Editorial
5
February 2014
IT IS NO LONGER
BUSINESS AS USUAL
Jannie de Villiers, Uitvoerende hoofbestuurder/CEO
T
he year has kicked off and for many it has developed into almost the
same pattern as 2013. It is wet in the east and dry in the west. In the
south, the rain continued for a long period causing grade problems
for some producers. An old saying of those who passed before us forms
part of almost every discussion: “We can live with too much rain, but
not with too little rain; a maize plant dies off about two weeks after the
farmer has died”.
With the writing of this article, most of the old hands in the grain indus-
try have indicated that the western regions still have about two weeks,
and then it becomes critical. I am constantly trying to think back to the
previous season when it also started raining late and then became very
dry. For the producers in the west it was a year they would prefer not to
remember for a long time, but despite that, the country in total yielded
enough so that we could even help others.
This brings me to the point of asking why there is now all of a sudden
such a weeping and gnashing of teeth among the greedy buyers who,
when there was a surplus and the prices of grain were low, did not want
to buy. Now, along with the government, they are almost daily requesting
that they be saved from their predicament.
It still remains Grain SA’s mission to encourage surplus production and
then “to clear the market“ by promoting exports. Should the local buyers,
however, sit on their backsides and miss out, they should not run crying
to the government. We have not even started producing bio fuels and for
a considerable time now, we have warned them, as our best clients, that
it is no longer business as usual!
Grain SA is still assisting our chicken farmers to obtain a proper tariff
system enabling them to compete fairly and create employment oppor-
tunities. It is rather disappointing now, after they have already obtained
certain levels of protection with our support, that they did a sudden
turnabout to lodge a complaint against us because we have, according
to them, exported too much grains.
Really, men (and women), can’t we just each grant one another a place
under the African sun? Is it not true that the same arguments about pro-
tection of local production and job opportunities indeed apply to all?
On the other side of the farm gate, the year ahead will not be without ex-
citement. We are kicking off with very low grain supplies that might possi-
bly result in food price increases during the election. It could even lead to
political instability. I can only hazard a guess as to how certain politicians
might abuse the situation to once again bring back government control in
agriculture. The onslaught against the free market will certainly become
increasingly fierce and it is going to take a lot of skill to defend our case.
We will most likely have to take giant steps to get land reform on a road
where all of us can at least see the end goal and date. Then there are also
the challenges with regard to the restructuring of organised agriculture at
national level. These matters can be exacerbated should the season turn
dry in the north. Despite all of this, we retain hope that the Good Lord will
send rain in His own time.
A definite plus point is the new, fresh energy brought to our industry by
the young people and government officials (outside of agriculture) who
give us courage because they have the will to make the country work. We
cherish them like gold and work with them to ensure that grain production
remains sustainable and that there is enough food in the country for all.
We can still survive without designer sunglasses, iPads and TV’s, but not
without food. It is therefore more than just a job to produce food for the
country – it is a calling and we dare not fail just because the road ahead is
an uphill one. Many of us and those who went before us have surmount-
ed these inclines more than once. Take courage.
Dan is daar ook uitdagings ten opsigte van die herstrukturering van geor-
ganiseerde landbou op nasionale vlak. Hierdie sake kan baie vererger word
as die seisoen droog gaan draai in die noorde. Ten spyte van alles, behou
ons hoop dat die Vader reën op Sy tyd sal stuur.
‘n Definitiewe pluspunt is die nuwe, vars energie wat die jongmense in
ons bedryf bring en staatsamptenare (buite landbou) wat ons moed gee
omdat hulle die wil het om die land te maak werk. Ons bewaar hulle soos
goud en werk saam met hulle om seker te maak graanproduksie bly vol-
houbaar en dat daar genoeg kos in die land is vir almal.
Ons kan nog sonder donkerbrille, iPad’s en TV’s aangaan, maar nie
sonder kos nie. Dit is dus meer as net ‘n werk om vir die land kos te
produseer – dit is ‘n roeping en ons mag nie daarin faal net omdat daar ‘n
opdraande pad voorlê nie. Baie van ons en ons voorouers is al meer as
een maal teen dié tipe steiltes uit. Sterkte.
