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5
June 2016
Don’t we ever learn?
t
he past few months between Grain SA’s congress and the
NAMPO Harvest Day passed relatively quietly. As quiet as
a school boy who got a hiding from the headmaster. The
drought is cutting deep into the industry!
There were, however, a few fundamental issues that re-
ceived serious consideration: The country’s constitution gained
new status thanks to Ms Thuli Madonsela and brave judges who
do not allow themselves to be influenced by politicians. While pro-
ducers still have land reform hanging like a sword over their heads
and while they are caught in the grip of the drought, this was defi-
nitely a huge victory.
In agriculture-related meetings and discussions in passages, I ob-
served something new: The transformation motive is becoming
the new portal to more control by the State. Generalisations such
as: ‘No transformation has taken place in agriculture over the past
20 years’ are now becoming the most important driving force for
the State to make inroads into the market.
It just makes me wonder whether South Africa will first have to
experience famine (like during the period before the Constitu-
tional Court ruling) before Government will realise that one ought
not interfere with the free market if you want to have sufficient
food for the country?
Transformation is essential, but if it is implemented without keep-
ing sustainability in mind, it will cost the country dearly. Eskom
taught us that hasty decisions and an overzealous drive of political
motives lead to nonsustainability. It costs the country millions of
rands in economic growth and job opportunities. Organised agricul-
ture will have to keep an open mind to ensure that we do not do the
one while failing to do the other. Sustainability depends on sound
business principles.
One thing that is becoming more and more clear to me, is that the
industry will have to privatise more. The budget for research has
been reduced once again. The State-controlled seed multiplica-
tion project has derailed. Grain SA could not succeed in persuading
the milling and baking industry to support the introduction of a
statutory levy for wheat seed production. We will have to think
strategically regarding who will be our real partners in future. I am
encouraged by the hands (and rands) of co-operation extended to
Grain SA and the agricultural sector during this difficult year. We
will remember this for a long time! Thank you.
I have recently travelled through large parts of the Free State
production areas. Whence feed for the animals will come this winter,
I do not know. We are, however, pleased for those producers lucky
enough to indeed have a crop – especially with prices being at a
good level.
The Western Cape have experienced good planting conditions and
we hope that they, especially the Swartland area, will have a normal
year. There are also a number of chaps in the Free State who are
planting wheat on fallow maize lands. Grain SA wishes to forewarn
every grain producer to budget carefully – the export parity for
maize in 2017 does not look favourable.
The State is seriously questioning the wheat tariff dispensation
(and it is not to increase the tariff!). The solutions for the high food
prices resulting from the drought and the poor exchange rate are
now considered through lower prices to producers, and that is not
sustainable. When are we ever going to learn?
DS KOOS KIRSTEN
WOORD
Uit die
o
ns ken baie mense. Sommige is beter aan ons bekend,
want ons weet waar hulle woon en wat hulle doen. Ander
is egter meer as net kennisse. Ons ken hulle persoonlik
en weet dinge van hulle wat nie algemeen bekend is nie.
Hulle is gewoonlik familie en intieme vriende.
Ons kuier oor en weer en stel intens belang in mekaar se lief en leed.
Ons deel in mekaar se hartseer en vreugde. Sulke mense beteken
ook baie vir ons. Hulle help ons en staan ons by in tye van nood en
benoudheid. Dit is die moeite werd om hulle te ken en vriende met
hulle te wees.
Wat egter meer werd is as intieme vriendskap tussen mense, is om
deur die Here geken te word en om Hom persoonlik te ken. Ons lees
in Deut. 34:10 dat die Here en Moses mekaar van aangesig tot aan-
gesig geken het. Dit beteken dat hulle mekaar intiem en persoonlik
geken het. Ons lees verder dat daar nooit weer in Israel so ‘n groot
profeet soos Moses was nie. Hy het die Here geken en die Here het
hom geken en deur hom groot en wonderlike dinge gedoen. Eers
met die koms van Johannes die Doper het daar ‘n profeet gekom wat
groter was as Moses. Die Here Jesus sê in Matt. 11:11 dat Johannes
die grootste is wat uit ‘n vrou gebore is. Hy het die Here Jesus
persoonlik geken en Hom gedoop. Nou het ons die grootste uit die
Ou Testament en die grootste uit die Nuwe Testament, behalwe
Jesus self. Albei het die Here intiem en persoonlik geken. In die-
selfde vers sê Jesus egter dat die kleinste in die koninkryk van die
hemel groter as Johannes is. Dit beteken dat enige iemand wat in
die Here Jesus as sy Verlosser en Saligmaker glo, groter as Moses
en Johannes is.
Nie geld en plase en ander eiendom en mag maak ‘n mens groot
nie. Miskien nog in die oë van die wêreld, maar beslis nie in die oë
van God nie. Geloof wat deur die Heilige Gees en die Woord in jou
gewerk word, wat jou in ‘n persoonlike verhouding met en kennis
van Christus bring, dít alléén maak jou groot. Dit maak dus nie saak
of jy ryk of arm, oud of jonk of wat ook al is nie. As jy die Here Jesus
persoonlik en intiem ken, dan is jy groot in God se oë, selfs groter as
Moses en Johannes.
Baie geluk aan
Jannie du Toit van
Pretoria wat vir die
Maart-uitgawe van
SA Graan/Grain
die
gratis Bybel gewen het.