Mohair delegates highlight threats facing the industry

[caption id="attachment_36938" align="alignright" width="405"] TOP PRODUCERS: The winners of the 2013 Miyuki Keori Trophy were announced this week. Sponsored by Miyuki Holdings, a top-end Japanese fabric weaver, this trophy is awarded annually to producers for the best classed mohair clip and encourages farmers to improve the presentation and quality of their clip. At the back, from left, are Gert and Pieter Jordaan from Aberdeen (Most Improved Clip) and Frans and Loue Retief from Murraysburg (Champion Winter Clip). In the front are Billy Colborne from Willowmore (Champion Summer Clip), Barries Snijman from Rietbron (Grand Champion Clip) and Gay van Hasselt from Prince Albert (Reserve Grand Champion Clip). Another winner not in the picture is RM Heydenrych, from Jansenville, who received the award for the Most Sustainable Angora Grower. Snijman also received a Miyuki Mohair suit length to the value of R5000[/caption]

TICKS, predators, fracking and land reform – these are just some of the threats to one of the biggest agricultural sectors in the country.

On the final day of the annual congress of the SA Mohair Growers' Association (Samga), held at the Wool and Mohair Exchange in Port Elizabeth, some of these and other serious threats to the mohair industry were debated by delegates.

Agri SA deputy executive director Johan Pienaar said the agricultural body – to which Samga is affiliated – continued to consult with Cosatu on labour issues, and had also met the new minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

"It was an introductory meeting but the minister [Senzeni Zokwana] was firm that farmers should be involved with community development to promote the rural areas and in turn he would focus on the needs of commercial farmers," Pienaar said.

He told delegates that land restitution was still a big headache, particularly if market-related prices were not paid for land or if a ceiling was placed on land ownership. "We are in a bit of a limbo concerning the land issue, but in the meantime farmers are continuing with black empowerment initiatives countrywide," Pienaar said.

On a request from a delegate, Pienaar briefed the congress on Agri SA's meetings with Shell, which has applied for rights to explore for shale gas in the Karoo.

"We spoke about a range of issues – getting access to farms, the effect on the water table ... We put the rules of the game on the table but as a general council we took a decision to not have further discussions with Shell. During our president's state of the nation address this week he did say that shale gas would be a game changer for the economy," Pienaar said.

The Zuurberg branch of Samga lodged a resolution to ask for assistance with fencing along public roads. Farmers said broken fences made it easier for predators to enter their land.

Some delegates felt that Samga should not take over government's responsibility to mend fences bordering on public roads. Although a special fund of the Mohair Trust could help with subsidising the fencing, Samga members yesterday decided that management should play a consultative role with the authorities, taking it up to a higher level if necessary.

Another resolution presented by the Angora Ram Breeders' Society was that "congress requests that the mohair industry places pressure on Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute to fulfil the licensing application for the Heartwater vaccine registration after the Angora goat trials. The application should not be delayed until trials on other species are completed."

The Albany district was one of the biggest mohair producers but since the outbreak of the disease, it is now the smallest producer.Heartwater is caused by ticks and is spreading rapidly across the country.

Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute researcher Dr Arthur Spicket explained why the vaccine could not be released yet.

They were busy with field trials, with the vaccine being tested on kids three to six weeks old, pregnant ewes and adult goats. In order to register the vaccine, field trials would have to continue next year and the vaccine would hopefully be registered by 2016, Spicket said.

ýSamga president Kobus de Klerk and vice-president Mark Shires were re-elected for the next two years at yesterday's congress. - Cindy Preller