SA warned over food security

HLENGIWE MNGUNI

JOHANNASBURG - South Africa has not invested enough in agriculture to make the country self-sufficient, the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) reportedly said last week.

The body, which advises the Minister of Agriculture and the industry on the marketing of agricultural products, is scheduled to meet the Cabinet this week to discuss the escalating food crisis.

Although South Africa usually produces enough maize for the local market, it remains a net importer of wheat and rice, putting it at the mercy of volatile international markets.

In the past few months international prices of wheat, rice and maize have increased dramatically. This has had a knock-on effect on South Africa’s main staple foods – bread, maize meal and rice.

In a report released earlier this year the NAMC said brown and white bread prices had increased 16.21% and 19.92% respectively from January 2007 to 2008. The prices of a 5kg bag of super and special maize meal increased by 22.29% and 28.00%.

Rice is expected to cost 30% more within the next two months.

While the wheat and maize shortage has largely been blamed on production factors, experts have pointed out trade restriction by rice producers as the main cause of the upsurge in rice prices.

It is expected that the meeting between Cabinet and council will also seek short-term solutions to softening the financial blow of rising food prices.