A German delegation on a Seafood Sourcing Mission to South Africa touched down in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday last week to help identify seafood farmers who are ready to export their produce to the European consumer market, and to identify support programmes for emerging producers to bring them up to international standards.

A delegation that included Linda Lubengu, the Trade Promotion Specialist from the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), along with Lea Reinhardt and Udo Censkowsky from the German Import Promotion Desk, visited two seafood farming operations in the OR Tambo District Municipality on Wednesday. The first site was in Mtakatyi, located approximately 75kms from Mthatha, and the second was in Port St. John’s. Their purpose was to assess the businesses' readiness to export to the European market. The Eastern Cape portion of the mission concluded with visits to two seafood producers in the Nelson Mandela Metro on Friday: Lepad Fishing South Africa, which operates a state-of-the-art seafood processing facility in Deal Party, and the Rial Fishing Company in Walmer, which is currently working on an expansion plan to upgrade its processing facilities and increase production for exports.

On Wednesday, the delegation visited Phumalali Seasfoods, an east coast rock lobster farming operation in Mtakatyi, which has revitalised small-scale fishing operations in the coastal communities of Mamolweni, Hluleka, and Mngcibe. This was followed by a visit to Rakaseed, which works with seven primary fishing cooperatives in Tsweleni, Port St John’s.

“Conducted in partnership with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the mission forms part of a broader initiative to assess the export readiness of South African and Eastern Cape producers for the European market, strengthen compliance, and connect Eastern Cape seafood producers with European buyers. 

“The programme is led by the German Import Promotion Desk and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Import Promotion Desk programme has been in existence for 14 years. Its mandate is to support small and medium-sized enterprises in accessing European markets through structured capacity-building, sustainability alignment, and targeted matchmaking. The programme currently supports exporters across six priority sectors, namely, sustainable tourism, digital services, fresh produce, sustainable wood products, cut flowers, and natural ingredients for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals,” says the Import Promotion Desk’s Export Sourcing and Markets Specialist Lea Reinhardt.

ECDC Trade Promotion Specialist Linda Lubengu says the Eastern Cape has a strong and growing seafood industry, with access to rich marine resources, experienced processors, and a value chain that holds real potential for sustainable exports into Europe. 

“With the right market linkages and compliance support, our local producers are well-positioned to compete and succeed internationally. At the ECDC, we remain committed to working with global partners like the German Import Promotion Desk to unlock export opportunities, strengthen local industries, and create sustainable growth for Eastern Cape businesses. This mission is another important step in positioning the province as a trusted supplier to the EU market,” says Lubengu.

According to Phumalali Seafoods Operations Director Trevor Page, future growth hinges on regulatory alignment. 

“The approval of a multi-species permits by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) is critical. It will unlock further job creation, enable balanced and sustainable harvesting across species, and restore access to legally sourced local seafood for the Wild Coast tourism market. With ECDC’s support and the insights gained through this sourcing mission, we plan to expand into additional communities, increasing direct community investment to an estimated R2,8 million in 2026,” says Page.

Similarly, Duncan Sejoeseng, Director of Rakaseed, highlighted the developmental significance of the initiative. Working with seven primary rock lobster farming cooperatives in Port St John’s, Sejoeseng says the project extends beyond commercial outcomes. 

“Over the past few years, we have invested heavily in building the required infrastructure. The next step is obtaining the necessary certifications. Once that is done, we are confident that we can meet the Import Promotion Desk’s standards and progress to the next level. The work we have been doing restores dignity and economic agency to local fishing communities. Completing the seafood value chain is not just a milestone for us as a business, but for the communities we serve”, says Sejoeseng.

Lubengu says to scale up operations and coordinate their activities, the seven cooperatives have received a R2,8 million incentive through the ECDC-administered Imvaba Cooperatives Fund, with each cooperative receiving R400,000. The funding is being used for the acquisition of a specialised holding facility valued at R1,7 million to store and maintain live lobsters before they are transported to markets. The funds will also be used for operational support, covering stock purchases, salaries, security, electrical upgrades, transport logistics, and fishing permit acquisitions.

Reinhardt says the collaboration with the ECDC has been instrumental in establishing a strong South African pipeline. 

“We began working with the ECDC shortly after launching our South Africa programme two years ago. At present, six South African companies are participating, including Wild Coast Abalone in the Eastern Cape. Our role is to assist with capacity-building while facilitating direct connections with European buyers”, she says.

Reinhardt says the sourcing mission remains ongoing with technical evaluations underway. Further site visits were conducted in KwaZulu-Natal, with two others planned for Friday in Gqeberha. Comprehensive feedback will be provided once the process is concluded and all assessments have been finalised.