| 1705 |
First documented use of Honeybush |
| 1830 |
First documented medicinal use - as restorative |
| 1881 |
First chemical and anatomical study. No caffeine present in herbal drink |
1960’s
 |
First packaging of tea - “Caspa Cyclopia Tea” |
| 1992 |
First studies on cultivation and nursery practices for Cyclopia by National Botanical Institute, Kirstenbosch |
| |
The Plant Protection Research Institute of the ARC developed an effective Rhizobium inoculant for the development of nitrogen fixing root nodules when inoculating seedlings and root cuttings |
| 1994 |
Investigation of controlled processing and the establishment of guidelines for processing by ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij |
| 1995 |
ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij initiated research on plant production practices as part of its Sustainable Rural Livelihoods programme |
| 1996 |
First harvest from a commercial plantation |
| 1997 |
Taxonomic revision of genus Cyclopia giving recognition to 23 species at Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), Johannesburg |
| |
Implementation of rotary fermentation for controlled processing by industry (based on process developed for rooibos by ARC) |
| |
First information days organised by ARC/National Botanical Institute (NBI) held at Montagu and Heidelberg to create interest from prospective role players |
| 1998 |
Commercial, as well as small-scale, production by emerging farmers commenced |
| |
First registered organic honeybush tea produced |
| |
First experimental processing of green honeybush tea by ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij |
| |
First collaborative studies on composition (University of Free State, Bloemfontein), antioxidant activity (ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij), and anti-mutagenicity/anti-cancer properties (MRC) of honeybush |
| 1999 |
Establishment of an industry association (South African Honeybush Producer’s Association) under the guidance of ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij |
| |
Insect and nematode survey done by ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij |
| 2000 |
First harvest by emerging farmers near Groot Brakrivier under the guidance of the Sustainable Rural Livelihoods programme of ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij |
| |
Technology transfer by ARC and industry- SAHTA newsletters |
| |
ARC Breeding and Selection Programme initiated |
| 2001 |
Export Standards for honeybush tea compiled by National Department of Agriculture |
| 2002 |
First commercial production of green honeybush tea by industry |
| 2003 |
First studies on phytoestrogen activity of honeybush by Stellenbosch University |
| 2004 |
Registration of honeybush logo by the ARC for use by industry |
| 2005 |
Demonstration of protective role of Cyclopia intermedia in skin cancer development by MRC in collaboration with ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij |
| |
NIRS model for quality control and plant selection for Cyclopia genistoides developed by Stellenbosch University and ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij |
| 2006 |
Bio-availability studies initiated by ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij in collaboration with MRC |
| |
Preliminary guidelines for production established by ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij |
| |
First characterisation of volatile composition of honeybush (Cyclopia genistoides) by Stellenbosch University and ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij |
| 2007 |
Development of web pages on ARC website to document important information and to serve as an information hub for the industry |
| |
First farmers/information day organised by SAHTA |
| 2008 |
Strategic Planning Workshop for Industry |
| |
Implementation plan (Strategic Plan) completed |
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