Die InteliGro / VKB Kragspan, wat in 2020/21-seisoen vir somerrygewasse van stapel gestuur is, het op 30 Julie tydens ‘n aanlyn-inligtingsessie die nuwe 2021/22-seisoen se aanbiedinge bekendgestel.
“InteliGro en VKB se strategiese samewerking het ten doel om die volhoubaarheid van produsente te verseker,” sê Johan Nienaber van InteliGro. “Ons filosofie is ‘alles begin op die plaas’ en daarom het ons aan na afloop van die vorige seisoen met ons boere gaan gesels om te bepaal wat ons nog beter kan doen om aan hulle spesifieke behoeftes te voldoen.”
Sonder uitsondering het produsente soos Junior Ferreira van die Bethlehem-distrik, en Steve Terblanche en Jaco de Villiers wat beide naby Reitz boer, gesê dat die kombinasie van koste-effektiewe oplossings, uitgestelde betalings, kortings en tegniese kundigheid wat elke dag tot produsente se beskikking is, positiewe toevoegings tot hul boerderye is. Met hierdie insette het InteliGro en VKB koppe bymekaargesit en saam met sleutelvennote ‘n hersiene kommersiële aanbieding ontwerp vir die nuwe seisoen.
Die aanbieding, wat nou ook na Limpopo uitgebrei is en gewasoplossings vir aartappels insluit, bring die kritiese komponente van koste-effektiwiteit en produkbeskikbaarheid na die tafel. Dit word bereik deur produsente toegang te gee tot gewasspesifieke oplossings wat ten doel het om opbrengs te optimaliseer en wins te maksimeer, en wat ondersteun word deur ‘n baie voordelige kommersiële aanbieding.
Sleutelaspekte van die aanbiedinge vir somerrygewasse en aartappels is kortings op Dekalb saad,
Multi Green kunsmis en InteliGro gewasoplossings, sowel as ‘n periode van tot en met ses maande waar geen rente op produsente se VKB-rekeninge gehef word nie. Die kommersiële aanbieding word gerugsteun deur InteliGro Gewas Oplossing Spesialiste se kundige advies, besoeke en toegang tot inligting wat ingewin is van proewe wat op statistiese navorsing gebaseer is, asook opleiding en opleidingsmateriaal vir produsente en spuitoperateurs.
“Hierdie vennootskap is ‘n kragspan in die volle sin van die woord,” sê Francois Swanepoel van VKB, “en ons wedstrydplan vir die 2021/22-seisoen stel produsente se volhoubaarheid as top prioriteit.”
Produsente worstel reeds met die impak van klimaatsverandering, die beskikbaarheid van kwaliteit-arbeid, stygende insetkoste, dalende kommoditeitspryse en die skade wat peste en plae aan gewasse aanrig. Die onluste wat ‘n week lank in Gauteng en KwaZulu-Natal gewoed het, het verder ook waarde- en logistieke kettings ontwrig en voedselsekuriteit in die kollig geplaas.
Die enigste manier om só ‘n wye verskeidenheid uitdagings die hoof te bied, is deur vennootskappe. “Om voedselsekuriteit te verseker moet ons hande vat met betroubare besigheidsvennote in die ketting – groepe wat dieselfde dink as jy, wie se waardes dieselfde is,” sê Swanepoel. “Daarom stap ons die pad saam met InteliGro om volhoubaarheid binne bereik van ons boere te kan stel.”
Christo van der Rheede, uitvoerende hoof van Agri SA, het tydens die aanlyn-inligtingsessie beklemtoon dat produsente deel moet raak van georganiseerde landbou, “want saam is ons soveel sterker”. Hy het genoem dat Agri SA en Agbiz oor die afgelope paar weke ‘n deurslaggewende rol gespeel het om voedseltekorte aan te spreek, maar dat die organisasies op ‘n breër en aaneenlopende basis voortdurend met die regering skakel. “Ons vervul hierdie belangrike rol om die belange van boere te bevorder en te beskerm, en om seker te maak dat boere mededingend kan bly.”
Bostaande beklemtoon die belangrikheid van die strategiese samewerking tussen VKB en InteliGro om te help om landbou-uitdagings die hoof te bied.
“Geen plaas, entiteit, streek, landboubesigheid, vennoot of land is ‘n eiland nie,” sê Swanepoel. Nienaber voeg by dat die VKB en InteliGro Kragspan se groeiende netwerk van uiters kundige besigheidsvennote wat produsente kan vertrou en op staatmaak, ‘n toonbeeld is van hierdie werklikheid. “Slegs deur saam te werk, kan ons ‘n toekoms bou wat gekenmerk kan word aan volhoubaarheid en voedselsekuriteit. Die Kragspan se passie bly om onsself konstant te belyn met ons produsente se behoeftes.”
From left to right: Johan Nienaber (Regional Director InteliGro), Jnr Ferreira (producer), Janet Lawless (InteliGro), Francois Swanepoel (VKB), Izak Dreyer (producer) en Niel Kruger (Marketing Director InteliGro).
The “Kragspan” is now even more powerful
The InteliGro/VKB “Kragspan”, which was launched in the 2020/21 season for summer row crops, introduced its commercial offer for the 2021/22 season during an online event on 30 July.
“The strategic cooperation between InteliGro and VKB envisions the sustainability of producers,” says Johan Nienaber of InteliGro. “Our philosophy is that everything starts on the farm. Therefore, post the previous season, we engaged with our producers where we can improve and to design the commercial offer in accordance to their their specific needs.”
Producers such as Junior Ferreira from the Bethlehem district, and Steve Terblanche and Jaco de Villiers who both farm near Reitz, said that the combination of cost-effective solutions, deferred payments, discounts as well as technical expertise which is available to producers on a daily basis, has had a positive impact on their farming enterprises. Based on these inputs, InteliGro and VKB brainstormed with key partners to design a revised commercial offer for the upcoming season.
The offer, which has been extended to Limpopo and now includes crop solutions for potatoes, addresses the critical factors of cost effectiveness and product availability. Product availability specifically has been highlighted as a major concern to all stakeholders in South Africa. The commercial offer allows producers access to crop-specific solutions that are aimed at optimising yield and maximising profit, which is supported by a highly beneficial commercial offer.
Key aspects of the various commercial offers for both summer row crops and potatoes include discounts on Dekalb seed, Multi Green fertiliser and InteliGro crop solutions, as well as a period of up to six months in which no interest is levied on producers’ accounts with VKB. The commercial offer is backed by expert advice from InteliGro’s Crop Solution Specialists, trial visits and access to information gathered through trials based on statistical research, as well as training and training material for producers and spray operators.
“This strategic cooperation is in its essence a power team in all respects,” says Francois Swanepoel of VKB, “and producers’ sustainability is the top priority of our game plan for the 2021/22 season.”
Producers constantly face the challenges which includes the impact of climate change, the availability of quality labour, increased input costs, lower commodity prices and crop specific pests and diseases. The latest unrest which contributed to devastation in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal exacerbated matters by disrupting value- and logistics chains which empose a threat to food security.
The only way to address such the multitude of challenges is through the power of partnerships. “To ensure food security, we have to join hands with trusted business partners in the value-chain – entities that shares in your vision, value and thinking,” says Swanepoel. “For this reason we are on this journey with InteliGro to put sustainability within reach of our farmers.”
During the online information session, Christo van der Rheede, executive director of Agri SA, highlighted the need for producers to become involved in organised agriculture, “because together we are so much stronger”. He mentioned that, over the past few weeks, Agri SA and Agbiz have played a decisive role to address food shortages, but that these organisations liaise with government continuously on a broader range of issues. “We fulfil this important role to protect and advance the interests of farmers, and to ensure that farmers can remain competitive.”
The above-mentioned highlights the importance of the strategic cooperation between VKB and InteliGro to address agri-sector challenges.
“No farm, entity, region, agri-business, partner or country is an island,” says Swanepoel. Nienaber adds that VKB and InteliGro “Kragspan’s” expanding network of extreme specialist business partners whom producers can trust and rely on, brings this reality to life. “Only through collaboration can we build a future characterised by sustainability and food security. Our passion is to continuously align ourselves with the needs of our producers.”
Contact your VKB branch manager or InteliGro Crop Solution Specialist for more information on these offers.
