Question NW251 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural DevelopmentQUESTION
18 July 2019 - NW251
Steyn, Ms A to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural DevelopmentQUESTION
Has a statutory service provider been appointed in terms of section 3(1A) (b)(ii) of the Agricultural Product Standards Act, Act 119 of 1990; if not, why not; if so, what (a) method was used to appoint the service provider and (b) are the details of the contract?
Reply:
No statutory service provider has been appointed in terms of section 3 (1A)(b)(ii) of the Agricultural Product Standards Act 119 of 1990, however, assignees have been designated by the Minister in terms of section 2 (3)(a) of the said Act as far back as 1991 until recently in 2016. A total of 7 assignees have thus far been designated to conduct inspection on regulated agricultural products destined for export and those that are sold locally. The empowering section that was used in the designation of assignees is the very same section 2 (3)(a) of the said Act. The obligations, duties and rights of parties, the assignee, the regulated community and that of the Honourable Minister, are set out in the said Act.