AGRICULTURE NEWS - Biltong is of strategic importance to the South African economy. This was according to Joseph Kau, an agricultural economist at the Agricultural Research Council.
“In the 2016/2017 season, trophy and biltong hunters contributed a combined R13,6 billion to the South African economy,” he told Farmers Weekly.
Tau added that the annual turnover of the biltong industry in South Africa was estimated at R2,4 billion in 2018. In 2015, game biltong sales was valued at R237 million, while beef biltong was valued at R2,4 billion.
Based on 2014 statistics, there were about 200 000 biltong hunters in South Africa, each spending an average of R31 000/annum on hunting.
“Further along the value chain, hunters [also] spend money on accommodation, fuel, hunting gear, equipment, food and beverages,” Kau said.
Read the full article here on the Caxton publication, Farmer's Weekly.
