetle damaging Honeybush tea seeds (ARC): 
Ms Knipe emphasised the importance of reference collections in understanding agricultural pests. The Bruchid beetle, recently
discovered damaging honeybush seed collections, was previously recorded in 2013. A collaborative effort with a researcher in the USA will further investigate the beetle to assess its potential threat. Ms Knipe urged SAHTA members to contribute by providing fresh plant material, especially green pods, to support studies on the beetle’s developmental stages.

Ms Mary-Jane Mahlare: Effect of irrigation rate on the tea quality of field-grown Cyclopia subternata (ARC & CPUT):
Trials investigated the effect of different levels of irrigation on tea quality. More stressed plants (lowest irrigation level) produced lower biomass volume, but were found to produce better tasting tea. Less stressed plants with higher irrigation rates produced greater biomass volume, but negative flavours came through in the tea.

Dr Mariska Lilly – Exploring the Anti- Inflammatory Properties of Honeybush: Innovative Applications of Honeybush
Nanoparticles in Skin and Gut Health (CPUT): 
Most work has focussed on the potential use of rooibos as an antiinflammatory, but these trials will test the use of honeybush extracts as an anti-inflammatory. The project aims to verify the health benefits of honeybush, specifically its value as an anti-inflammatory, through testing of honeybush extracts as both a treatment for inflammation and a preventative agent. Preliminary results are positive.

Ms Liz Metcalfe – Wild C. intermedia augmentation and links with wider veld management (Living Lands):
The wild augmentation trials in the Langkloof have shown promising results, with up to 50% survival of planted seeds in areas where conditions are favourable, such as after recent fires, adequate rainfall, and the clearing of alien vegetation. Significant progress has also been made by utilising harvester teams to clear alien species at honeybush harvest sites. This not only improves honeybush yields but also creates employment opportunities for part-time harvesters.
The Living Lands team also led the Non-detriment Finding (NDF) process and resource assessments for Cyclopia subternata (vleitee) and Cyclopia intermedia (bergtee). Their findings indicate that current extraction rates are sustainable, and trade in these species is nondetrimental. SANBI will release the reports by the end of 2024.

Ms Gillian McGregor – Honeybush statistics (Rhodes Uni.): Available online at https://sahta.co.za/industry/facts-statistics/

Some important matters raised for discussion at the AGM meeting were as follows:
The state of the industry: The formal Honeybush industry started in the mid-1990s. After 35 years, the industry needs to be able to stand on its own feet. However, >80% of SAHTA’s operations still rely on external funding. This is not sustainable. A major aim for the next two years is to grow Honeybush sales (and levies), so that SAHTA becomes less reliant on external funders.

POLICY AND REGULATIONS

ABS

The SAHTA Board has been in discussions with members of the National Khoisan Council in an ongoing effort to come to an agreement around sharing honeybush industry profits with the recognised Traditional Knowledge Holders. Two meetings were held to date. Engagements are on-going and members will be informed once there is anything substantial to report. A letter confirming these negotiations is available from SAHTA Secretariat, should this be required by any of the members.

TRADE WITH CHINA

Negotiating trade agreements with foreign countries is a very costly process, and requires government and industry support at all levels. SAHTA had its first ‘Trade with China’ meeting with government departments and industry roleplayers on 8 February 2024, after which very little happened. Recently, the industry representative for Rooibos Ltd who is based in China (Kieran van Zyl) approached SAHTA and offered his services free-of-charge to help SAHTA get Honeybush registered on the Chinese Health Bureau’s list of positive products. This is key to enabling legal trade of Honeybush with Chinese clients.
This registration process entails a comprehensive list of toxicity tests (and much paperwork) to prove that Honeybush is safe for the people of China. It is anticipated that this registration process will cost ~R2.5 million, and take 18-24 months to complete. This registration only needs to be done once, after which anyone will be able to export Honeybush to China.
The total investment of R2.5 million can be split into two sequential steps. The initial round of feasibility tests will cost ~R55 000. Here, SAHTA approached the HOD of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (Dr. Mogale Sebopetsa) for a donation. If the initial test results are favourable, SAHTA can continue to source the remainder of the investment from the South African government to complete the registration process. However, if the initial test results are unfavourable, the loss amounts to ~R55 000 and not R2.5 million. SAHTA expects the test results to be favourable, because of its long history of traditional use. Moreover, there is no record of toxicity in any of the Honeybush species.

MARKET ACCESS

SAHTA is actively working towards the expansion of Honeybush in global markets, with a current focus on Europe and China. Much of this work involves working with our colleagues in government to create the necessary legal frameworks that will streamline the legal trade of Honeybush with foreign countries.
We’ve learned from the Rooibos industry that some legal mechanisms work better in certain countries (and continents) than others. That is why we pursue Geographical Indicator (GI) status for European markets, but a Honeybush Trademark for Chinese markets. In parallel, SAHTA has started engagements with the government to get a unique HS code (i.e., different from other herbal products) that can be used universally for all exports across the globe.
Work has started on all three fronts (GI registration, Honeybush as trademark, and a unique HS code), and is ongoing.

GEOGRAPHIC INDICATOR STATUS FOR HONEYBUSH 

In an effort to improve the sales and value of honeybush products on the international market, and protect the product name from appropriation, the name honeybush was trademarked in 2014. Working with this, the Swiss-South African Intellectual Property Project (SSAIP) appointed Kruger Swart and Associates to support SAHTA in developing a trade agreement with the EU which would recognise honeybush as product of unique geographic origin (like, Champagne from the Champagne region in France, or Karoo Lamb from the Karoo). Board members have attended several online workshops and an in-person workshop to develop an understanding of the process. Board members agreed that SAHTA should be the GI applicant and custodian of the GI and related processes. They will be supported in this application by the National Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The process is lengthy and requires legal input to develop the final documents. The process will be taken further at a 2nd workshop in November 2024.

INPUT TO GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

Members of the board gave input to the following government publications which were put out for public comment in 2023/2024