Feedback from Congress
The 79th annual congress of the South African Mohair Growers’ Association, SAMGA, took place on Thursday, 1 June.
The mohair industry structures are being streamlined for efficient functionality hence SAMGA will merge and become a department within Mohair SA. The new board of Mohair SA will comprise of 6 directors elected by mohair producers, 1 Buyer and 1 Broker making up the total of 8 directors.
In his chairman-report, Mark Shires remarked on the good rainfall in many areas, cautioning the producers to take extra care with regards to certain seeding grasses that can pollute their mohair clips. He said that regenerative farming is the latest buzz word and told producers to choose one that fits your farm land conditions. Mark also talked about Onderstepoort which failed us as farmers once again, the failure to supply basic vaccines has had a negative impact on the small stock industry.
Furthermore, on health-matters, Dr Mackie Hobson filled congress in on the animal vaccine manufacturer, Design Biologix which has been approached to develop Heartwater vaccines which should be available later this year. Design Biologix has already designed a Bluetongue vaccine. Samples on suspected Heartwater-deaths are needed to test for the various strains of the disease and the producers were encouraged to report those as soon as possible to get sample testing done.
SAMGA-manager, Sanmarie Vermaak, gave a synopsis of the executive report on highlights over the past year. She saluted every producer and their family for keeping the industry going during the tough times. Over the past year, SAMGA has invested time in nine farmworker training days, six information days, three industry tours and three local trade shows, Nampo Cape, Nampo Bothaville, and the Kirkwood Wildlife Festival. Other exciting events included the opening of two producer branches, namely the Gauteng Mohair Grower Branch and welcoming the Bo-Karoo Mohair Grower Branch in Carnarvon, a visit to the American Mohair Council in Texas, and the Grootfontein Agricultural College Best Stockman of the Angora Mini Farm competition.
Beauty Mokgwamme presented on the Mohair Empowerment Trust which is going from strength-to-strength thanks to all the dedication, passion and hard work being invested in it.
Marco Coetzee, general manager off Mohair South Africa presented on the various 2022 mohair statistics including, 51% of the world’s mohair production comes from South Africa. 73% of South African mohair production comes from the Eastern Cape, 19% from the Western Cape and 6% from the Northen Cape.
39% of all Mohair tops is exported to Italy and 26% is exported to China (2022 figures).
Jackie Gant, MSA Marketing manager, presented the various markets our South African mohair is consumed in, and it is evident that producing sustainable certified mohair (RMS certified mohair) are the norm to accessing all markets. The industry is also doing work in establishing the impact the industry is having on the environment, which is quickly becoming a market expectation. Collaborations are vitally important and one big one is the collaborations with the South African wool industry was evident.
Nicol Janse, Agri SA vice-president, addressed congress as guest speaker on the fact that all producers are facing the same challenges and that they are confronted by the same obstacles, such as the Onderstepoort vaccine-issue, the impact of loadshedding on agriculture, biosecurity, and risks for agricultural activities, import trading issues and taxation of farming enterprises. “We have to ensure that we all have the same focus,” he said. “Finding the voice of the farmer - we must stick together. Agri SA is integrated on a local level and therefore we must sort out differences on national level and address issues together, keeping a space for commodities to focus on their issues.”
Anthony Kirsten, chairman of the Mohair Trust said that the Mohair Trust’s primary objective is to preserve and grow the assets of the trust and in so doing optimizing the effective funding of the industry. It involves making certain decisions which may sometimes look stingy, but with the aim of looking after the industry.
We would like to thank all our mohair stakeholders attending and taking part in the last official SAMGA mohair congress. From 2024, Mohair South Africa will host a Mohair Congress for all our mohair stakeholders.