Gauteng farmers are reportedly losing millions of rands due to insufficient and malfunctioning cold storage units at the Jo'burg Market. The banana ethylene ripening rooms are also not operating to full capacity, forcing traders to invest heavily in their own ripening rooms. This alarming revelation was made by the Democratic Alliance (DA) during a recent oversight inspection.
Traders disclosed that the market experienced power outages for two weeks in November last year, an issue that has become almost a daily occurrence, leading to significant losses for farmers. Although the market compensates for losses of food stored in the cold storage units, it does not cover losses of vegetables or fruit due to malfunctioning ventilation and air conditioning units.
The DA has urged the City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to intervene urgently. They have called for the Joburg Market to be adequately resourced and for regular maintenance of the cold storage units. They also emphasised the need for technological advancements to facilitate swift and easy marketing and processing of fresh produce.
The DA plans to submit written queries to the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mbali Hlophe, and the MEC for Economic Development, Tasneem Motara, about measures to ensure the market functions properly and the timeline for cold storage repairs.
Source: politicsweb.co.za