Agriculture

SATI OUTSHINES IN THE FIVCRT REVIEW

The Fruits South Africa released its Fruit Industry Value Chain Round Table (FIVCRT) annual review for 2019.  

FIVCRT is an initiative between the Fruit SA and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) that aims to “foster collaborative actions amongst stakeholders to help secure an enduring competitive advantage for the fruit sector.”

The major fruits industry represented in the report were the Citrus Growers Association, the Tables and Grape Industry, Deciduous Fruit Development Chamber (DFDC), Fresh Produce Export Council in SA, the Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum, SA Subtropical Growers’ Association (Subtrop).

Altogether, these sub-industries were responsible for funding transformation initiatives in their respective domains. 

The South African Tables Grapes Industry (SATI) off all seemed to have grasped transformation acta non verba. Unlike batting transformation as dispensing bursaries, SATI spent R2.6 million towards vines for the 2019 planting season to 9 BBBEE initiatives.

“SATI renders services to black growers and young black people in the industry: Preferred Cultivar Programme; extension and advisory services – business and production advice; bursaries; training – business and modular courses; a transformation helpdesk – business, production, compliance (planning and feasibility studies), and study tours – local and international” said the report.

For the year 2020, SATI planned to ingest R2.68 million for the planting season and is supporting 8 black students with bursaries to the value of R500 000 in the current year.

SATI transformation stripes were evidenced in the partnership it has with Hortgro, wine grape industries, Jobs Fund, Land Bank – to breathe R 600 million to assist black owned businesses to expand and create additional jobs in the fruit value chain.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Mzansi Agriculture Talk.

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