https://www.engineeringnews.co.za
Africa|Export|Financial
Africa|Export|Financial
africa|export|financial

Agricultural employment probably stable, not increasing, despite StatsSA report

27th August 2021

By: Rebecca Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) has cautioned that the apparent increase in the number of agricultural jobs during the second quarter of this year (2Q21) in comparison to the first quarter (1Q21) might be illusory. According to the figures released by Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), the number of agricultural jobs in 2Q21 was 862 000, an 8% increase over the 792 000 such jobs in 1Q21. Looking only at farm workers, the quarter-on-quarter increase was 12%.

However, as the BFAP had previously cautioned, when analysing StatsSA’s agricultural employment figures for 1Q21, the numbers showed a significant decline in agricultural employment at the same time that agriculture was experiencing one of its best growth years in recent times. “The likely conclusion was that the change of survey methodology from in-person questionnaires to telephonic interviews had a significant impact on the number of responses and that the statistical accuracy of farm employment may have led to undercounting of farm workers,” observed the bureau.

In contrast, the 2Q21 survey had a “significantly higher” number of responses. And the agricultural employment numbers for the second quarter were pretty much the same as those for the first quarter of 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

A key sector within agriculture, in employment terms, was export fruits, which was labour intensive. This sector was largely concentrated in the Western Cape, making that province the one with the greatest number of agricultural jobs. Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal have, over the past six years, vied for second place regarding jobs, followed by the Eastern Cape and then the Free State. Unsurprisingly, the province with the lowest number of agricultural jobs was heavily urbanised Gauteng.

To return to export fruits, this sector was enjoying a good year. For 2021 so far, export volumes for table grapes were up 13%, for apples it was an increase of 8%, lemons 7%, pears 1%, soft citrus 17%, plums and prunes 65%, peaches 14% and nectarines 22%. These higher numbers, BFAP pointed out, should result in more jobs. Only oranges recorded a decline in export volumes during the year to date, of 12%. However, while the harvesting of all the other abovementioned fruits had been concluded, the orange harvest was only half finished (and 2020 had seen an early start to the orange harvest), so the final result could be very different.

For the near future, there were upside trends for agricultural employment. The financial position and particularly cash flows for the sector had improved with two good seasons in a row. The cultivation of intensive crops such as avocados, citrus and alternative crops had expanded recently but had not yet come into production; when they did, more jobs would be created. And the Agriculture & Agro-processing Master Plan (currently being drafted), if successfully implemented, might also create jobs.

But there were also downside trends. The increase in farm worker minimum wage could, after a time lag (due to the sector’s current good performance) result in job losses. And the draft Constitution Amendment Bill (now out for comment), which allows for the expropriation of land without compensation, could cause a loss of confidence in the sector, resulting in job losses.     

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Showroom

Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Condra Cranes
Condra Cranes

ISO-certified Condra manufactures overhead cranes, portal cranes, cantilever cranes and crane components: hoists, drives, end-carriages, brakes and...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.202 0.273s - 172pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now