the major retail chains in Europe is strengthening and in some countries these retailers account for as much as 80% of total sales. 

"They will try to use the weak rand to drive prices down even further, particularly as they are already operating in a market that favours buyers over suppliers," Birch said.

"Producers have to add value to their brands and invest in brand building if they are to have any leverage in negotiations with large retail chains.

"A depreciating rand means our input costs will soar and producers need to understand the implication for production costs. Only once they have determined a desired return on investment should they establish a selling price bearing in mind that the wines should be of an appropriate quality for their operation to be sustainable in the long term.

"In other words: it doesn't pay to make cheap wine.  It makes better business sense to make excellent wines that command good prices backed by solid branding."

The EU/SA Wines & Spirits agreement has been backdated to January 1 and deputy director of the Department of Agriculture, Ralph Otto, has confirmed that certificates of origin (EUR1) will be issued for consignments already sent out this year.

He added that the department was doing its utmost to publish a Government Gazette setting out the procedures for permit applications by the end of this week.  However, producers could also refer to the provisional details already published last November.

A PUBLIC meeting to discuss a proposed transport master plan for the Drakenstein Municpality will be held simultaneously at two venues on Thursday 21 February at 19:00.

Africon Engineering International has been appointed to develop the plan, focusing on the Paarl and Wellington municipal areas.

The meetings will take place at the Huguenot Community Hall in Paarl and Val du Charron Girls' School in Wellington.

Problem areas to be studied include Berg River Boulevard (north and south extensions), Lady Grey Street (upgrading/closure/connection to Klein Drakenstein Road), Van Der Stel Street extension, parking within the Paarl CBD, traffic calming (especially Main Street) and provision of taxi bays. In Wellington the General Hertzog Road connection and upgrading/closure of Church Street will be studied.

Interested and affected parties may register at the meetings or contact Deon du Plessis on 807-3703 (Drakenstein Municipality) or Paul Fourie on 421-6527 (Africon).

THE Drakenstein Municipality is to hold a second round of meetings next week to develop an integrated development plan for the community. Area committees will be elected.

The IDP process and its associated budget must be completed in time for the new financial year starting on 1 July.

The IDP will be structured according to development areas which are economically interdependent, not necessarily according to ward boundaries. The areas are Paarl, Wellington, Hermon, Gouda, Saron and the remainder as one rural development area.

From 4 to 7 February the next round of public meetings will be held in the respective development areas to determine development priorities for each area and elect committees to represent them.

These committees of at least six members each will serve on the IDP Representative Forum representing the community in determining final development targets, strategies and determining projects.

The meeting for the rural areas will be held at 19:00 on Monday in the Huguenot Community Hall in Paarl. The other meetings are on Tuesday in the Gouda Club Hall and at Huguenot Primary in Wellington, on Wednesday in the Beerwinkel Hall in Saron and on Thursday 7 February in the Paarl Town Hall and at Rondeheuwel Primary in Hermon.

Since the first two rounds of public participation were conducted in November and December a development profile was drafted which, together with previous and recently obtained community inputs, were used to determine the overall developmental focus for the Drakenstein area.

Senior officials of the municipality have also completed a first round of a comprehensive technical analysis to identify and plan for those tasks the municipality is responsible for in terms of legislative duties.

The IDP will be finalised during March for submission to the Town Council.

The IDP Committees of the development areas and their subsequent representation on the IDP Representative Forum will be the recognised formal structures to achieve the objective of participatory government.

Provision has also been made for the institution of neighbourhood forums that will also be eligible for representation on the area committees to voice their specific concerns on neighbourhood level.

There are some criteria for such neighbourhood forums to be recognised and interested persons are requested to contact the IDP office for details. 

Everyone is encouraged to get to know their representatives and use them to pass on and obtain information about each area.

These public forums will not be disbanded once the IDP is approved, but will continue to participate with the ongoing annual implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review of the IDP.

With time it is the Municipality's hope that these participation mechanisms will serve as vehicles of democracy to build a truly integrated, empowered and thriving Drakenstein community. 

For more information contact Stiaan Carstens (IDP Manager at Drakenstein Municipality) on 807-6218.

SUIWELPRODUSENTE het net tot Maandag 18 Maart tyd om die keur van hul produkte vir die 2002 Suid-Afrikaanse Suiwelkampioenskap in te skryf.

Agri-Expo bied die SA Suiwelkampioenskap vanjaar as 'n voorloper vir die SA Kaasfees aan, sodat produsente met hul uitblinker-suiwelprodukte by die derde SA Kaasfees kan spog.

Suiwelprodusente - van plaaskaasmakers tot nasionale suiwelvervaardigers - het die geleentheid om hul produkte in ses kategorieë (botter, kaas, maaskaas, aangesuurde en gegeurde melk, roomys en jogurt) vir die 2002 SA Suiwelkampioenskap in te skryf.

Die ingeskrewe produkte ding op 10 en 11 April tydens beoordeling by die LNR Suiwellaboratorium te Elsenburg om titels, trofeë en toekennings mee. 

Elke suiwelproduk word blind deur 'n spesialispaneel van vyf beoordelaars op voorkoms, kleur, bou, tekstuur en smaak volgens die internasionaal-aanvaarde 20-punt stelsel beoordeel. 

Slegs dié suiwelprodukte wat 'n punt van 17,5 of meer behaal, sal met 'n Qualité Toekenning vereer word. Dit verteenwoordig die land se hoogste eer vir voortreflikheid in die vervaardiging van suiwelprodukte. Terselfdertyd dien die toekenning ook as 'n gehaltegids vir die verbruiker.

Kase wat by hierdie geleentheid skitter, kan van 26 tot 28 April by die SA Kaasfees (wat ook deur Agri-Expo aangebied word) geproe word.

Kontak Memory Kalis by Agri-Expo, tel 975-4440/1/2/3, faks 975-4446 of e-poscheese@agriexpo.co.za vir nadere besonderhede in verband met die 2002 SA Suiwelkampioenskap en Qualité Toekennings.

AN equestrian and wine estate development, Deltacrest Country Estate, has been launched on the farm Delta near L'Ormarins.

The farm was previously well known for the Deltameer banqueting hall which burnt down last year.

The 20 ha development offers a choice of 20 exclusive Cape Dutch homes with an equestrian centre and stabling for 30 horses.

The development offers security and 24-hour access control and is located near Bridge House school.

The plots are 600 square metres in size, with an additional 600 square metres for private use, positioned adjacent to generously sized common areas. Homes plus plots are available from R2 million.

Buyers may choose from five architectural designs on a Cape Dutch theme designed by Stellenbosch firm of Taylor, Van Rensburg, Van der Spuy and Partners. The first house is currently under construction.

The estate also features a club house, swimming pool and thatch gazebo for relaxation and entertaining.

The equestrian centre and the vineyards will be managed as separate companies by the developers for the next nine years, for the exclusive enjoyment of the residents.

Participation in the equestrian centre and/or wine making is optional, and there is no financial outlay or additional levies to residents for this unique opportunity.

After the nine-year period residents may elect to operate the equestrian centre and/or the vineyards as levy-busting business entities.

The developers of Deltacrest, Swiss industrialist Hans-Dieter Fuchs, and his South African partner Johan du Plessis purchased the property in 1995, sharing the dream to develop a unique, exclusive equestrian estate in this historic area.

Deltacrest is marketed by Engel & Völkers, one of the foremost European real estate companies, in association with Jager real estate in Franschhoek.

The project's principal in South Africa is Paul de Wet of Zandvliet, the famous stud farm and wine estate near Robertson.

Contact the sales office at Deltacrest (874-3535), or call Paul de Wet on 082-335-3979 or Peter Hager on 083-261-0747. See the website at www.delta crest.co.za.

THE organisers of the Nederburg Auction have announced a new category for pre-release wines for the 2002 Nederburg Auction that takes place in Paarl on 12 and 13 April.

The criteria for pre-release wine is that it should be a first release wine, of outstanding quality and rare.

Unlike the criteria for other entries there is no age restriction, providing that they pass the panel screening. However, there is a minimum quantity requirement of ten cases or 120 bottles of 750ml.

Another proviso for the pre-release wines is that once sold at the auction, any remaining stock may not be sold for lower than the minimum price achieved at the auction.

The pre-release wines were all accepted at the stringent auction tasting selection held last year.

As in the past, the tasting panel for this year's auction consisted of a wide range of wine experts which included winemakers from former participating wineries, Cape Wine Masters, viticulturists, wine judges and wine consultants.

With the Nederburg Auction now firmly established as a two-day event, the accent on the Friday is strictly business, with an even earlier start than usual scheduled for the auction programme.

On the Saturday the focus falls on extremely rare wines and special smaller parcels of wine which will be sold to licensed buyers.

Other highlights of the day include the charity auction, the Nederburg Fashion Collection and a gourmet luncheon.

Last year the Nederburg Auction notched up total sales of nearly R6,5 million.

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