Tzaneen - A rural cooperative is expecting to cash in on the Marula Festival in Limpopo this year, by supplying the marula beer.
The 10 members of Navelani Ndhavuko (Our Tradition, Our Pride) cooperative in Msiphani village near Tzaneen will supply the organisers of the festival with hundreds of litres of marula beer.
"We expect to sell 1 000 litres at R18 each. That's a huge profit for something that grows in the bush," said project manager Florah Nkuna.
The seven women and three men have been collecting tons of marula fruits since January and are planning to make some 3000 litres of marula beer by the end of the brewing season.
Last week, the department of arts, sports and culture ordered 200 litres for the "Ku Luma Vukanyi" (Tasting of the Fruit) ceremony held Ga-Shongoane village near Lephalale on Saturday.
"The marula season is between January and March, but the money we make lasts until the end of the year," said Sannie Rikhotso.
Grace Nkuna added: "We also sell some of our beer at home and along busy roads. With the money we make, I am able to buy food and school uniform for my four children."
Navelani Ndhavuko is one of more than 10 cooperatives that have been registered through the Limpopo Business Support Agency to encourage and promote trade in marula products.
This year's Marula Festival will be held in Phalaborwa on 9 and 10 March.
Spokesperson for the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Joshua Kwapa, said a service provider will be appointed at the end of this month to organise the Marula Festival for the next three years, starting in 2013.
"This will provide the successful bidder with sufficient time to source, develop and implement a new approach towards hosting the festival," he said.
He said the department was convinced that the new approach would benefit the brand Marula festival, stakeholders, and the people of Limpopo as a whole.
