Ontwrigtende beurtkrag hou langtermynrisiko’s vir die landbousektor en ekonomie in | Disruptive load shedding poses long-term risks to the agricultural sector and economy

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6 Julie 2022

Die impak van die voortdurende kragonderbrekings op die landbousektor en breë ekonomie hou ernstige implikasies vir voedselsekerheid en maatskaplike stabiliteit in. Die verlengde tydperk van Vlak 6-beurtkrag bedreig die lewensvatbaarheid van die sektor. ‘n Eskalasie na Vlak 7 en hoër sal katastrofies wees en hou ‘n risiko vir die land se nasionale veiligheid in.

Beurtkrag dra by tot inflasie en kan tot gevolg hê dat boere minder aanplant weens stygende koste en onderbreking in aanplantskedules. Beurtkrag verhoog die koste van produksie vir boere in ‘n tyd waar Suid-Afrikaners verdere voedselprys stygings in in die gesig staar en onder ongekende ekonomiese druk verkeer. Dit veroorsaak meer risiko’s en onsekerheid.

Elektrisiteit is sentraal tot moderne boerdertypraktyke en die onlangse toename in beurtkrag het boerderybedrywighede ernstig ontwrig. Pompstasies, besproeiing-, verkoeling- en ander stelsels is almal afhanklik van kragvoorsiening. Terwyl sommige boere die middele het om van die kragnetwerk af te beweeg, is meeste nie daartoe in staat nie. Dit geld veral vir die mees kwesbare kleinskaalse boere. Boere verbeur hul waterkwota’s vir besproeiingsdoeleindes wanneer die krag af is – ‘n onverhaalbare verlies wat boerderye lamlê.

Boere rapporteer alreeds geweldige verliese namate verwerkingsmasjinerie, besproeiingstoerusting en ander masjinerie skade ly en tot stilstand kom as gevolg van onderbreking van die kragtoevoer. Met noodsaaklike stelsels wat gedurende die dag nie beskikbaar is nie, word daar van plaaswerkers vereis om na ure te werk. Sodanige oortydlone verhoog produksiekoste wat reeds aan die toeneem is.

Die kragonderbrekings veroorsaak ook vermorsing en finansiële verliese as gevolg van die impak op voedselberging. Kleinhandelaars begin om vars produkte af te keur, hoofsaaklik groente vanweë vertragings in aflewering en ontwrigting van die koueketting. Hierdie uitdaging sal verder vererger gedurende die somer. Dit sal die hoeveelheid voedsel wat beskikbaar is verminder en die koste daarvan vir die verbruiker verhoog.

Terwyl die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie gebuk gaan onder hierdie en ander uitdagings, is Agri SA en sy lede verbind tot samewerking met alle rolspelers om voedselsekerheid in die land te verseker. Dit vereis egter dringende optrede. Ons vertrou dat die Presidensie stabiliteit en veiligheid by alle kragaanlegte sal prioritiseer. Aangesien hierdie aanlegte geag word as nasionale sleutelpunte, rig Agri SA ‘n dringende versoek dat terreine van strategiese belang beskerm word teen sabotasie. Geweldadige optrede en kriminaliteit is besig om toe te neem en is ‘n tendens wat in landsbelang omgedraai moet word.

Agri SA ondersteun Eskom se besluit om sy hernubare energiekapasiteit spoedig te verhoog. Soos versoek deur Eskom, kan ‘n bykomende 4 000MW of 4GW wind- en sonkragopwekkingskapasiteit help om voorvalle van beurtkrag te verminder. Die Departement van Minerale Hulpbronne en Energie het ‘n kritieke rol te speel om die nodige beleidsinfrastruktuur vinnig in plek te kry sodat Eskom sy kapasiteit kan verhoog. Versuim om dit te doen hou ernstige ekonomiese risiko’s vir Suid-Afrika in, ook wat maatskaplike stabiliteit betref.

Navrae:

Christo van der Rheede

Agri SA Uitvoerende Direkteur

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The impact of the ongoing power outages on the agricultural sector and the wider economy holds serious implications for food security and social stability. The extended period of Level 6 load shedding threatens the viability of the sector. An escalation to Level 7 and higher will be catastrophic and pose a risk to the country’s national security.

Load shedding contributes to inflation and may result in farmers planting less due to rising costs and disruption in planting schedules. Load shedding increases the cost of production for farmers at a time when South Africans are facing further food price increases and are under unprecedented economic pressure. This causes further risks and uncertainties.

Electricity is central to modern farming practices and the recent increase in load shedding has seriously disrupted farming operations. Pumping stations, irrigation, cooling and other systems all depend on power supply. While some farmers have the means to move away from the power grid, most are unable to do so. This is especially true for the most vulnerable small-scale farmers. Farmers forfeit their water quotas for irrigation purposes when the power is off – an irrecoverable loss that paralyzes farms.

Farmers are already reporting huge losses as processing machinery, irrigation equipment and other machinery are damaged and come to a standstill due to power outages. With essential systems unavailable during the day, farm workers are required to work after hours. Such overtime wages increase production costs which are already increasing.

The power outages are also causing waste and financial losses due to the impact on food storage. Retailers are starting to reject fresh produce, mainly vegetables due to delays in delivery and disruption in the cold chain. In summer this challenge increases exponentially. This will reduce the amount of food available and increase its cost to the consumer.

While the South African economy is facing these and other challenges, Agri SA and its members are committed to working with all role-players to ensure food security in the country. However, it requires urgent action. We trust that the Presidency will prioritize stability and safety at all power plants. As these plants are regarded as national key points, Agri SA makes an urgent request that sites of strategic importance be protected against sabotage. Violent action and crime are on the rise and are a trend that needs to be reversed in national interest.

Agri SA supports Eskom’s decision to increase its renewable energy capacity soon. As requested by Eskom, an additional 4,000MW or 4GW of wind and solar power generation capacity can help reduce load shedding incidents. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has a critical role to play in quickly getting the necessary policy infrastructure in place so that Eskom can increase its capacity. Failure to do so poses serious economic risks to South Africa, including social instability.

Media enquiries

Christo Van der Rheede

Agri SA Executive Director