Grain SA to seek drought relief for members

The Grain SA executive announced an undertaking at the 2015 Grain SA congress to work with members of the agricultural value chain regarding financial relief for the drought-stricken grain producers of SA.

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This included input suppliers, commercial banks, agribusinesses and government. The plan is to engage with government for the subsidisation of farm workers’ salaries, among others.

Jozeph du Plessis from Schweizer-Reneke in the North West said insurers’ reluctance to supply multi-risk insurance in the province will result in a dramatic decline in the hectares planted to grain in the next production season.

Danie Minnaar from Kroonstad said SA food security would be safeguarded if government supplied some form of multi-risk insurance to grain producers.

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Meanwhile, Grain SA has identified Egypt as an additional export destination for SA. Jannie de Villiers said the country imports about 2 million tons of maize annually.