Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, 1996 (Act No. 47 of 1996)

The purpose and aim of this statutory measure is to provide a statutory mechanism for the keeping of records and the furnishing of returns to Cape Wools SA. This is deemed necessary to ensure that continuous, timeous and accurate statistics and information relating to the characteristics and the marketing and sale of wool is made available to all role-players. The statutory measure will further the objects of the Act as set out in section 2(2) thereof, and will not be detrimental to any of the matters specified in section 2(3) of the Act.

A centralised source of reliable, objective and user-friendly statistics and information on the aggregate profile of the industry at any given point in time, to aid decision-making during the growing, marketing, processing and promotion of South African wool is an essential tool to continuously position the South African wool industry nationally and internationally.

Reliable national statistics and objective aggregate information regarding production (on magisterial district basis), sales, price trends and projections, export volumes, prices and destinations and co-ordinated national and international economic data are fundamental to the need to increase market access for all participants, but especially developing farmers who need impartial and objective information. Access to a national database of this nature supports the development of efficient marketing mechanisms for wool and assists in the optimisation of export earnings for all sectors.

The viability of the agricultural sector, particularly in developing areas, can only be accelerated if reliable, inclusive and comprehensive industry data is available to assess the progress of this sector over time against the benchmark of reliable historical data.

This statutory measure will be implemented and administered by Cape Wools SA, with due consideration of the South African wool industry’s international associations and links and the need to establish a structure that will ensure the ongoing involvement by all affected parties.

Information gathered will be dealt with in the context of section 23(2) of the Act read with the applicable provisions of the Constitution and the Promotion of Access to Information Act.

Cape Wools SA will provide macro generic industry statistics and information on and for the wool industry. This information will be made available on an aggregate basis, in an appropriate format.