Agbiz: Government's state land release is broadly positive

He says in the past it was argued the growth of South Africa’s agricultural fortunes and job creation will, in part, depend on the expansion of agricultural activities in the underutilised former homelands regions and farms that government acquired through the land reform process. That is why the past week’s announcement by the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development,Thoko Didiza, that government would be availing 700 000 hectares of agricultural land, is broadly positive.

This action is a right step towards improving the growth of the agricultural sector, but the financing of the new farms could prove to be a challenge.

He says the provinces with a specified large supply of land equating to 529 014 hectares are North West (300 000 hectares), Limpopo (121 567 hectares), Eastern Cape (43 000 hectares), Mpumalanga (40 206 hectares), Northern Cape (12 224 hectares), Free State (8 333 hectares) and KwaZulu-Natal (3 684 hectares.