POLICIES - Agriculture: Agricultural Production

18.1 - Agricultural Production
• The growth in population, especially in the last five decades, has outstripped the increase in real agricultural production. This aspect needs serious consideration for the future.
• If we allow the current surplus to decline into a shortfall, the cost to the average South African will be considerable. This situation will result in greater amounts having to be spent on imported agricultural produce.
• An ABSA survey of the agricultural sector highlights the fact that South Africa sells its agricultural produce internationally. These sales are in markets where the levels of agricultural subsidization are substantially higher than in South Africa. This in turn has meant that domestic price increases in agriculture have to be limited in order to remain internationally competitive. South Africans have benefited at the expense of the farming community.
• The ACDP in principle is not in favour of the large-scale granting of subsidies agricultural or otherwise, but wisdom has to be employed in ensuring that the necessary growth be stimulated in the agricultural sector.
• The ACDP will endeavour to encourage the necessary growth in output by employing the necessary medium to long-term incentives.
http://www.acdp.org.za/index.php?page=policy1