Agri SA says it is distressed by the decrease in employment in the agricultural sector reported by Statistics South Africa on Tuesday.
The Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the fourth quarter of 2022, showed a decrease of 12 000 jobs in the sector.
Agri SA's Chief Executive, Christo van der Rheede says although the loss of jobs is marginal for now, it points to the increasingly challenging environment in which farmers operate.
He says the sector has shown itself to be remarkably resilient and was counted among the best-performing sectors even at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Van der Rheede says the tide is turning for one of the country’s most labour-intensive sectors, which is facing rising input costs, endemic load shedding, and crumbling infrastructure.
"Clarity is needed on the regulations published for the State of Disaster on the energy crisis by the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. While food production and storage have been included as essential infrastructure, detail is needed as to what this entails and what relief it will provide for farmers", he said.
