South Africa’s agriculture minister, John Steenhuisen, has outlined his plans to strengthen the agricultural sector, including a strong focus on exports.
Writing in Business Day, Steenhuisen highlighted the country’s high food prices, which he said resulted from a combination of local and international factors.
Local factors included failing road and rail infrastructure and a lack of sufficient drought-resistant crops. He also cited what he said was a lack of competition because “the agriculture sector is highly concentrated, with a few large companies dominating the market — from input supply and processing to retail”.
Establishing rural agro-processing hubs would increase agricultural output, create jobs and bring down food costs. The new Trump administration presented another potential challenge, Steenhuisen said.
“Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency means his trade policies could create fresh disruptions, potentially triggering the most significant global economic shift yet. To minimise SA’s exposure to these external shocks, my focus is on securing new export markets, particularly in Asia and the United Arab Emirates, where there is room for significant growth.”
Steenhuisen stressed the need to reform the “outdated” approval process for genetically modified drought-resistant crops that would increase yields and help feed the nation.
He said the government was taking decisive action to build a more competitive, efficient and inclusive agricultural sector.
“There are no quick fixes, but there is a clear plan to lower food prices and ensure long-term stability. SA must reduce its dependence on imports by promoting local production of fertiliser and seeds while investing in infrastructure to fix roads, modernise rail transport and improve cold storage facilities.
“However, the government alone cannot solve this problem. The private sector must play its part by driving down costs, improving efficiency and reducing waste,” Steenhuisen said.
