Note to Editors: Afrikaans statement to follow.
• DA welcomes continuous growth in agriculture sector.
• Minister Steenhuisen demonstrated political will to protect jobs
• Efforts underway to combat Foot and Mouth Disease yielding success.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the ongoing growth in the agricultural sector’s contributions to the GDP under the stewardship of Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen for the third consecutive quarter.
Agriculture carried over its positive momentum, recording a third-quarter positive contribution to South Africa’s GDP.
The sector has demonstrated that it holds immense untapped potential to drive inclusive economic growth and job creation, albeit under difficult challenges.
The DA also notes the measures undertaken by Minister Steenhuisen to combat Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), which has had severe consequences for the agricultural industry.
The Minister has introduced key steps to accelerate animal identification, expand diagnostic capacity, and intensify awareness campaigns.
He has also led the establishment of an Industry–Government Task Team on animal disease prevention, management, and control — a vital structure to ensure better coordination, enforcement, and accountability. The announcement of a mid-scale vaccine production facility, due to be operational by March 2026, will also strengthen South Africa’s self-reliance and reduce dependence on imports.
Moreover, we are encouragingly witnessing progress in expanding access to alternative markets. Recent developments include:
Avocados to China, Japan and India; maize to Japan and India; beef and lamb to Iran: Fresh protocols now allow South African meat exports to enter this important Middle Eastern market; table grapes to the Philippines and Vietnam, and citrus to Vietnam.
We commend Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen for the role he has played in advancing market access for South African produce. His targeted approach to opening new markets, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, reflects exactly the kind of political will required to future-proof our economy and protect jobs at home.
A strategy to maximise existing trade agreements, while actively concluding new trade agreements, is seeing the kind of progress South Africa needs.
The growing list of agricultural trade partners, expanding under Minister Steenhuisen, shows that the direction South Africa must continue to pursue is possible: a diversified, strategically positioned agricultural export sector capable of withstanding global disruptions.
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DA-minister se pogings in landbou bevorder volgehoue groei vir BBP
• DA verwelkom pogings vir volgehoue groei in die landbousektor
• Minister Steenhuisen het politieke wil getoon om werksgeleenthede te beskerm
• Pogings aan die gang om bek-en-klouseer te bestry, lewer sukses.
Die Demokratiese Alliansie (DA) verwelkom die voortgesette groei in die landbousektor se bydraes tot die BBP onder leiding van Minister van Landbou, John Steenhuisen, vir die derde agtereenvolgende kwartaal.
Die landbou-sektor het sy positiewe momentum voortgesit en ‘n derde kwartaallikse positiewe bydrae tot Suid-Afrika se BBP aangeteken.
Die sektor het gewys dat dit enorme potensiaal het om inklusiewe ekonomiese groei en werkskepping te bevorder, alhoewel dit onder moeilike uitdagings te staan kom.
Die DA neem ook kennis van die maatreëls wat deur Minister Steenhuisen getref is om Bek-en-Klouseer (BKS) te bestry, wat ernstige gevolge vir die landboubedryf meebring.
Die Minister het sleutelstappe implementeer om diere-identifikasie te versnel, diagnostiese kapasiteit uit te brei en bewusmakingsveldtogte te voort te sit.
Hy het ook die stigting van ‘n taakspan oor die voorkoming, bestuur en beheer van dieresiektes gelei – ‘n noodsaaklike struktuur om beter koördinering, afdwinging en verantwoordbaarheid te verseker. Die aankondiging van ‘n middelgroot entstofproduksiefasiliteit, wat teen Maart 2026 in werking sal wees, sal ook Suid-Afrika se selfstandigheid versterk en afhanklikheid van invoere verminder.
Boonop sien ons bemoedigende vordering in die uitbreiding van toegang tot alternatiewe markte. Onlangse ontwikkelings sluit in:
Avokado’s na China, Japan en Indië; mielies na Japan en Indië; bees- en lamsvleis na Iran; tafeldruiwe na die Filippyne en Viëtnam, en sitrus na Viëtnam.
Ons verwelkom Minister van Landbou, John Steenhuisen, se bydraes vir die rol wat hy gespeel het in die bevordering van marktoegang vir Suid-Afrikaanse produkte. Sy geteikende benadering tot die opening van nuwe markte, veral in Asië en die Midde-Ooste, weerspieël presies die soort politieke wil wat nodig is om ons ekonomie toekomsbestand te maak en werksgeleenthede tuis te beskerm.
’n Strategie om bestaande handelsooreenkomste te maksimeer, terwyl nuwe handelsooreenkomste aktief gesluit word, toon die soort vordering wat Suid-Afrika nodig het.
Die groeiende lys van landbouhandelsvennote, wat onder Minister Steenhuisen uitbrei, toon dat die rigting wat Suid-Afrika moet voortgaan om te volg, moontlik is: ’n gediversifiseerde, strategies geposisioneerde landbou-uitvoersektor wat wêreldwye ontwrigting kan weerstaan.