Opinion: How South Africa’s Potent Aloe Ferox Is Losing Ground To Foreign Rivals – Food and Drugs Law

While South Africa harvests a mere 200 tons of Aloe Ferox
annually, our global competitors, like Mexico, churn out a
staggering 400,000 tons of Aloe Vera. This stark contrast not only
highlights a missed economic opportunity but also underscores a
perplexing disregard for our own superior indigenous resources.
Despite Aloe Ferox being scientifically proven to contain double
the amino acids and twenty times more antioxidants than its
international cousin, Aloe Vera, our local markets and
manufacturers overwhelmingly favour the less potent import. Why do
we neglect our own “green gold” in favour of an
outsider?

This preference for the foreign Aloe Vera over the local Aloe
Ferox is symptomatic of a broader trend of self-inflicted economic
wounds. While the latter has all the makings of a Geographical
Indication (GI) champion—a status that has lucratively
benefited the Rooibos tea sector—efforts to elevate Aloe
Ferox to similar heights are bogged down by regulatory red tape and
lacklustre industry support.

Retailers’ preference for Aloe Vera, driven by its
established traceability and consistent supply, seems pragmatic on
the surface. However, it reveals a deeper reluctance to invest in
the systems and structures that could make Aloe Ferox a global
contender. The entrenched farm-gate to pharmacy-shelf challenges
and the stringent provisions of the National Environmental
Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA Act) further exacerbate this
issue. The act imposes rigorous requirements for benefit sharing
and sustainability, which, while well-intentioned, have
inadvertently stifled innovation and commercialisation of local
species like Aloe Ferox.

In the shadows of these regulatory obstacles, Aloe Ferox remains
an underutilised asset, relegated to niche markets and small-scale
production. This is not just an agricultural oversight; it is a
glaring economic misstep. By sidelining this indigenous resource,
we forfeit millions in potential revenue and deny our farmers and
communities the chance to prosper from the land’s true
bounty.

The path forward requires a radical shift in how we view and
value our native species. It demands a coalition of dedicated
scientists, legal advisors, and farmers to advocate for more
accommodating regulations and stronger market support. The
pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, major users of aloe
products, must also be brought into the fold to help recalibrate
the scales in favour of Aloe Ferox.

South Africa’s rich biodiversity is a national treasure, yet
our approach to leveraging this wealth remains timid and
fragmented. Aloe Ferox could be a flagship in the global wellness
market, much like Rooibos has become for tea. But until we embrace
and promote our indigenous resources with the same vigour as we do
foreign ones, our “green gold” will remain just out of
reach, a latent promise unfulfilled.

If we continue to overlook the potential of Aloe Ferox, we not
only undermine our biodiversity but also our economy. It’s high
time South Africa capitalises on its green gold, turning the tables
on international competitors and finally giving Aloe Ferox the
global podium it deserves.

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