SA Grain June 2017

HARBOURS AND HANDLERS

hit bullseye with grain imports

n the midst of the worst drought in 100 years in southern

Africa, the members of the Grain Handling Organisation (GOSA)

ensured under challenging circumstances that South Africa

had sufficient food for the nation and for neighbouring countries.

‘In addition to a domestic maize crop of more than 7 million tons

that was handled, more than 2 million tons were imported through

the ports of Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London

and Richards Bay. White maize was imported from Mexico and the

USA, and yellow maize from Argentina, Brazil, Romania, Ukraine

and the USA.

‘More than 66 shiploads of maize were unloaded – with the biggest

of these from Ukraine, with 54 547 metric tons on board,’ said

Ms Annatjie Loio, president of GOSA, at the opening of the organisa-

tion’s symposium in Mossel Bay on 22 March.

‘At one stage our members in the Durban harbour loaded 160 railway

trucks and 400 trucks a day. The imports of wheat, grain sorghum,

soybeans, sunflower seeds and oilcake were also handled success-

fully, as were maize imports for neighbouring countries through

South African ports and those of Maputo and Beira,’ Loio added.

In agriculture we are obliged to promote food safety and security.

Although there are so many negative influences from outside, we

must still do our best and work together positively to achieve suc-

cess in this country we love so much.

Conditions across the maize-producing areas look promising and

an estimated maize crop of more than 13 million tons is expected

– this is estimated to be the third biggest crop since 1980/1981,

while the carry-over stock is small. The country’s silos can now be

filled with grain again, which will relieve the pressure of the past sea-

son’s unutilised silo capacity on agribusinesses. Income from the

storage of grain will mean a financial boost after the drought of the

previous season. The estimated storage is 16 million tons. If the rain

continues through the harvest period and temperatures drop, get-

ting the moisture content at an acceptable level can be challenging.

The estimate of a large maize crop and the recent strengthening

of the rand caused the price of maize to drop by as much as

R2 000/ton. This decline was not good news for producers, but can

lead to cheaper food for the end consumer, a higher local consump-

tion of maize that could possibly increase to 11,5 million tons, a

drop in food inflation and a decline in exports in the coming season.

More job opportunities can definitely be created. Currently, agricul-

ture provides jobs to 900 000 people in our country, which consti-

tutes 6% of the labour force.

The speakers at the symposium were the economist Dr Roelof

Botha, Japie Snyman (Seaboard Overseas Trading and Shipping),

June 2017

FOCUS

Grain handling chain

Special

JOHAN SMIT,

managing editor:

SA Graan/Grain

1: Annatjie Loio with two of the speakers, Dr Theo de Jager (left) and Japie Snyman.

2: Annatjie Loio with economist Dr Roelof Botha.

3: Derek Watts, Annatjie Loio and Hein Rehr (National Fumigants and also a board member of GOSA).

4: Flippie van Tonder addressing the symposium.

5: Adv Werner Bouwer (left) with Awie Kriel. Kriel is a board member of GOSA.

6: Kallie Kriel joined the symposium as speaker on the second day.