‘n Wes-Kaap bek-en klouseer werkgroep onder voorsitterskap van Jaco van den Berg, Voorsitter van Wes-Kaap RPO, is onlangs in die lewe geroep.
Al die rolspelers in die rooivleiswaardeketting is uitgenooi om deel te vorm van die werkgroep. Die doel is om pro-aktiewe stappe te neem wat sal verhoed dat bek-en klouseer vanaf die Oos-Kaap na die Wes-Kaap versprei. Daar is reeds 90 000 beeste in die Oos-Kaap ingeënt (ook negatiewe plase se diere). Die entstof word vanaf Botswana ingevoer. Die grootste bron van oordrag is direkte kontak tussen besmette en gesonde diere, mense se klere en skoene, die voertuie waarin diere vervoer word en selfs die voer waarmee besmette diere in aanraking was.
Voertuie moet deeglik ontsmet word voordat diere gelaai en nadat hulle afgelaai is. Die
ontsmettingsmiddels moet korrek aangewend word en onder sekere temperature gestoor word.
Daar word bewusmakingsveldtogte geloods en geverifieerde inligting word via ‘n WhatsApp-groep en die media aan lede versprei. Dit word beklemtoon dat die eerste verantwoordelikheid by elke vee-eienaar berus om toe te sien dat volledige biosekuriteitsmaatreëls op plase toegepas word.
‘n Siektebeheergebied is in gedeeltes van die Kou-kamma en Kouga munisipale gebiede in die Oos-Kaap verklaar wat beteken dat die skuif van beeste, skape, bokke en veeprodukte vanuit die gebied verbode is. Die Nasionale Minister van Landbou het ‘n reaksietaakspan op die been gebring, wat binne 48 uur op gevalle van bek-en klouseer moet reageer.
BTW op vleis
Alhoewel die RPO saamstem dat voedselpryse so laag as moontlik moet wees vir lae-inkomste huishoudings, is ons van mening dat verskeie faktore oorweeg behoort te word wanneer produkte by die nulkoers BTW-lys gevoeg word. Die RPO het kommentaar gelewer op die SA Pluimveevereniging se pleidooi dat kitsbevrore hoenderstukke (IQF) teen ʼn nulkoers BTW belas moet word. Die RPO het ʼn persverklaring uitgereik wat reageer op die versoek en breedvoerige kommentaar lewer op die uitwerking wat die heffing van ʼn nulkoers BTW op kitsbevrore hoenderstukke kan hê. ʼn Versoek is ook gerig dat ʼn werksgroep saamgeroep word om die voor- en nadele te ondersoek wat verbonde is aan die byvoeging van vleisprodukte wat teen ʼn nulkoers belas word.
Vordering van vrywillige bydraes
Die Wes-Kaapse bestuur het weer versoek dat alle rooivleisprodusente aan die vrywillige heffingstelsel sal deelneem en die abattoirs of agente waar hulle hulle diere lewer, sal oorreed om aan die stelsel deel te neem wanneer die produsente volmag daartoe verleen. Lede word versoek om mede-produsente wat nog nie lid is nie, aan te moedig om lede te word. Die bestuur sal daadwerklike pogings aanwend om die abattoirs wat nog nie aan die stelsel deelneem nie, tot deelname aan te moedig.
Daar sal ook reklame-items by die komende landbou-skoue wees en moontlike reklamevideo’s of radio-advertensies word ondersoek om die RPO se werksaamhede aan die produsente en publiek te verduidelik.
Verbruikers is weens die swak ekonomie onder geweldige finansiële druk. Die RPO mag as ‘n produsente-organisasie nie by prysonderhandeling betrokke raak nie en het dus geen invloed op kleinhandelpryse nie.
A Western Cape foot and mouth disease (FMD) working group chaired by Jaco van den Berg, Chairman of the Western Cape RPO was recently established.
All the role players in the red meat value chain have been invited to form part of the working group. The aim is to take proactive steps that will prevent FMD from spreading from the Eastern Cape to the Western Cape. A total of 90 000 cattle have already been vaccinated in the Eastern Cape (also animals from negative farms). The vaccine is imported from Botswana. The biggest source of transmission is direct contact between infected and healthy animals, people’s clothes and shoes, the vehicles in which animals are transported and even the feed that infected animals have been in contact with.
Vehicles must be thoroughly disinfected before animals are loaded and after they are unloaded. The disinfectants must be used correctly and stored under certain temperatures.
Awareness campaigns are launched and verified information is distributed to members via a WhatsApp group and the media. It is emphasised that the first responsibility rests with each livestock owner to ensure that full biosecurity measures are applied on farms.
A disease control area has been declared in parts of the Kou-Kamma and Kouga Municipal areas in the Eastern Cape, which means that the movement of cattle, sheep, goats and livestock products from the area is prohibited. The national Minister of Agriculture has set up a response task team, which must respond to cases of FMD within 48 hours.
VAT on meat
Although the RPO agrees that food prices should be as low as possible for low-income households, we believe that several factors should be considered when adding products to the zero-rate VAT list. The RPO commented on the SA Poultry Association’s plea that quick frozen chicken pieces (IQF) should be taxed at a zero rate of VAT. The RPO has published a press release responding to the request, which comments in detail on the effect that the levying of a zero rate VAT on quick-frozen chicken pieces may have. A request was also made that a working group be convened to investigate the advantages and disadvantages associated with the addition of meat products that are taxed at a zero rate.
Progress of voluntary contributions
The Western Cape management again requested that all red meat producers participate in the voluntary contribution system and persuade the abattoirs or agents where they market their animals to participate in the system when the producers give power of attorney to do so. Members are requested to encourage fellow producers who are not yet members to become members. The management will make real efforts to encourage the abattoirs that do not yet participate in the system to participate.
There will also be advertising items at the upcoming agricultural shows and possible advertising videos or radio ads are being investigated to explain the RPO’s activities to the producers and the public.
Consumers are under tremendous financial pressure due to the poor economy. The RPO as a producer organisation are not allowed to be involved in price negotiations and therefore has no influence on retail prices.