Senwes, Bloemfontein

Senwes is an agricultural business that focuses on the development of access to markets for agricultural produce, the supply of input products to the agricultural producer as well as adding value to role players in this chain.

Founded 101 years ago, Sentraalwes played a leading role in the South African agricultural industry. The business has grown steadily and diversified, and on 10 April 1997 the old co-operative business form made way for a new public company, Senwes. Senwes conducts extensive activities in sectors such as the grain industry, supply of farming inputs, the mechanisation market and financing services focused on agriculture; with presence in Free State, North West, Northern Cape and Gauteng provinces.

The well-deployed silo infrastructure has a capacity of 4, 6 million tons and constitutes more than 25% of the total South African commercial storage capacity. Senwes silos handle about 30% of the country’s grain and oil-seeds in a normal agricultural production year. Senwes is a reliable supplier of clean, safe and healthy commodities with integrity and quality.

The trade and mechanisation side of the business is aimed at providing agricultural producers with exclusive and competitive value and service packages. Value is added for producers through relevant input cost financing packages. The sundry operations of the Group comprise the processing and packing of seed and production of wine as well as the rendering of financial services through an insurance brokerage.

A broad based black economic empowerment transaction has been entered into with the Bafokeng Consortium during 2006. It offers entry into new markets and unlocks other opportunities for Senwes as an empowered agri-business.

With integrity, accountability, innovation, business orientation, self motivation and loyalty to Senwes as core values, the business is focused on sustainable value-adding and delivering a competitive products and services package.