Question NW1016 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

Reply:

The 450 farmers for commercialisation were identified across all nine provinces, with each province contributing and supporting at least 50 farmers towards being commercially self-reliant. The Commercialization Strategy was a response to the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme [CASP] Evaluation Report of 2015 which recommended that CASP commercialise 30% of producers. A commercial producer that we are referring to is a producer who produces with the intention to supply markets – both locally and internationally, is able to pay his overheads (breaks even or is profitable) and with a minimum turnover above R500 000 per annum.

Of the 450 producers targeted, a total of 350 have been commercialised. The table below outlines progress per province. These farmers were supported with infrastructure, production inputs, training, food safety and accreditation (where applicable) as well as mechanization through the CASP and Ilima/Letsema conditional grants.

The responses / details on these farmers / producers per province is attached.

Province	Targeted	Supported / commercial black farmers as at 30 March 2023.	Variance
Eastern Cape	50	44	6
Free State	50	91	+41
Gauteng	50	17	33
Kwa-Zulu Natal	50	33	17
Limpopo	50	36	14
Mpumalanga	50	33	17
Northern Cape	50	29	21
North West	50	17	33
Western Cape	50	50	0
Total	450	350	100