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				Thursday 11 July 2002



	This site will be updated on: 18 July 2002 at 17:00


	Business - Sakenuus

Are Paarl farms viable?

Keurwyne meet kragte op skou

World wine trade meets

Tourists to experience life in community


	Are Paarl farms viable?


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wmoed11 WHILE the Paarl farms contribute to the character of Paarl, farmers face tremendous economic constraints, which impact on the viability of these farms.

This was identified during an investigation commissioned by the provincial administration and Drakenstein

CHARACTER. Goedemoed is one of the many Paarl farms which are being studied with a view to formulating a policy for future planning.

Municipality.

Several issues were highlighted in the draft Status Quoo Report which will form

the background to a policy for the future of the Paarl "town" farms.

Although the outlook for the table grape industry seems favourable, Paarl grapes come onto the market in midseason when volumes are higher and prices lower.

Barring New Zealand, South African farmers receive less state support than those in any other developed country, according to the Producer Support Estimate.

"It is hardly affordable to employ any loaned capital for farming operations, and this can restrict the renewal process of vines and lead to further deterioration over time.

"The smaller the unit, the weaker the financial situation. The minimum viable size of a Paarl table grape farm is 20ha and a wine grape farm is 30ha."

Farmers in the municipal area also experience problems with pest control and the added expense of property tax and costly municipal water for irrigation.

Permanent access to water sources remain a problem, as most sources are available at the discretion of Council. With an obligation firstly to the community, irrigation water may not be available in dry spells.

Municipal water is far more expensive than any other source, and table grapes require about three times more irrigation than wine grapes.

"Water shortages and costs could be reduced by replacing table grapes with wine grapes and tapping into wine tourism."

Although Paarl farmers have paid significantly reduced property taxes for the past 40 years, these could increase significantly when based on market value.

Market-based valuations are in the pipeline for 2003, when property tax is to be extended to all farm land.

Although a number of the farms are zoned for single residential purposes, this zoning does not grant any real rights, as the right of subdivision still remains at the discretion of Council.

More recently, the Extension of Security of Tenure Act of 1997 placed additional responsibilities on the farmers regarding the housing of farm workers. About 140 families are housed on town farms.

In terms of the new Heritage Resources act, the "town" farms can be regarded as heritage resources protected by this act.

They make a considerable contribution to the streetscape of the town with their homesteads, walls, vineyards and open spaces.

"It is essential that any development permitted on the farms have strict environmental guidelines to ensure that the sensitive and irreplaceable natural and cultural elements of the landscape are not degraded or eroded over time.

"Should development be acceptable, the farms with the lowest conservation values should be considered first. Farms should also be considered in groups and not individually," according to the report.

"Lessons from other areas with similar issues have proven the need for a clear policy that determines a realistic market value for farms, the identification of unique characteristics of the area with a view to conserve them, and to contain urban sprawl with forward planning to ease pressure for development of agricultural land."

With the need for upmarket erven in Paarl, and farmers hoping to sell their land on the more lucrative property market instead of the lower agriculture market, the parties concerned are impatiently awaiting the final outcome of the study.

The next step is to analyse the findings in terms of opportunities and constraints, to formulate a vision for the future character of Paarl with specific reference to the farms, and to indentify the principles.

The Status Quo report is available for viewing at the municipal planning department in Paarl (room 301) and on the website www.mcaplan.co.za.

For enquiries, contact Bisschof Bosman on 807-4834 or Lize Malan of MCA Planners on 685-1150 or mcaplan@gem.co.za.


	Keurwyne meet kragte op skou


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WYNMAKERS het tot Donderdag 22 Augustus kans om hul uitsoekwyne vir vanjaar se Veritas Toekennings in te skryf.

Die toonaangewende toekennings - wat vanjaar vir die 12de keer deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Wynskouvereniging (SANW) aangebied word - is Suid-Afrika se grootste kompetisie vir markklaar wyn, en die wynbedryf se hoogste eerbewys vir gehaltewyn. Terselfdertyd dien die toekennings as 'n gehalteriglyn vir verbruikers.

Die 2001 Veritas Toekennings het vir die sesde agtereenvolgende jaar 'n rekordtal van 1 491 inskrywings gelok.

Panele vooraanstaande plaaslike en internasionale beoordelaars het verlede jaar altesaam 67 dubbelgoud, 62 goud, 359 silwer en 517 brons medaljes toegeken.

Slegs gesertifiseerde en ongesertifiseerde wyne wat in glas gebottel is, mag inskryf. Alleenlik een inskrywing per oesjaar van elke wyn word toegelaat.

Beoordeling vind van 9 tot 13 September op Nederburg plaas.

Die gesogte dubbelgoud en goud toekennings sal op Woensdag 9 Oktober tydens 'n galadinee op Nederburg toegeken word.

Kontak Elsabé Ferreira by SANW, tel 807-3104, faks 863-2079 of ferreira@kwv.co.za vir nadere besonderhede.


	World wine trade meets


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THE World Wine Trade Group (WWTG), formerly called the New World Wine Producers' Forum, met in Cape Town recently to address trends and policy developments in global wine trade.

Sixty senior government and wine industry delegates from South Africa as well as Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand and the United States of America attended the meeting.

Representatives from Brazil and Uruguay attended as observers.

The WWTG warmly welcomed the announcement by the Government of the Argentine Republic that it had decided to formally sign the Mutual Acceptance Agreement (MAA) on enological practices.

South Africa is in the process of finalising its decision on formal signature of the MAA.

It has already been signed by Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand and the USA.

The decision was taken to change the name of the group to World Wine Trade Group to reflect the focus of the group on facilitating trade in wine.

Under the MAA the group has already agreed to mutually accept the winemaking practices of the other parties to the agreement.

In pursuing its objective of removing unnecessary trade restrictions, the WWTG discussed elements of a labelling agreement that would benefit consumers and facilitate trade in wine.

It was agreed that the technical working group would continue this work and present a draft labelling agreement at the next meeting.

The WWTG expressed concern over the new European Union (EU) wine labelling regulation that may negatively impact on wine exports to the EU.

WWTG members raised concerns over the consistency of the new regulation with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

The next meeting of the WWTG will be held in the Argentine Republic later this year.


	Tourists to experience life in community


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THE Homestay project that aims to bring tourists closer to the traditional ways of the people of the Boland, was launched in Paarl recently.

This is part of development in tourism that focuses on creating more jobs in rural areas and eradicating poverty.

Entrepreneurs from previously disadvantaged communities are trained to offer tourists community exposure through homestays, authentic multi-cultural and traditional experiences that include arts, crafts, music, theatre and local cuisine.

Designed to enhance the segmented market need of SA Tourism, the new tourism products were developed and facilitated by Dreamcatcher, a strategic tourism development and promotion practice.

At this stage the project focuses on 40 entrepreneurs within the greater Paarl, Stellenbosch, Klapmuts and Worcester regions.

They are trained as crafters, story-tellers, dramatists, musicians and comedians.

Twenty-nine will be "Home-Stay" operators, who will offer true Boland hospitality at affordable rates to visitors who yearn to make contact with the locals.

In the past ten weeks the entrepreneurs have undergone world-class industry-related induction training.

In his keynote speech, the provincial Minister of Agriculture and Tourism, Johan Gelderblom, said he saw the event as a fulfilment of part of his calling to merge rural and township tourism with mainstream tourism.

"One of the factors inhibiting the growth of the tourism industry is that tourism in the Western Cape has been perceived as a business for exclusive people.

"There is a need to help communities gain an understanding of the potential of tourism within their own communities and within the socio-economic structures of society," said Gelderblom.

"Ultimately, community participation is a prerequisite of successful tourism development. It becomes a two way process - when our communities become involved in tourism, tourists become involved in our communities," he said.

Framework

The project falls within the recently approved Tourism Development Framework of Western Cape Government.

Recent report-back by SA Tourism on the needs and trends of potential SA tourists indicated a swing towards intra-cultural exposure and meaningful association with the locals.

The Boland District Municipality funds the project at a total cost of R175 000. It forms part of their long-term goal to establish cultural tourism products in the Boland.

Says Clarence Johnson, Mayor of Boland District Municipality: "These projects fit into the overall vision of my Council, namely an Integrated Development Plan for the Boland. We have taken the first solid steps to introduce tourism to historically disadvantaged people.

"The first phase in this exciting programme started in April recently in Kayamandi and rolled out to Mbekweni, Paarl East, Klapmuts, Zweletemba and Hex Park.

"For the first time, international visitors will have the opportunity to meet the locals in our region.

"It is my understanding that these new entrepreneurs are bound by a common vision, namely to transform their communities to preferred cultural tourism destinations.

"This will kick-start the inflow of money with evident multiplication of benefits into the communities and simultaneously enhance and expand our tourism product offering."

Basil Cupido, Chairperson of the Western Cape Tourism Board says: "One of my main objectives is to assist entrepreneurs from rural areas to become part of mainstream tourism and then to piggy-back and draw the many visitors to Cape Town to their areas.

"This project creates a tourist market for a host of services and product suppliers, especially for transport, accommodation, cuisine and the evening entertainment sector."

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