C Dowry: Launch of Deciduous Fruit development Chamber
(Afrikaans)

1 November 2007

Sagtevrugtebedryf ondersteun opkomende boere

Die meeste van u wat vandag hier teenwoordig is weet dat daar sekere
uitdagings is waarmee ons binne die landbousektor moet deel indien ons wil
verseker dat daar volgehoue groei binne die sektor is en terselfdertyd ook
gehoor gee aan die regering se opdrag ten opsigte van die transformasie
doelwitte. Van hierdie uitdagings is dan ook:
a) Grondhervorming en swart ekonomiese bemagting in landbou (AgriBEE).
b) dDie vervaardiging van genoegsame veilige, gesonde sowel as omgewings- en
sosiaal vriendelike landbouprodukte.
c) Die hantering van uitdagings deur kompetisie van sommige van ons mededingers
as gevolg van subsidies en tarief plafonne en die beskerming van bestaande
buitelandse markte.
d) Daar is toenemende nasionale en internasionale sensitiwiteit oor die
veiligheid van voedsel van dier- en plantoorsprong.
e) Konstruktiewe bydrae tot die ontwikkeling van Afrika deur die nuwe
vennootskap vir die ontwikkeling van Afrika, Nepad.

Grondhervorming en die bemagtiging van nuwe boere moet daarop ingestel wees
om volhoubaarheid te verseker en nie net om groot getalle mense op grond neer
te sit en dan na een of twee jaar weer te vind dat hierdie sogenaamde
bemagtigdes die grond terugverkoop aan kommersiële boere nie.

In ons geveg teen armoede het ons nou die fase bereik waar dienslewering op
alle vlakke daarop ingestel moet wees om die ekonomie te laat groei sodat ons
nuwe werksgeleenthede kan skep wat die katalisator moet wees om die grense van
armoede te verskuif en daarom is dit nodig dat ons voortdurend daarna sal
streef dat die landbousektor 'n konstante groei sal toon.

U weet dat die landbousektor geïdentifiseer word as een van die sektore wat
'n beduidende rol moet speel in die bereiking van die regering se doelwit om
die ekonomie met 6% te laat groei deur middel van die Versnelde Groei en
Ontwikkelingstrategie (AsgiSA).

Binne die Departement van Landbou in die Wes-Kaap is daar verskeie programme
wat deur hulle bydraes die klimaat help skep om die grondslag vir sukses te lê.
Die sukses van AsgiSA gaan afhang van die mate waarin ons in staat is om
innoverend te dink sodat ons die kettings kan breek wat groei belemmer.

Toenemende landbouproduksie sal beide indiensneming- en inkomste dwarsdeur
die ekonomie genereer, wat weer op sy beurt aangewend kan word in
werkverskaffingstrategiëe in industrieë en besighede.

Your industry plays a vital role in this, because of the income generated
through exports to foreign markets. It is estimated that an increase of only 5%
in the export of certain agricultural products would add 22 900 job
opportunities to the economy of the Western Cape. More importantly, only 9 500
(41%) of these employment opportunities would be in the primary agricultural
sector while the balance would be in the up and down stream of the economic
activities.

Ek wil graag weer terugkom na grondhervorming toe aangesien grondhervorming
en swart ekonomiese bemagtiging tans die prioriteit van die regering op
landbougebied is, veral met die oog op maatskaplike, politieke en ekonomiese
stabiliteit. Die pas van grondhervorming was tot nou toe baie stadig. In die
Wes-Kaap is daar in die eerste 12 jaar slegs 83 000 hektaar grond aan voorheen
benadeelde persone oorgedra. Met ons verskerpte poging het ons egter verlede
jaar 125 000 ha oorgedra. Dit is egter nog ver van die 383 000 hektaar wat ons
jaarliks tot 2014 sal moet oordra indien ons die 30% doelwit wil bereik. Ons
moet bou op die suksesverhale en die groter klem lê op mentorskap as ons daarin
wil slaag om nuwe boere volhoubaar te vestig.

The extremely high level of domestic and export support that farmers in
developed countries receive, is putting South African farmers at a total
disadvantage on an exceptional unequal playing field. In some countries,
notably Japan, Norway, Switzerland and South Korea, more than two thirds of
farmers' income is in some way or another derived from government support. The
quasi-competitiveness created in this way is a clear threat to local farmers,
both resource-poor and commercial. However, good arguments exist to maintain
that these levels of support will not necessarily disappear, but will most
probably just be continued in another guise. This is an issue that I believe
should receive more attention if we went to keep especially our farmers on the
land.

Die veranderende omstandighede in die vraag na landbouprodukte beteken dat
die prys van produkte onbepaald onder druk gaan verkeer. Die veranderende
wisselkoers maak dit onmoontlik vir produsente om behoorlik te beplan, terwyl
die penetrasie van tradisionele markte deur ander mededingers daagliks 'n
faktor is waarmee rekening gehou moet word.

Although the food safety was in South Africa traditionally subservient to
the availability of food, it is becoming increasingly clear that food safety
issues should receive mounting priority. This is not only the case for export
markets (where non-compliance with standards such as Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Points (HACCP) and EurepGAP may close existing and potential
markets) but also on the domestic market.

Given South Africa's unique conditions and challenges we have to have a
clear vision of the road we want to travel. Therefore it is important that a
clear distinction is made between the social support functions and the economic
development functions of all the role players. Due to political necessities
this distinction is often muddled, with the result that focus is lost and the
trust in the government is eroded. I am a firm believer in partnerships and as
partners we should embark on the road to a better life for all our people by
building onto a framework that should consist of six fundamental elements
namely:
a) to create success stories through active involvement (and market them)
b) to invest in efficient human capital development
c) to create an environment conducive for business
d) to go out and actively source investment for development programmes
e) to create an appropriate research and technology base
f) to actively develop products, stimulate new markets and facilitate market
entry.

Vir die Departement van Landbou in die Wes-Kaap is die beginsel van
vennootskappe een van die fondamentstene in die bereiking van ons doelwitte om
opkomende boere so te vestig dat hulle volhoubaar kan boer.

Ek wil die Sagtevrugte Produsente Trust bedank vir sy visie en toewyding om
seker te maak dat die sagtevrugtebedryf 'n voorbeeld stel wanneer dit kom by
bemagtiging.

As you well know, there are a number of challenges facing emerging farmers
in South Africa. These among other include access to markets, finance,
infrastructural support, access to information, limited institutional capacity,
poor networking, to name but a few.

On the other hand, the current institutional set-up, both public and
private, lacks the capacity of effectively represent the interests of the
growers and particularly those of the emerging farmers. A key element in the
capitation of emerging farmers is the integrating of them into existing growers
associations.

To enable effective service delivery to these farmers, they need to be
organised into commodity groups and you have realised that and decided to
address these challenges in a concrete way.

It is most commendable that the Deciduous Fruit Producers Trust (DFPT) has
decided to follow a cluster-based approach to address the two above-mentioned
challenges that are need to integrate emerging farmers successfully into
established structures of the DFPT.

I want to congratulate you with your vision and trust that you will reap the
benefits not only as an Industry, but also as our partner in our effort to
establish a new generation of farmers who never had the opportunity to become
established contributors to the economy of the country.

Enquiries:
Alie van Jaarsveld
Spokesperson, Ministry of Agriculture: Western Cape
Tel: 021 483 4930
Fax: 021 483 3890
Cell: 084 604 6701
E-mail: avjaarsv@pgwc.gov.za
http://www.capegateway.gov.za/agriculture

Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture, Western Cape Provincial Government
1 November 2007
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government (http://www.capegateway.co.za)