Agri SA takes issue with Green Paper on Land Reform.

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Organised agriculture says its concerned about several issues contained in the Green Paper on Land Reform.

This follows a recent consultative meeting between stakeholders and the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Gugile Nkwinti.

Agri SA says advisor on legal and land affairs, Annelize Crosby, says there are three main issues of concern.

"The first one is the re-opening of the restitution process government is looking at re-opening the 1990 cut off date for lodgement and bringing in some exceptions to the 1913 cut off date which is contained in the constitution" Crosby said.

She says Agri SA is also concerned about the use of land ceilings from the outset.

She says the limitation of the size of farms is contrary to free market-principles and is likely to have a negative impact on food security and investment in the sector.

Crosby also says the proposal to convert the titles of foreign landowners into long term leases could have a lot of unintended consequences.

"And then lastly the issue of title deeds for new black farmers, we do believe that it is important that our new farmers get titles to the land, not necessarily immediately but there should be some time frame within which if they use the land productively they can actually aquire the land"