Assurance on SA’s food security

Shoppers urged to halt panic buying with ample supplies expected during lockdown

THERE is no need to panic buy as South Africa has ample food supply for the 21-day lockdown and for the year, experts have assured.

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza said yesterday that all food retailers and firms that formed part of the food production chain would remain open to ensure the supply of food was sufficient throughout the lockdown.

Didiza said no panic buying would be tolerated as measures were in place to ensure that essential stores remained open.

Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) chief economist Wandile Sihlobo, who commented in a paper about what Covid-19 meant to agriculture and food supplies, said the country had more than enough food supply for the year.

“From a national perspective, we doubt that South Africa would experience food shortages, at least for most food products over the next 12 months.

“South Africa is an agriculturally endowed country. There are high prospects for an abundant harvest of staple grains and fruit this year, which will increase the local supplies,” he said.

Sihlobo said there were essential imported foods products that South Africa was dependent on such as rice, wheat and palm oil.

“Some of the countries which have reported cases of Covid-19 have not taken drastic measures of limiting business activity (apart from Italy and

China) to reduce the spread of the virus.

“This means the importation of some agriculture products into South Africa could continue unabated, barring any unforeseen eventuality,” he wrote.

Tiger Brands chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer Mary-Jane Morifi said at this stage the packaged goods company did not believe that there was a major threat to the availability of food in the country or our ability to produce food in the coming months.

“As a key contributor to food and nutrition security in South Africa, and with food manufacturing being identified by the president as an essential service over the lockdown period, we have agreed with business and the government to ramp-up our manufacturing capability to the extent possible during this time,” she said.

Morifi added that Tiger Brands would work with retail partners to ensure they have sufficient buffer stock in all regions.

“Processes are already in place to iron out any potential disruptions should there be a need down the line,” she said.

Sihlobo said in the unlikely event of potential shortages, it would be due to glitches in the logistics of shipping imports rather than a decline in global essential grains supplies.

“Where negative pressures of the virus are likely to hit are on farmers and agribusinesses through the potential slowdown of export demand, and a subsequent fall in agricultural commodity prices,” he said. |