Agri SA pleads with govt over looming Tiger Brands closure
Agricultural association Agri SA is asking government to help keep the doors of a Tiger Brands food factory open.
Agri SA's Christo van Rheede says one of two canning factories in South Africa is on the verge of closure.
Tiger Brands, which is the country's largest food producer, says its factory in Ashton in the Western Cape is on the verge of closing after 70 years of operations.
Thousands of jobs are being threatened.
The company behind household brands like KOO, Silverleaf and GoldReef says trade barriers have harmed the competitiveness of local produce.
It has two months to find a buyer.
Van Rheede says they've appealed for help.
"Agri SA believes that both national and Eastern Cape governments must step in and to help the food producers secure the necessary funding to keep the factory doors open.
"With more than 4500 factory jobs on the line, there are over 2000 farm level jobs too, it is critical that we craft a constructive solution for this terrible situation."
