DIE RPO DEUR DIE OË VAN ‘N PRODUSENT
Kobus Bester van die Lifestock Registering Federation (LRF) het produsente tydens die nasionale RPO se konferensie wat onlangs by Nampo/ALFA in Bothaville plaasgevind het, uitgedaag om hulself af te vra hoe hulle beplan om vernuwing en verbetering teweeg te bring. Hy het die RPO deur die oë van ‘n produsent geskets.
THE RPO THROUGH THE EYES OF A PRODUCER
Kobus Bester of the Livestock Registering Federation (LRF) challenged producers during the National RPO’s conference which took place recently at Nampo/ALFA in Bothaville, to ask themselves how they plan to bring about innovation and improvement. He outlined the RPO through the eyes of a producer.
Bester het gesê ‘n florerende organisasie behoort ‘n duidelike doelwit na te streef aan die hand van ‘n waardestelsel soos vervat in die organisasie se grondwet en ander beleidsdokumente. Dit bepaal of produsente daarmee kan vereenselwig en dit sien as ‘n oplossing of antwoord op ‘n behoefte wat lang termyn volhoubare winsgewendheid sal bevorder. Indien wel, sal produsente bereid wees om aan die organisasie te behoort en dit te befonds.
In sy gesprekke met rooivleisboere het dit vir Bester duidelik geword dat produsente sekere positiewes en negatiewes met die RPO verbind. Positiewes/voordele sluit in die predasieforums; veediefstalvoorkomingsforums; rapportering van pryse en volumes; en die RPO se rol as waghond in terme van invoere.
Sover dit nadele/negatiewes betref, is daar boere wat die RPO verantwoordelik hou vir die verbod op die beweging van diere wat sedert 16 Augustus 2022 in plek is. Ander produsente voel die RPO is nie daartoe in staat om die invoere van speenkalwers van buurlande stop te sit nie of om die prysvasstelling van speenkalwers op te los nie, terwyl ander ongelukkig is met die RPO se rol om heffings in te win. Hierdie negatiewe persepsies kan toegeskryf word aan die wanpersepsie onder sekere produsente dat die RPO die magte het wat in der waarheid by die regering gesetel is.
Suid-Afrika se rooivleissituasie lyk tans so:
- Uitvoere het in volume toegeneem.
- Pryse het in die laaste 15 maande met 15% gedaal.
- Produsente is prysnemers wat slegs beperkte beheer oor produksie het.
- Die plaaslike vraag na rooivleis het met 0.2% gedaal.
Volgens Bester kan hierdie situasie egter omgedraai word indien naspeurbaarheid in plek is, sowel as ‘n beesvleisgraderingstelsel wat differensieer tussen die gehalte van karkasse.
Indien rooivleisprodusente oor die lang termyn volhoubaar wil wees, moet daar winsgewend met behulp van natuurlike hulpbronne geproduseer word; gesonde, naspeurbare vleis wat geen risiko vir die verbruiker inhou nie moet geproduseer word; produksie moet menswaardig wees en ‘n bewustheid van die omgewing weerspieël; terwyl daar ‘n waarborg moet wees dat verbruikers tevrede sal wees met die produk.
Rooivleisprodusente moet weet waarheen hulle oppad is en inskakel by die Rooivleisbedryfstrategie 2030, hulle moet hul mededingendheid verhoog en meer volhoubaar wees deur dieregesondheid, dierewelsyn, omgewingsvolhoubaarheid en marktoegang aan te spreek. Produsente moet aktief betrokke raak en deelneem in die bedryf en die waardeketting, het Bester gesê.
Dit is ook belangrik om bewus te wees van die feit dat die RPO saam met die Rooivleisabattoirvereniging, NERPO en die Voerkraalvereniging die primêre groepering in die bedryf vorm en ‘n rol binne die Rooivleisbedryfsdienste moet vervul met die fokus op diere/openbare gesondheid, marktoegang, inklusiewe groei, asook mededingendheid en volhoubaarheid.
Bester meen rooivleisprodusente verwag die volgende van die RPO:
- Die RPO behoort die mondstuk te wees van ‘n aktief deelnemende rooivleisprodusent.
- Die RPO behoort leiding te neem namens aktief deelnemende produsente in alle funksies.
- Die RPO moet strukture skep waar produsente en rolspelers tot aksie kan oorgaan.
- Die RPO moet die belange van die produsent bevorder en die bedryf ingelig hou daaroor.
- Die RPO moet bydra tot die suksesvolle verwesenliking van Visie 2030.
Spesifieke kwessies wat die RPO na Bester se mening namens produsente kan aanspreek is die 1.2% verlies in vog waarmee produsente gepenaliseer word wanneer ‘n karkas geslag word, sowel as die feit dat velle en huide vandag nie meer veel waarde het nie.
Bester said that a thriving organisation should pursue a clear goal based on a value system as outlined in the organisation’s constitution and other policy documents. This determines whether producers can identify with it and see it as a solution or answer to a need that will promote long-term sustainable profitability. If so, producers will be willing to belong to the organisation and to fund it.
In his discussions with red meat farmers, it became clear to Bester that producers associate certain positives and negatives with the RPO. Positives/advantages include the predation forums; stock theft prevention forums; reporting of prices and volumes; and the RPO’s role as a watchdog in terms of imports.
As far as disadvantages/negatives are concerned, there are farmers who hold the RPO responsible for the ban on the movement of animals that has been in place since 16 August 2022. Other producers feel the RPO is unable to stop imports of weaned calves from neighbouring countries or to resolve the price fixing of weaned calves, while others are unhappy with the RPO’s role in collecting levies. These negative perceptions can be attributed to the misperception among certain producers that the RPO has the powers that are actually vested in the government.
South Africa’s red meat situation currently looks like this:
- Exports increased in volume.
- Prices have fallen by 15% during the last 15 months.
- Producers are price takers who have only limited control over production.
- Local demand for red meat fell by 0.2%.
However, according to Bester, this situation can be turned around if traceability is in place, as well as a beef grading system that differentiates between the quality of carcasses.
If red meat producers want to be sustainable over the long term, they must produce profitably with the help of natural resources; healthy, traceable meat that poses no risk to the consumer must be produced; production must be humane and reflect an awareness of the environment; while there must be a guarantee that consumers will be satisfied with the product.
Red meat producers must know where they are heading and engage with the Red Meat Industry Strategy 2030, they must increase their competitiveness and be more sustainable by addressing animal health, animal welfare, environmental sustainability and market access. Producers must actively engage and participate in the industry and the value chain, Bester said.
It is also important to be aware of the fact that the RPO together with the Red Meat Abattoir Association, NERPO and the Feedlot Association form the primary cluster in the industry and must fulfil a role within the Red Meat Industry Services with a focus on animal/public health, market access, inclusive growth, as well as competitiveness and sustainability.
Bester believes red meat producers expect the following from the RPO:
- The RPO should be the mouthpiece of an actively participating red meat producer.
- The RPO should take the lead on behalf of actively participating producers in all functions.
- The RPO must create structures where producers and role players can take action.
- The RPO must promote the interests of the producer and keep the industry informed about it.
- The RPO must contribute to the successful realisation of Vision 2030.
In Bester’s opinion, specific issues that the RPO can address on behalf of producers are the 1.2% loss in moisture with which producers are penalised when a carcass is slaughtered, as well as the fact that hides and skins no longer have much value today.
Dankie / Thank You
Die nasionale RPO wil graag die volgende borge hartlik bedank vir hul betrokkenheid wat bygedra het tot die sukses van die geleentheid. /
The national RPO would like to sincerely thank the following sponsors for their involvement which contributed to the success of the event.
