FS is SA’s food basket – MEC

By Emily Setona

BETHLEHEM – Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Teboho Mokoena says the Free State is by a long margin the food basket of the country and that the potential growth presented by agriculture and related opportunities is immense for the youth and women.

Mokoena said this when tabling the department’s budget for the financial year 2023/2024.
He indicated that through extensive research done in the sector the Free State remains the food basket of the country by a long margin, as the province is the dominant producer of sunflower (56%), maize (42%), groundnuts (45%), dry beans (26%), wheat (16%), sorghum (20%) and soya (42%). The province is also an important producer of mutton (20%), beef (19%), pork (8%) and egg (15%).

“Lejweleputswa is SA’s top producer of maize and potatoes, making up to 21% of the nation’s total maize crop and 23% of all potatoes. It is our view that the Free State remains the food basket of the country by a long margin, as the province is the dominant producer of sunflower (56%), maize (42%), groundnuts (45%), dry beans (26%), wheat (16%), sorghum (20%) and soya (42%).

“The province is also an important producer of mutton (20%), beef (19%), pork (8%) and egg (15%). Lejweleputswa is SA’s top producer of maize and potatoes, making up to 21% of the nation’s total maize crop and 23% of all potatoes. Free State is already the ‘bread basket’ of the country given the domination in production with maize, soya, wheat, potatoes, sheep and cattle. Just as an example, in 2022, Free State produced 6 349 100 tons of maize, on Sunflower we produced 499 800 tons, on Soya Beans we produced 892 250 tons, on Wheat we produced 480 000 tons, on Groundnuts we produced 20 200 tons, on Sorghum we produced 15 600 tons and on Dry beans we produced 13 950 tons.

“The Free State province in total produced more than eight million tons. Agriculture in our province contributes 5% to provincial economic activity, higher than the normal average of 3%. Agriculture’s contribution to the Free State Gross Domestic Product is about 9% which makes it one of the main contributors. With expansion of agriculture the economy will definitely grow, and more people will be employed by the sector,” Mokoena said.

In his address to the house William Bulwane said agriculture sector is dependent on the issue of land and that emerging farmers should be assisted through comprehensive programs to mitigate the disparities present in the country because the ANC’s Freedom Charter states that the land belongs to those who work on it.

“Agriculture is the key sector of economic development in less development countries and in our country the sector is mostly controlled by white males. It is very important for the department to empower women, the youth and people living with disabilities, because agriculture is a source of income for many households,” Bulwane said.

For his part, Free State DA leader Roy Jankielsohn said this is the only time when they agree with the ANC when they say that the Free state is the bread basket of the country.

“The DA acknowledges the disparities caused by the legacy of apartheid, especially when it comes to the land issue in relation to agriculture, but the current ruling party must not lament the injustices of the past when they themselves are the ones currently taking from the poorest of the poor,” Jankielsohn said.

Mokoena said in the financial year 2022/23, DARD received R190.4 million under Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) and has implemented 18 projects that have benefited 2 412 beneficiaries to the total allocation of R 62.7 million and 11 programmes to the value of R 127.6 million.

According to the MEC, they have supported female farmers and are very pleased with the achievement made by Ms. Poonyane from De-Plante a horticultural company that specializes in vegetables and cut flowers.

The project was supported with about R3.5 million, creating about 10 permanent employment. For the financial year 2022/23 the department supported the project with refrigerated truck, water cooling system and refrigeration unit. For Planning and implementation of projects youth projects have been assisted with a budget amounting to R55.3 million.
The Department is looking to receive an amount of R814.8 million in 2023/24, R859.7 million in 2024/25 and R891 million in 2025/26.

Based on the plans of repositioning agriculture in our province as a key economic driver, a concern was raised about the continued decrease in in the allocated budget. For the 2023/24 financial year the Departmental final allocation was decreased by 2.8% on equitable share allocation from the initial allocation.

The Department has received a budget allocation of R814.8 million in 2023/24 financial year. Overall decrease to the Departmental fiscal allocation is 1.9% for 2023/24 financial year compared to the adjusted allocation for 2022/23.