Photo for illustration. (Photo: AgriSA)
AgriSA welcomed the national budget by Enoch Godongwana, the finance minister, but warned that critical gaps could hamper the sector’s growth.
“Although the budget promotes fiscal stabilization it falls short in one critical area: targeted strategic investments to strengthen agricultural competitiveness and biosecurity,” says Johann Kotzé, the CEO of AgriSA.
According to the organization, agriculture remains one of the few sectors that consistently delivers export growth and foreign earnings, while supporting jobs in rural areas and food security.
AgriSA points out that South Africa is the world’s second largest citrus exporter, with growing market access in, among other things, avocados, maize, livestock, grapes and wine.
“The agricultural sector is central to economic growth and fiscal recovery, but growth cannot be sustained without strategic strengthening.”
According to AgriSA, recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have exposed serious weaknesses in the country’s animal health systems.
BKS vaccine. (Photo: Heléne Mocke/Maroela Media)
Although the budget contains several initiatives to strengthen research, biosecurity and market access, Kotzé says the test lies in “speed of execution, impact and coordination capacity”.
The organization says the budget does not provide sufficiently clear and measurable funding commitments to combat outbreaks and rebuild state veterinary capacity. Shortages remain in disease surveillance systems, vaccine procurement and distribution, movement control and public-private partnerships, among others.
AgriSA also warns that infrastructure spending alone will not unlock agricultural expansion without functional biosecurity, regulatory certainty and efficient logistics corridors.
AgriSA adds that the R274.6 billion for peace and security initiatives, of which R140 billion is earmarked for the police service, is welcomed, but says that biosecurity and implementation capacity must be urgently strengthened to ensure sustainable agricultural expansion.