Komani’s farming dentist to head agri association
KOMANI dentist, farmer and businessman Dr Pieter Prinsloo has been announced as the new chairman of the Federation of Primary Red Meat Producers Association.
The chair is rotated every second year with the federation made up of the Redmeat Producers Organisation (RPO) which consists of commercial farmers in South Africa and the National Emerging Redmeat Producers (NERPO) which incorporates smallholder and emerging farmers.
Prinsloo, who is the first vice chairman of the RPO and a director of the Redmeat Industry (RMI) – the latter which represents the value chain of red meat in the country – is also a committee member of Red Meat Research and Development South Africa which manages the research projects for the red meat industry in South Africa and is funded via statutory funds.
Prinsloo has also been appointed as a member of the Agricultural Produce Agents Council by the Agricultural Minister Senzeni Zokwana. Prinsloo is also a member of the project team which is organising the RMI workshop for March 16 this year when all roleplayers in the industry will gather to plan for a different direction in the future.
In addition, Prinsloo and his son, Koot, farm with cattle, sheep and angora goats in a 50% partnership as Prinsloo Boerdery and work as the Daybreaker Meat Partnership which delivers certified grassfed beef to the niche markets in Cape Town and Gauteng.
Commenting on agriculture in South Africa, he said farmers were struggling with 88 laws impacting on agriculture, combined with drought, high fuel prices and product prices which were constantly under pressure “making survival on the farm difficult.
“In addition, constant threats of land grabs and expropriation during 2017 are making matters worse. Agricultural people are a funny species, however and when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
He said some good rains had fallen in the district with conditions showing a slight improvement. Komani had received about 650mm of rain in 2016, close to its annual average of 720mm, but the distribution and the climate – strong winds and high units of heat – were unusual, though there were hopes for a normal season ahead.
Prinsloo said he would not exchange stock farming and the current value addition for any other career. He is hoping to continue working as a dentist for the next five years before retiring from the profession and organised agriculture and instead focusing on the Daybreaker business and farming.