Agri SA onderhandel suksesvol om landbou-water bekostigbaar te hou | Agri SA successfully negotiates to keep water affordable for agriculture
English to follow:
18 Mei 2020
Agri SA verwelkom die beperkte verhogings in die voorgestelde rouwaterkoste vir die besproeiingsektor vir die 2020/21 finansiële jaar. Die rouwatertariewe vir die 2020/21 finansiële jaar is amptelik deur die Departement van Water en Sanitasie op 15 Mei 2020 gepubliseer.
Na afloop van die sektor-spesifieke konsultasies in Pretoria op 7 Augustus 2019, het Agri SA gevra dat die voorgestelde styging in waterhulpbron-infrastruktuurkoste beperk word tot 16,5% (d.w.s. 10% plus PPI soos in April 2019) in plaas van die aanvanklik voorgestelde stygings van tot 50% in sekere gebiede. Agri SA het die voorgestelde toename in waterhulpbronbestuurskoste van 6,5% vir alle waterbestuursgebiede aanvaar (met die uitsondering van die Oranje-bestuursgebied waar ‘n toename van 15,66% voorgestel is ingevolge die Nasionale Waterprysingstrategie).
Die regering het Agri SA se voorstel aanvaar en sy hersiene kostes tydens nasionale beraadslagings in Boksburg op 28 Augustus 2019 aangekondig. Die hersiene kostes het amptelik in werking getree met die publisering daarvan verlede week.
“Daar word verwag dat die Suid-Afrikaanse landbousektor ernstig beïnvloed sal word deur die ekonomiese gevolge van die Covid-19 pandemie, asook die gevolge van die voortslepende droogte in sekere dele van ons land,” sê Wayman Kritzinger, voorsitter van Agri SA se Sentrum van Uitnemendheid: Natuurlike Hulpbronne. “Die relatief matige stygings sal aansienlik bydra om die insetkoste en ekonomiese las te verminder en sal verseker dat produksie kan voortgaan.”
Agri SA sal voortgaan om met die regering te onderhandel en om sy verhouding met die regering te versterk om te verseker dat water nie alleen bekostigbaar bly nie, maar ook dat die bestuur en regulering daarvan verbeter om sekerheid van kwaliteit waterlewering te bevorder. Dit sal voedselsekerheid en ekonomiese groei vir Suid Afrika help handhaaf.
Navrae:
Wayman Kritzinger
Voorsitter: Natuurlike Hulpbronne, Agri SA
Janse Rabie
Hoof: Natuurlike Hulpbronne, Agri SA
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Agri SA welcomes the reduced increases in the proposed raw water charges for the irrigation sector for the 2020/21 financial year. The raw water tariffs for the 2020/21 financial year were officially published by the Department of Water and Sanitation on 15 May 2020.
Following the sector-specific consultations which were held in Pretoria on 7 August 2019, Agri SA requested that proposed increases in water resource infrastructure charges be limited to 16.5% (i.e. 10% plus PPI as at April 2019) in lieu of the initially proposed increases of up to 50% in certain areas. Agri SA accepted the proposed water resource management charge increase of 6.5% for all water management areas (apart from the Orange management area where an increase of 15.66% was proposed in accordance with the National Water Pricing Strategy).
Government accepted Agri SA’s proposal and presented its revised charges during national consultations which were held in Boksburg on 28 August 2019. The revised charges became official through their publication last week.
“South Africa’s agricultural sector stands to be severely affected by the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the lingering effects of droughts in certain part of our country” says Wayman Kritzinger, Chairperson of Agri SA’s Centre of Excellence: Natural Resources. “The relatively moderate increases will go some way to alleviate the input cost and economic burdens and ensure farmers keep producing.”
Agri SA will continue to consult with and strengthen its relationship with government to ensure that water not only remains affordable, but also that its management and regulation improve to ensure quality water supply. This will safeguard food security and economic growth for South Africa.
Enquiries:
Wayman Kritzinger
Chairman: Natural Resources, Agri SA
Janse Rabie
Head: Natural Resources, Agri SA
