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The Citizen
26-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Farmers ‘on the edge' over crippling foot and mouth disease
The most affected provinces were KZN, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Eastern Cape. Livestock farmers warn they may soon go out of business if the government does not support those affected by the preventative measures for foot and mouth disease (FMD). But the agriculture department blamed farmers for not adhering to the preventive measures. Hennie de Wet, a farmer based in Nquthu near Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), said the FMD preventative measures, introduced during the FMD outbreak in 2021, include the prohibition of slaughtering and transporting livestock. Affected provinces The most affected provinces were KZN, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Eastern Cape. Yesterday, De Wet spoke of farmers' frustration. 'Every time a farmer wants to sell or slaughter cattle, they need to go through a long assessment process,' he said. 'There is a backlog for the assessment process. It is also expensive and can cost more than R21 000. It is paid for by the farmer without any state assistance.' ALSO READ: Eastern Cape farms in quarantine after outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease Transport ban He said the government could lift the transport ban and related measures because the FMD strain in the country was not dangerous. 'One member of parliament asked how many people or livestock had been killed by the disease, and there was none,' said De Wet. He said farmers illegally transported animals during the night and sold them in other provinces. He said the situation had forced him to sell his herd of 700 cattle. 'After realising that the situation was getting out of control, I decided to sell my cattle,' he said. 'It was lucky that I found somebody to buy the cattle. With the restrictions in place, farmers are struggling to access the market. 'There are farmers I know who are failing to pay employees.' Dr Frikkie Maré, chief executive officer of the Red Meat Producers Organisation, said FMD was a state-controlled disease, and the industry can only make recommendations to the government. 'The government must realise that its responsibility does not end with disease control, but also extends to the businesses and individuals affected by the measures.' ALSO READ: Foot-and-mouth hits red meat Stock losses Asked how much had been lost since the transport restriction was implemented, Maré said it was a huge amount. TLU SA, which represents farmers, called on the government to implement a programme to help affected farmers keep operating. TLU SA general manager Bennie van Zyl said the prolonged restrictions on the movement of livestock threatened to bring farming operations to a halt. He said producers at the grassroots level are in a dire situation: 'They cannot take their animals to auctions, feedlots or abattoirs, which directly impacts their cash flow needed for essentials. 'Producers are left without any access to markets, while no alternative plans have been implemented. We are economically destroying farmers.' He said the government has failed to fulfil its legally mandated responsibilities. Livestock movement An example of this was the absence of roadblocks to monitor livestock movement in affected areas. 'This failure shifts the burden to agriculture, as farmers and organisations are now forced to monitor movement themselves through private camera systems,' said Van Zyl. 'These systems have been established and are being monitored without state contribution. 'The agricultural sector is expected to manage them and bear responsibility for a duty that legally rests with the authorities.' Zyl said the two organisations had taken their concerns to Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, yet nothing had been done to minimise the impact of the restrictions. He added the organisations had appealed to the government to implement a disaster management programme to enable producers to continue farming operations, but to no avail. 'The state must act urgently to protect the sustainability of farming, especially where it concerns food production and job security,' he said. Veterinary services Dipepeneneng Serage, of the national department of agriculture, said animal production and veterinary services would assist farmers with skills and knowledge on best farming practices and that farmers who qualify for government funding are financially assisted. Serage blamed farmers for not adhering to the preventative measures. 'Viral diseases do not happen by accident, but are brought by vectors. FMD is a viral disease and can only be transmitted by humans,' he said. 'If farmers and workers adhered to biosecurity measures, there would be less FMD outbreaks'. ALSO READ: Why beef producers are still optimistic about 2025, despite foot-and-mouth disease warning
IOL News
30-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
China eyes increase in South African agricultural imports, says Agbiz
The Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) believes that China wants to increase its imports of South African agricultural products. The Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) has expressed optimism over China's intentions to bolster its imports of South African agricultural products. This development comes on the heels of a recent statement from Wu Peng, the current Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, who emphasised the need for enhanced bilateral trade and economic cooperation through social media platform X. Peng further said that the Chinese government welcomes more South African agricultural and industrial products to enter the huge Chinese market. Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz, underscored the significance of such statements from Chinese officials, particularly regarding trade matters. 'China has profound importance in global agriculture. In 2023, China was a leading importer, accounting for 11% of global agricultural imports, with imports valued at $218 billion," he said. Sihlobo noted that Brazil, the United States, Thailand, and several other nations dominated the market as leading suppliers to China. Nevertheless, he emphasised that China was actively seeking to diversify its agricultural imports, a push that has gained momentum following the implementation of initial tariffs by the US in 2018 and will continue into 2025. 'South and Latin American countries, as well as Australia, have been the primary beneficiaries of China's diversification strategy so far. South Africa must also be part of this conversation. And what Ambassador Wu Peng raises — China's interest in South African agricultural products — is a starting point for a deeper trade conversation.' Sihlobo said that the first step will have to be for South African authorities to approach China to present a range of products that can be exported, and then to build from there. Currently, South Africa's footprint in the Chinese agricultural market is modest, accounting for only 0.4% (approximately $979 million) of China's imports. These exports include various fruits, wine, red meat, nuts, maize, soybeans, and wool. Sihlobo argued that there was ample opportunity for South African agricultural exports to expand significantly. 'The South African agricultural sector organised agriculture and researchers consistently point out the need to lower import tariffs in China and remove phytosanitary constraints on various products. There is now a pathway to have a productive conversation about this matter and move with speed.' Farming association TLU SA general manager, Bennie van Zyl, shared a positive outlook on the prospects of trading with international markets like China. 'I think it is very important to look at the sustainability of that. We also believe that all the necessary steps need to be taken but it's good news. We also feel that doing trade with China shouldn't break down existing markets as it was built over a number of years,' he said. Van Zyl added that existing markets already have the existing infrastructure for exports from South Africa. 'They also have the logistics to transport all the commodities. When you establish a new market, it's a lot of cost and time to establish infrastructure and logistics. However, we won't be negative about any international market that will benefit the agriculture sector.' Francois Rossouw, CEO of Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai), welcomed Ambassador Wu Peng's statements with enthusiasm. 'Access to larger international markets like China is critical for the long-term survival and growth of family farms in South Africa. Expanding exports means better prices, more stability, and stronger rural economies,' he said. Rossouw added that to truly benefit from this opportunity, we need urgent action from our government to break down trade barriers, speed up negotiations on market access, and simplify compliance requirements. 'Family farmers are ready to deliver high-quality produce to the Chinese market – we just need the right support and political will to make it happen.' BUSINESS REPORT
