The NCT Story

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NCT Tree Farming (Pty) Ltd

D uring the 80’s and 90’s, NCT had been buying and harvesting standing plantations which assisted in bolstering supplies and contributed to the overall financial benefit of the co-operative. Subsequently in 1988 a management scheme for landowners was started by NCT with the Pietermaritzburg City Forestry Department and Harding Town Board plantations as the first clients. The scheme has worked exceedingly well to the benefit of all parties. The landowner receives maximum profits from his trees while letting someone else’s expertise and management skills solve the day-to-day problems associated with forestry. The deal also assists in making forestry an attractive crop for landowners. In 1995 NCT purchased two farms in its own name – Ingwe Forests in the Lidgetton area and Enon Forests near Richmond. At no stage was the intention that NCT’s farms would compete with members’ interests. It has always been there for the growers’ well-being and as a reservoir in times of under supply. In addition it began to take on the management of more and more properties, several of which are of considerable extent such as Taurus plantation in the Barberton region of Mpumalanga. As the scheme grew it became necessary to separate these activities from NCT’s other operations. The result was a wholly-owned private company formed to administer and cater for this particular branch of NCT’s services. This is NCT Tree Farming (Pty) Limited. In 1999 the number of farms being managed by NCT Tree Farming total eighteen, covering an area of some 12 000 hectares of trees. The prognosis for this type of management scheme is optimistic and the company is continually being contracted to manage additional farms.

The NCT Story

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