ABC Agbiz Congress

5-6 June 2012

ABC Council Meetings

Crop Estimates

  Click here»

Find out more about African Trade Agreements, Country information and regulatory information  by visiting 

www.jadafa.co.za 

ABC Newsletter Archive

 Follow Us On

Industry meets with Competition Commission on Information Exchange

On the same day (15th February 2012) that Business Day carried a front-page article on alleged cartels in the chicken business, industry associations and other major industry role players met with the Competition Commission (CC) to discuss the CC's response to the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) document on information exchange in the broader agro-food industry.

This engagement forms part of an on-going process under the auspices of the CEO Forum to address and clarify issues on information exchange with the CC, as well as to create awareness about the Competition Act and its stipulations regarding information exchange. 

Information exchange in business is not an easy or clear cut subject and there certainly are grey areas, not made easier by the fact that the CC cannot provide clear guidelines in terms of what is acceptable and what not. It is critically important for all industry associations, agribusinesses, agricultural marketing groups and other role players to study both the NAMC Report, as well as the CC's response, to get a clear understanding of the issues at hand.

A special word of thanks goes to Mr Billy Morokolo of DAFF and Prof André Jooste of the NAMC for their contributions in making this engagement constructive and meaningful. The process of engagement will continue.

The Agricultural Business Chamber hosted a most successful Southern African Maize Value Chain Exploratory meeting on Monday.  Stakeholders from agribusiness, agri-aids organisations and non-governmental organisations presented on the constraints and challenges they experience when looking into doing business within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).  

The objective of the meeting was to determine the viability of establishing a platform for all stakeholders to participate in developing strategies and projects to unlock agribusiness opportunities within Southern Africa, and even further abroad.  A follow-up meeting will be held in May this year.

Some of the key areas mentioned in the presentations were:

* Foreign currency issues
* Government intervention
* Financing
* Critical mass
* Transparent Markets
* Ethics
* Standardisation
* System and infrastructure

Presentations are available for ABC members on request.

BUSA Submission to Parliamentary Finance Committee

BUSA submitted a document on the economy and forthcoming budget to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance on 15th February 2012.

To peruse the document, please click here»

Business Welcomes State-of-the-Nation-Address but Message Needs Urgent Implementation

Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) welcomes President Jacob Zuma's State-of-the-Nation-Address, delivered on Thursday, 9 February, that emphasized a need for a strong policy environment in order to achieve economic growth and employment as set out in the New Growth Path and National Development Plan.  Read more»

This issue of TradeProbe  covers the following topics:
* Trade profile of potassium chloride (HS-310420)
* Export performance of tomatoes/tomato products
* South African agricultural exports: Where are they going?
* Trade liberalisation and Africa's efforts to achieve the MDGs
* The role of exchange rates in agricultural trade: The case of US beef imports
This publication is a joint initiative by the NAMC and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).

* Mutual & Federal appointed Mr Phillip du Preez as Group Manager Agriculture Strategy, effective 1st of February 2012.  Phillip will be heading up and driving an agricultural strategy that highlights the importance of the Agri sector to Mutual & Federal and ensures delivery of a holistic offering to this very important segment.  Phillip previously held the position of CEO LBIC (Land Bank Insurance Company). 

* The position of CEO LBIC is currently vacant and as an interim the position is being filled by Mr Phakamni Hadebe and Mr Stefan Jansen Van Vuuren (Snr. Manager Management Account in Finance).

* Mr Anton Kruger leaves the SA Ostrich Business Chamber at the end of February to take up the position of CEO of the Fresh Produce Exporters' Forum (FPEF) in Cape Town as from the 1st of March 2012.

* Mr Nico Hawkins was appointed as the General Manager of SAGIS, as from the 1st of April 2012. Read more»

Events

Click here to open the ABC Agbiz Congress website