Grain SA on the road to improving circumstances for local grain farmers
Farmer's Weekly|Farmer's Weekly 17 February 2023
Glenneis Kriel recently attended Grain SA's regional meeting in Moorreesburg, Western Cape, where the industry body summed up its activities over the past year.
Glenneis Kriel
Grain SA on the road to improving circumstances for local grain farmers

While 35% of grain industry levy contributions around the world are W voluntary, an average of 80% to 90% of contributions collected by Grain SA from different regions in the Western Cape are voluntary.

This was according to Derek Mathews, chairperson of Grain SA, who spoke at the industry body's recent regional meeting in Moorreesburg.

According to him, the success of levy collections in the province could be ascribed to the fact that farmers there had a strong sense of community.

They also had first-hand experience of the benefits of working together and the involvement of businesses in collecting the levies upon first delivery of the grain.

Mathews added that Grain SA had been in discussions with businesses in other provinces, and good progress had been made in the Free State.

However, many of the businesses were unwilling to collect levies in the absence of written authorisation from producers for them to do so.

In the Western Cape, however, businesses deducted levies automatically unless otherwise requested.

This story is from the Farmer's Weekly 17 February 2023 edition of Farmer's Weekly.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Farmer's Weekly 17 February 2023 edition of Farmer's Weekly.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM FARMER'S WEEKLYView All
Africa goes from net carbon sink to source
Farmer's Weekly

Africa goes from net carbon sink to source

New research shows Africa's impact on greenhouse gases and the need to focus on climate-smart agriculture

time-read
3 mins  |
May 03, 2024
Ireland potato farmers unable to complete planting
Farmer's Weekly

Ireland potato farmers unable to complete planting

Irish potato farmers have reported a delay in harvest and said that the UK might have to prepare for shortages of the produce. The shortfall is due to extreme wet weather during their planting season.

time-read
1 min  |
May 03, 2024
Zero-residue fresh produce a reality
Farmer's Weekly

Zero-residue fresh produce a reality

Retail giants are calling for caution when using biologicals and chemical pesticides,

time-read
2 mins  |
May 03, 2024
Big boost for mohair producers in Eastern Cape
Farmer's Weekly

Big boost for mohair producers in Eastern Cape

A collaboration between the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Mohair Empowerment Trust (MET) has resulted in a R1,4 million injection into four emerging Angora goat farming operations in the Eastern Cape.

time-read
1 min  |
May 03, 2024
KZN Youth Show at Roval Agricultural Exhibition
Farmer's Weekly

KZN Youth Show at Roval Agricultural Exhibition

The KZN Youth Show will run from Friday, 24 May to Sunday, 26 May at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg.

time-read
1 min  |
May 03, 2024
Hemp permits and irrigation system handed over
Farmer's Weekly

Hemp permits and irrigation system handed over

In an effort to fast-track the entry of rural farmers into the cannabis and hemp industries, KwaZuluNatal Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Super Zuma, visited the Shukasibheme Project in Mbazwana, a co-operative in Mseleni, uMhlabuyalingana in the Umkhanyakude District, to hand over cannabis and hemp permits as well as a borehole and irrigation system.

time-read
1 min  |
May 03, 2024
Meet some of the heroes behind avitourism destinations
Farmer's Weekly

Meet some of the heroes behind avitourism destinations

Exploring what the Garden Route offers birdwatchers, Brian Berkman discovers some special people who run hospitable places to meet and see a variety of species.

time-read
4 mins  |
May 03, 2024
What the Citrus Academy offers aspiring producers
Farmer's Weekly

What the Citrus Academy offers aspiring producers

Cobus du Plessis takes a look at the Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa's Citrus Academy and how it is helping to develop aspiring farmers in the sector.

time-read
3 mins  |
May 03, 2024
Natural-born killers of the insect world
Farmer's Weekly

Natural-born killers of the insect world

The Myrmeleontidae family of lacewings from the Neuroptera order of insects consists of about 2 000 species of which 125 are found in South Africa.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 03, 2024
Seeder kick-starts vegetation in challenging environments
Farmer's Weekly

Seeder kick-starts vegetation in challenging environments

Dr George Craven of Noorspoort, Steytlerville, in the south-eastern Karoo, is successfully using a home-built 'bedstead seeder' to re-establish veld plants in an arid area, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 03, 2024