BY KWANELE TSABEDZE
MATSAPHA – The Minister of Agriculture Jabulani Mabuza has called for a fairer distribution of value in the agriculture value chain.
The minister expressed this when speaking to farmers and retailers at a meeting held between the stakeholders at Esibayeni Lodge in Matsapha today.
Speaking at the event, the minister expressed concern at the price differences of wholesale farm produce and retail farm produce.
“As a Minister of Agriculture, it concerns me greatly to see that a cabbage can be bought from a farmer for E8 and then be sold for E50. Why? Who is getting what? Is the person who gets more any more important than the farmer? We must answer that question. The board should look at this without prejudice, and I will be there to support,” said the minister.
Eswatini Water Development Enterprise (ESWADE) CEO Samson Sithole echoed the minister’s sentiments, saying they were working on mitigating such challenges.
“We want to look into challenges which disturb horticulture production in the country. We want to make sure that we look at these challenges deeply, so that they can get solved,” said Sithole.
Some of the stakeholders who engaged in the meeting include smallholder farmers, big retailers like OK Supermarkets, the National Maize Board (NAMBOARD), Enactus Eswatini, as well as the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Trade.
