Innovative entrepreneur Robert Matsabisa, saw a gap in the market by farming cockroaches and worms at Wells Estate in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
He farms over 600 cockroaches and 9000 worms – all at the back of his home.
After the success of growing vegetables and herbs in his township garden under hydroponics, Matsabisa wanted to find other conventional ways to make an income.
He realised some of his customers require other products.
Matsabisa says he started the business with cockroaches and meal worms a few months ago, after being retrenched.
The cockroach business is still in its infancy.He only has 600 of the https://t.co/zV1E7B4hFN become a big supplier, he would need 60-thousand per day to satisfy the needs of international custormers.His neighbours are quite taken with his new venture. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/0oTIcBd6pe
— Lerato Thipa (@LThipa) August 21, 2019
So far the demand both locally and internationally is high, and this type of farming business is viable.
“There is definitely a future because they are in demand in the overseas market. In overseas market a 10kg is R11030. Imagine every household having these worms, R10 000 each month you can get it. That’s the market for the game reserve and they are rich in calcium,”says one resident.
Wells Estate residents say they support the business and see it as employment growth.
“I really want to learn about this farming because jobs are scarce. We are unemployed and doing nothing so I want to learn in order to get a job,” says one resident.
“What Robert is doing it is for us around him to open our eyes to develop ourselves and I’m glad cause one day he told me I’m a mentor to him cause I have my own business and he has his own but what he is doing is giving me strength and power,” adds another resident.
To become a big supplier, he would need 60 000 crawling items per day to satisfy the needs of international customers.
His neighbours are quite taken with his new venture. Report by Siviwe Songwiqi in Port Elizabeth.
