It’s been a tough few years for South African agriculture and, certainly, the dynamic fresh fruit industry. And we’ve spoken at length about the very real challenges that confront the industry, which role-players continue to address.
So, let’s turn our gaze to that which has gone well.
South Africans seem to be largely in agreement that – for widespread collaboration – the formation of the government of national unity (GNU) couldn’t have come at a better time. For this, we can thank the 58.64% of South Africans who voted in the general election (IEC 2024). Expert opinion is that the commitments contained within the GNU have helped to secure a predictable environment that favours SA as an investment destination. Add to this, Stats SA’s confirmation of a 1.4% quarter-on-quarter decrease in the national unemployment rate in Q3, to 32.1%, and the 39 000 increase in agricultural jobs. Plus, at the time of writing we’d had an uninterrupted power supply since 26 March (Eskom 2024). Potential investors look favourably on developments like these, which could even contribute to a gradual downward trend in the rand-dollar exchange rate.
Some of the positive events in the industry and agri this year include the 10-point recovery in the Q3 Agbiz/IDC Confidence Index, to 48 (from a sharp decline in the previous quarter); the signing into law of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency SOC Ltd Bill and the Climate Change Bill; representation of the fruit industry at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit (key for improved trade relations); the newly-appointed Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen’s promising maiden budget vote speech; and positive sentiments around the stone-fruit and table-grape 2024/5 export season, the first shipments of avocados to China and Japan, India granting market access for avocados, and resumed negotiations for apple access into Thailand after a 16-year ban. And I haven’t even explored all the micro-wins that may have gone unmentioned.
Om die lewensvatbaarheid van die varsvrugtebedryf te help handhaaf is dit belangrik om nie die oorwinnings – hoe groot of klein ook al – uit die oog te verloor nie. Daarvan gepraat, Dean Barnard met sy 484-gram bielie-pruim het beslis iets om te vier (sien bladsy 12). In hierdie uitgawe kyk ons ook onder andere na grondgesondheid, die impak van die PHI-program by die PHYLA-fasiliteit, hoe volhoubaarheid in die sitrussubsektor vaar, en ons ondersoek die bydrae van tegnologie tot presisie-wingerdbou.
As ons die eerbewyse en eksterne eienskappe wegstroop, is ons almal maar net gewone mense wat die lewe tot die beste van ons vermoë probeer navigeer. Dit geld of ons nou die taak solo aanpak, of met behulp van God se krag en leiding. En wat dikwels ook vergete bly is die behoefte – of ons dit erken of nie – om van tyd tot tyd te wil hoor wat ons reg doen en waar dinge rondom ons glad verloop. Op daai noot, lekker lees en feestelike groete.