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What is the situation in the Western Cape?
W
heat is considered one of the primary staple foods in
South Africa with an annual consumption of 3,2 million
tons. Nonetheless, with an estimated 1,87 million tons
being produced locally, South Africa has to import
large quantities of wheat at a cost of approximately R6,5 billion.
This is in strong contrast with the 2,4 million tons of wheat produc-
ed in 1982 on 1 million hectares. The reason for the decline in wheat
production may be attributed to producers switching to more pro-
fitable crops in the current economic and environmental climate.
Secondly the adoption of conservation farming practices place
wheat production in direct competition with other cash crops such
as barley, canola, lupine and oats. Most of the role-players in the
wheat industry agree that drastic action is required to “save” the
wheat industry and that the goal is to make South Africa at least
85% self-sufficient regarding wheat production.
This may however be an optimistic goal and there are a number of
factors that need to be considered before local wheat production
will increase.
What are the limiting factors for
increased wheat production?
For a producer to farm productively, the pricing of a product is of
utmost importance. Producers are not compensated well enough
for the superior quality wheat crop produced annually, which is
evident in the increased demand for wheat and the decline in
local wheat production. The problem with pricing is that local
wheat producers cannot compete with the price and quality of im-
ported wheat.
Wheat produced in South Africa is among the best bread making
quality crops in the world and is, therefore, popular in the local
milling and baking industry. However, despite the high quality of
locally produced wheat, producers are not compensated accord-
ingly and they are consequently demanding that the quality stan-
dards of future wheat cultivars are lowered to be able to compete
with the global wheat industry.
Since yield and quality are negatively correlated, the relaxing of
the bread making quality norms will enhance the release of new
wheat cultivars with higher yields that will favour the producer.
ON FARM LEVEL
Genetic improvement / Wheat / Western Cape
Seed
IAN HEYNS,
ARC-Small Grain Institute, Stellenbosch and
ANDRÉ MALAN,
ARC-Small Grain Institute, Bethlehem
Ratel is the leading wheat cultivar of the ARC-SGI in the Western Cape.