Following the President's announcement of a national lockdown commencing today, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has promulgated the Regulations under the Disaster Management Act which gives effect to the restrictions. Following dedicated advocacy by Agbiz and other industry bodies, an amendment to the Regulations was gazetted yesterday, which includes the issue of harvesting and storage of all agricultural produce to prevent wastage, including non-food crops e.g. wine grapes. Thus the wine industry has been declared an essential service and is allowed to complete the harvest and necessary cellar processes during lockdown. We expect t hat the Regulations will be amended from time to time. Please click here to view the amendments made to the original Regulations in track changes.

To facilitate the dissemination of correct and up-to-date information, Agbiz has prepared Recommended Standard Operational Procedures for agribusinesses during the Covid-19 lockdown. The document seeks to provide guidance relating to the restrictions, essential services in the agro-food value chain and the procedure to self-evaluate and issue permits for the continued operation of essential services in the sector. Agbiz has also circulated a template developed in line with the Regulations which agribusinesses may use to issue permits to employees that will be required to render essential services during this time.

South Africans are used to relying on a highly competitive and effective food system, which will now be tested to its limits, especially in rural areas where critical information is lacking and we have a big concentration of vulnerable people. Effective collaboration and coordination between communities, the private sector and government will be decisive and researchers and analysts will have to support decision-makers with accurate information and analyses. In the linked article, the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) provides a detailed breakdown of South Africans' food consumption patterns for various types of households.

Eskom does not expect to implement loadshedding during the Covid-19 national lockdown, but the possibility that loadshedding may be implemented
remains. As an essential and critical services supplier, some of Eskom's personnel are exempt from the provisions of the lockdown. As such, Eskom does not expect any impediments to the generation and supply of electricity during this period. "Our suppliers, particularly the coal mines, logistics suppliers and those supplying the parts and maintenance services at our power stations, will be able to operate through the lockdown." Please click Eskom Power Alert to peruse.

The South African citrus season in underway with an estimated record export of 143.3 million cartons, an increase of 13% on last season.  According to Justin Chadwick CEO of the Citrus Grower's Association of Southern Africa, 2 million cartons of lemons have already been exported, a figure way ahead that of last season. "We have seen early maturing of the lemon crop this year and also a big pull from the market. They are being shipped to all markets and demand is high due to the spread of the coronavirus as people are stocking up." Read more in the linked article, first published on Fresh Plaza. 

As an essential part of the country's food security network, South Africa's fresh fruit and vegetable supply channels will remain active and efficient - even given the recent announcement of lock down measures. "Fresh fruit and vegetables are an essential part of the food security network and South Africa is filled with world-class producers, big and small, who produce fresh produce of the highest quality and pack and transport it, adhering to required international hygiene standards," says Jaco Oosthuizen, CEO of RSA Group, the country's largest fresh produce sales organisation. Read more in the linked RSA Group statement.

Lactalis SA's Président Extra Mature Cheddar was crowned the South African Dairy Product of the Year at the Agri-Expo Qualité Awards on Thursday 26 March 2020. This year's award ceremony of the annual SA Dairy Championships, the largest dairy competition in Africa, was presented as a virtual event for the first time in its 187th history due the Covid-19 pandemic. The judging of the competition took place on 27 February in Cape Town before the first Covid-19 case was recorded in South Africa. Read more in the Agri-Expo media statement.

Read more about the latest developments and news in the pork industry in the South African Pork Producers' Organisation's (SAPPO) newsletter, SAPPO Weekly Update.

Read the latest news from the citrus industry, in the weekly newsletter of the Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa. Please click here to peruse.

Keeping it Fresh, the newsletter of the Fresh Produce Exporters' Forum, contains all the recent relevant news and developments.