KZN RPO seeks farmer information input

The KZN Red Meat PRODUCERS’ ­Organisation (RPO) announced that its overall objective for 2007 is to strive for optimal producer profitability. However, KZN RPO chairperson Mike ­Phillips told the Mooi River regional meeting recently that this could only be achieved if producers themselves identified the relevant information required and notified the organisation of this information.
“The collection, collation and ­dissemination of this information will be the responsibility of the KZN RPO office,” ­Phillips explained. “The type of ­information required by the producers to help them improve their profitability could be ­identified through standard farmers’ ­associations, but there would need to be a more direct link to the actual red meat ­producers that are part of these associations.”
It was suggested at the meeting that the 22 beef study groups throughout the province, in conjunction with sheep study groups under the Natal Wool Growers’ Association, would be the best way to communicate with red meat producers. A study group could conduct its own relevant on-farm studies, and then the KZN RPO would act as a conduit to distribute the results of these studies.
Study groups were also targeted as a means to promote cooperation and unity among the province’s red meat producers. Phillips added that this unity and cooperation would give red meat producers the ability to represent their interests and concerns effectively to government in terms of legislation, like the retaining of the 40% ad valorem import tariff on red meat imports, to protect the local industry.
“From meetings with producers, points of discussion with government can be agreed on and dates set with the relevant authorities to present the case of the producers. There are three major sectors of government that the KZN RPO needs to cooperate with, namely the Department of Agriculture at Cedara in terms of extension and research services, the Department of Land Affairs in Pietermaritzburg regarding issues of land reform, and the Cedara Agricultural College about issues relating to agricultural education.”
Phillips pointed out that members of his organisation, along with members of the National Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organisation in KZN, had decided to jointly form an umbrella Federation of KZN Red Meat Producers under which the two organisations could still continue working independently of each other. ”Both parties agreed that it was necessary to retain their respective organisations as each had different issues facing them that required specific interventions, but that an umbrella federation covering the two could deal with matters relevant to both organisations.”