Black farmer bodies divided on Afgri sale plan
THE National African Farmers’ Union of South Africa (Nafu SA) has decided to support the proposed takeover of listed agricultural services group Afgri — in opposition to a fellow black farmers organisation.AgriGroupe, a consortium of mainly North American investors but including a local black economic empowerment group, has bid R2.5bn for Afgri.The proposed sale has drawn strong opposition from the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (Afasa), mainly on the grounds that as a former co-operative Afgri was built with South African taxpayers’ money and remained vital to the country’s agriculture sector, especially to emerging black farmers.Afasa has taken its grievances to the Competition Commission, complaining that Afgri’s sale was anticompetitive because it would further isolate blacks from the food value chain.But Nafu SA has now registered its "unequivocal support" for the Afgri sale. It has also undertaken to intervene at the Competition Commission if necessary. Its suppo...
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