Farm size limit a negotiating tactic, says minister

Bothaville - A proposal by the South African government to limit farm size to 12 000 hectares is a "negotiating tactic" as it tries to press ahead with the redistribution of land to black farmers, Minister of Agriculture Senzeni Zokwana said.

"Whenever you are negotiating, you always put forward a figure. What informs the end of that figure is the process of negotiation, Zokwana told Reuters when asked about the 12 000ha figure.

Speaking on the sidelines of a conference organised by industry group Grain SA in the heart of the maize belt west of Johannesburg, Zokwana said whatever figure is eventually arrived at, farmers could lease additional land if they needed to for commercial reasons.