Farmers complain of low prices at BMC

The complaints were raised during CEDA's Agribusiness forum here last week.One of the farmers, Nicolas Vos from the Western Sandveldt, suggested that CEDA should lobby on behalf of farmers for the BMC to pay better prices. Vos said it was impossible for farmers to get into weaner production because the BMC pays a mere P10 per kilogram for them.

He said farmers are paid more for their cattle in South Africa. The current set-up means farmers are subsidising the BMC and feedlot owners, Vos said.  Another speaker, Thabani Machacha, said some of the reasons South Africa pays more for cattle is that, farmers are allowed to feed their cattle with hormones because they do not export to the EU. For his part, BMC representative ,Mooketsi Madome said they are working hard to improve the way they have been operating. Over time, the BMC will export to the European Union and pay better prices, though it may never match South Africa.