Global demand for products from the natural ingredients sector (which includes essential and vegetable oils) continues to reflect a strong upward trend, having increased by an average of 15% from 2018 to 2019. South Africa, with its rich diversity of flora and entrepreneurial farmers, is extremely well positioned to exploit this opportunity.
SAEOPA has been formed by the farming community to assist existing and potential farmers in this sector. The Association represents growers, processors and distributors as well as ancillary product and service providers.
Objectives
SAEOPA, a non-profit organisation, was established in 2000 to:
- Promote essential oils and natural plant products’ production, processing and export
- Represent and promote the interests of members and the industry
- Collect, collate and disseminate salient information
- Be the unified and independent mouthpiece of the industry
- Facilitate the coordination of the industry’s activities
- Promote research to expand the national and regional industry
- Facilitate the sustainability and increase the competitiveness of members, the national and the regional industry
- Empower members via training, workshops, conferences, trade missions, etc.
- Perform such functions as may be desirable for the attainment of these objectives.
Membership categories
- Ordinary members (small, medium and large)
- Associate members (corporates and individuals)
- International members
- Researcher members (individuals)
- Sponsor members
- Student members
- Honorary life members.
All members enjoy the following benefits:
- Access to members’ section on the SAEOPA website
- Advocacy on behalf of the industry and its members
- Calendar of events, including trade shows
- General advice and guidance
- Discounted rates on events such as the annual conference, workshops and networking events
- Industry reports on trends, developments and statistics
- Initiatives to increase the volume of locally-produced essential and vegetable oils
- Initiatives to improve the quality of oils produced in Southern Africa
- Liaison with local and international role players in the industry, including government departments, parastatal organisations, international organisations, and tertiary and research and institutions
- Market intelligence and trade leads
- Membership certificate and use of the SAEOPA logo
- Newsletter
- Networking opportunities
- Preferential treatment of sponsorship and advertising opportunities.
Expert user-pay services available:
- Business plans
- Consultation and individual, item-specific enquiries
- Crop and specie advice
- Feasibility studies
- Mentorship
- Project management
- Research studies and market/industry information
- Support services for specific projects.
