What agriculture in the Western Cape expects from Minister Mboweni's special adjustment budget | Agri
Agri Western Cape is looking forward to hear what co-ordinated support government will be giving to the agriculture sector post Covid-19 to alleviate pressure on farmers when Minister Tito Mboweni delivers his special adjustment budget speech on 24 June.
Mr Jannie Strydom, CEO of Agri Western Cape, says agriculture is the sector with the greatest multiplier factor. He says although various agricultural industries have been allowed to operate since the beginning of the national lockdown, compliance with Covid-19 measures is a huge expense for producers that they didn’t budget for. The negative impact of Covid-19 on agricultural industries that were not allowed to function during level five of the national lockdown, is substantial and has a negative impact on job opportunities in the sector.
Mr Strydom says Agri Western Cape also hopes that the critical situation in which the Land Bank find itself, will get urgent attention.
He says Agri Western Cape also wants to see funding towards safety and security in the agriculture sector to ensure a safe environment for farmers and farm workers taking care of the country’s food security. The two farm attacks in the Western Cape this week underlines the sector’s need for government to invest in the safety of the sector.
The maintenance of and investment in water infrastructure remain critical issues and projects that have been lagging for years, like increasing the Clanwilliam dam wall, need to be expedited urgently. Agri Western Cape hopes that Minister Mboweni will have good news in this regard.
WAT LANDBOU IN DIE WES-KAAP VAN MINISTER MBOWENI SE BEGROTINGSREDE VERWAG
Agri Wes-Kaap sien uit om te hoor watter gekoördineerde steun die regering ná Covid-19 aan die landbousektor gaan lewer om die druk op produsente te verlig wanneer Minister Tito Mboweni sy spesiale aangepaste begrotingsrede op Woensdag 24 Junie lewer.
Mnr Jannie Strydom, uitvoerende hoof van Agri Wes-Kaap, sê die landbou is die sektor met die grootste vermenigvuldigingsfaktor. Hy sê hoewel verskeie landboubedrywe sedert die begin van die nasionale inperking kon funksioneer, is die voldoening aan Covid-19 maatreëls ‘n enorme uitgawe vir produsente waarvoor nie begroot is nie. Die negatiewe impak van Covid-19 op die landboubedrywe wat nié tydens die vlak vyf inperking kon funksioneer nie, is substansieel en het gevolglik ook ‘n negatiewe uitwerking op werksgeleenthede in die sektor.
Mnr Strydom sê Agri Wes-Kaap wil ook sien dat die benarde situasie waarin die Land Bank hom bevind, dringend aandag sal kry.
Hy sê Agri Wes-Kaap wil ook sien dat befondsing vir veiligheid en sekuriteit in die landbousektor beskikbaar gemaak word om ‘n veilige omgewing te verseker vir boere en plaaswerkers wat vir die land se voedselsekerheid sorg. Die twee plaasaanvalle in die Wes-Kaap hierdie week onderstreep die landbou se behoefte dat die regering in die veiligheid van die sektor belê.
Die instandhouding van en belegging in waterinfrastruktuur bly kritieke kwessies en projekte wat al vir jare sloer, soos die verhoging van die Clanwilliam-damwal, moet drasties versnel word. Agri Wes-Kaap hoop dat Minister Mboweni goeie nuus in hierdie verband gaan hê.
Posted on June 24, 2020 in Blog, News