Photo: Octavia Avesca Spandiel
Speaking at the event, Khodani Madula, operations manager at the Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC), explained the body’s mandate and its role in ensuring transparent dealings within the sector.
“APAC was established in terms of Section 2 of the Agricultural Produce Agents Act (No. 12 of 1992). We administer this Act on behalf of the National Department of Agriculture and the minister [of agriculture],” she said.
Madula said the council regulated three categories of agents: fresh produce agents who operated at the country’s 16 national fresh produce markets, exporters who sold agricultural products abroad on behalf of farmers, and livestock agents who managed auctions.
“In simple terms, APAC exists to make sure that when farmers are busy with their farming activities, the person selling on their behalf does it fairly and in a transparent way.”
She added that APAC played a critical role in protecting farmers’ interests, since the agricultural value chain began with them: “Remember, we are dealing with third-party money, which is the money that belongs to our farmers. We are protecting what matters the most, which is farmers.”
One of the major themes Madula addressed was the perception among emerging black farmers that they lacked access to markets.
“There is a market that is efficient, and there is a certain group of people using the very same system. We just need to make sure that we give you the necessary information [so] you are market ready. We need to remove this vocabulary that says we don’t have markets. Markets are there,” she explained.
She added that competition on the market floor required emerging farmers to be prepared and informed about their responsibilities.
“When your produce is on the market floor, that’s competition. You are competing with someone who owns 1 000ha of land. You need to understand the process.”
Madula concluded that platforms such as the Agri 5 Expo were crucial for empowering smallholder farmers with knowledge and tools for success.
“If people can gather to give you this information, please take it and utilise it for your own good. We exist to make sure that you are on the road to a market,” she said.
