Agriculture in the Western Province includes fruit, plantations, wine and fisheries. The valleys of the Western Province produce a wide range of fruits such as apples, grapes, olives, peaches and oranges, while the eastern part of the province produces a wide range of vegetables, making it one of South Africa's most important 'food baskets'. The Western Province is also known for its high quality wines, many of which have won top international awards. In addition, the Little Karoo is home to large-scale ostrich farms, with ostrich meat and skins an important industry, and the Swartland, Malmesbury and Caledon districts are important wheat-producing areas. The inland Karoo is mainly livestock farming and is an important wool and mutton producing area and breeding stock base. Other animal products include chickens, eggs, dairy products, beef and pork. The West Coast region is rich in deep-sea and pelagic fisheries.
The industrial and tertiary sectors are more developed in the Western Province, with the garment and textile industries being the main labor-employing sectors in the Western Province. Cape Town is home to the headquarters of South Africa's major petrochemical companies as well as major companies in the printing and publishing industries. The United Steel Corporation of South Africa (ISCOR) has built the Saldanha steel plant on the West Coast, which mainly produces thin plates and is technologically advanced. South Africa's major insurance giants Old Mutual, Salanm, AA and large department store retailers Woolworth, Pick'n Pay, Clicks headquarters are also in Cape Town. 1, the wine industry
South Africa's wine production ranks seventh in the world, and the Western Province accounts for 92.1% of the country's wine production. There are 4,700 vineyards in the province, with an annual production of 900 million liters and an annual export volume of about 11 million cases, with exports growing rapidly in recent years. The UK is the largest market for South African wines, accounting for about 25% of South Africa's exports, while other major markets include Germany, the Netherlands and Canada, with emerging markets developed mainly for other EU countries and the US market.
2, fisheries
Western Province, the west coast is directly affected by the Ben Gora cold current (Ben Gora cold current is one of the world's four major natural fisheries resources), rich in fishery resources, fisheries production accounted for 85% of South Africa's total fishery production, the annual output value of 1.5 billion rand. The main species are cod and deep-sea fish, threadfin fish and lobster accounted for 12% respectively, the current production growth is faster abalone and oyster industry, the annual growth rate of 25%. West Coast annual production of abalone is 600 tons, frozen or canned mainly exported to the Far East.
3, the furniture industry
Western Province's furniture industry output value accounted for 23% of the whole of South Africa. The Southern Cape is the main producing areas of South Africa's hardwood forests, so high-quality furniture production is mainly concentrated in George (George), Nessna (Knysna) area. Softwoods are produced throughout most of the Western Cape. The main production of hardwood products with South African characteristics, modern furniture, handicrafts, etc., mainly exported to the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States and other places.
4. Tourism
Western Cape has good tourism resources and infrastructure, and tourism is an important economic growth engine for the province. tourism accounted for 9.8% of the province's output in 2002, and 28% of South Africa's national tourism industry, with an annual output value of around R10 billion. the number of foreign visitors to the Western Cape was 1.4 million in 2002, of which 1.4 million were from overseas (i.e., outside of the continent of Africa). (defined as tourism, business, conference and other visitors from outside the African continent) was 976 000, an increase of 11%, mainly from the United Kingdom and Germany. More than 53% of South Africa's overseas visitors came to Western Province. Eight of South Africa's top ten tourist attractions are in the Western Province, including Table Mountain, the Victoria Waterfront Business Complex, the Cape of Good Hope, the Grand Constantia Wine Estate, the Western Cape Wine Park Drive Scenic Area, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Robin Island and the Oudtshoorn Ostrich Park. The city of Cape Town is one of the top ten most visited cities in the world.
5, manufacturing
Western Province, the output value of the garment industry and textile industry accounted for 30% of the whole of South Africa, is one of the province's most important industrial sector. About 500,000 people in the province are engaged in the garment and textile industry. Western Province footwear industry production accounted for 26% of South Africa, there are 30 shoe factories, mainly produces high-quality men's leather shoes, exported to the European market. Western Province produces 5% of South Africa's machinery parts and automobile parts, which are mainly exported to Germany, followed by the UK and Africa. Traditional manufacturing is concentrated in the industrial areas of Epping, Parow, Retreat and Montagu Garden.
6, the jewelry industry
Western Province, the jewelry industry accounts for 25% of the whole of South Africa, *** there are 75 companies. Cape Town is one of the major jewelry production centers in South Africa, focusing on quality and design styles. The Cape Technical College and Stellenbosch University both have jewelry design programs, which have trained a large number of jewelry practitioners.
7, shipbuilding
Western Cape Province, shipbuilding industry accounted for 55% of the whole of South Africa, is the center of South Africa's shipbuilding industry, there are 27 shipbuilding companies, mainly the production of sailboats, inflatable boats and commercial fishing boats, etc., in recent years, the main development of the production of luxury yachts. South Africa's production of boats known for high quality and durability, mainly exported to Europe and the United States, in the international market demand exceeds supply.
8, printing and packaging industry
Western Cape Province, the printing industry accounted for 25% of the whole of South Africa, there are 440 factories, and this related to the publishing industry and packaging industry is also more developed. Cape Town is South Africa's largest printing and publishing companies headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, six of the eight major professional publishers will be headquartered in Cape Town. Packaging industry in the food packaging, especially fruit export packaging is more developed.
9, the medical industry
Western Province in the field of medical technology is more advanced, *** there are about 100 hospitals, the main market for Europe and North America. Western Province is also the main production area of medical equipment and supplies in South Africa.
10, chemical industry
Western Province, plastics, packaging, textiles and fertilizers and other chemical industry is more developed. The province's plastics industry accounts for 25% of the whole of South Africa. Among them, 50% of the plastic products are packaging materials, accounting for 40% of packaging materials. Almost all the machinery and equipment required by the plastics industry is imported. Shell, BP, Engen and Caltex, the world's multinational oil companies are headquartered in Western Province, of which BP's branch in Cape Town is responsible for the management of the company's business throughout Africa. The South African National Petroleum Exploration Company is also headquartered in Cape Town. As oil is explored and exploited off the coast of southern Africa, Cape Town will become a base for the processing and transportation of southern African oil, and a number of oil-related maintenance facilities have been developed at the port of Cape Town. South Africa's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is located 80 kilometers north of Cape Town and contains four and a half thousand barrels of oil.
11, financial
Western Province's banking industry accounts for 20% of South Africa's, although South Africa's banking industry are headquartered in Gauteng, but a number of important regional and commercial banks have been gradually transferred to the Western Province. Western Province has a well-developed insurance industry, which accounts for 60% of the province's financial sector, and three of South Africa's five major insurance companies are headquartered in Western Province, accounting for 70% of the South African insurance market. In addition, Western Province has 150 accounting firms, audit firms, financial consulting firms and other financial services organizations.
12, film and television, telecommunications, high-tech industries
In recent years, Cape Town's film and television industry has developed rapidly, known as "Hollywood in Africa", there are 215 private companies engaged in film and television, most of which are in cooperation with foreign companies, and the finished product accounted for 55% of the whole of South Africa. Western Province has an excellent telecommunications infrastructure, with Cape Town being the base for the laying of broadband fiber optic cables linking Africa, Europe and North America. Western Province is known as the "cradle" of education in South Africa, and has a large potential for the development of high-tech industries. Currently there are about 800 high-tech companies, mainly engaged in electronics, software design, communications equipment, networking software design, food processing technology, medical technology, bio-engineering, signal and data processing technology, new materials development and other high-tech industries. Important trade and investment promotion agencies and chambers of commerce
1, the Western Cape Trade and Investment Development Authority (WESGRO) for the Western Province, the official investment and promotion agencies, is responsible for attracting investment, to promote the province's foreign trade and establish a commercial image of the Western Province. Foreign importers, local exporters and investors from all over the world can seek help from this organization. The agency works closely with the provincial government, the City of Cape Town, the regions, the business community and the ILO.
The agency provides investors with the following services:
Awareness of the investment environment in the Western Cape, assistance in identifying investment opportunities and project information as well as access to incentives, assistance with investment missions and project visits, and business development support.
The organization, because of its official background, is heavily influenced by government policy and focuses more on supporting local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and black-owned companies, reflecting the country's strategy of 'Black Economic Empowerment' (BEE). When foreign investors are looking for partners, it is more difficult for them to get in touch with large, powerful local companies through the agency; instead, commercial consulting and intermediary firms are more likely to play an effective role. The agency's strength lies in the accuracy and reliability of its information sources.
2, Cape Regional Chamber of Commerce (Cape Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
In order to cooperate with the Cape Town Metropolitan Administrative Division adjustment, in the integration of the original six chambers of commerce on the basis of resources, on April 2, 2002 was formally established the Cape Regional Chamber of Commerce. With 4400 members, the Chamber's main responsibilities are to safeguard the interests of its members, improve the business environment, coordinate with the government, trade unions and other public **** departments, and at the same time provide members with advertising, consulting, exhibition and other services. The Chamber's current President is Louis Steenkamp, and its key members include ABSA, Grand West (Casino and Entertainment), Standard Corproate and Merchant Bank, Engen, and many others.