Western Cape farmers enticed to pack for Eastern Cape
TAU-SA expresses doubt on viability of relocation from drought-hit W Cape
THERE has been mixed reactions from commercial farming organisations to the Eastern Cape government’s offer to help drought-afflicted Western Cape farmers relocate to the eastern province.
Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane said it was a “serious concern” that farmworkers could lose their jobs and farmers lose their profits.
The agricultural sector helped South Africa to climb out of a technical recession last year.
Farmers in the Western Cape, which is battling its worst drought in decades, have recorded over R14 billion in losses, and about 50 000 people could lose their jobs if the drought persists.
Qoboshiyane said farmers should consider moving their operations to the Eastern Cape.
“We are implementing the agriculture economic transformation strategy, which needs massive investment in crop, grain, horticulture and livestock production. Our department is working with leading commodity groups in upscaling commercial production, working with black farmers, some of whom are land reform beneficiaries,” he said, highlighting his province’s “good climatic conditions”.
Investment incentives were in place to help commercial farmers from the Western Cape set up operations in the neighbouring eastern province “by partnering with landowners from our province to produce whatever commodity they want to produce, to get returns from their investments”.
Qoboshiyane said his department had invested millions of rand in revamping farming infrastructure and expanding grain, citrus, pineapple, deciduous fruit and livestock production. This would create jobs and ignite the Eastern Cape economy.
Qoboshiyane said Western Cape farmers moving their operations to his province was “the best solution”, adding: “We trust that the farmers and the (Western Cape) provincial government will accept this invitation, and we can meet to discuss commercial partnerships that will benefit both provinces and farmers.”
Pan African Farmers Organisation president Theo de Jager said it would be good if farmers diversified their operations.
“The Western Cape has some of the best competitive farmers in the world, hence I’m not surprised that they are being lured to invest somewhere.
“Today we have South African commercial farmers in 42 African countries, such as Nigeria, Zambia and Ghana.”
TAU-SA general manager Bennie van Zyl, however, expressed doubt about the offer, saying shifting agricultural operations was not easy and the viability of doing so depended on what was farmed.
“Each farm should conduct research and be independently evaluated on whether the move would be sustainable for them. It shouldn’t be a sweeping, one-size-fits-all statement. This is a little bit more complicated than it’s made out to be,” said Van Zyl.
Wesgro chief executive Tim Harris could not immediately be reached for comment.