Food control agency on the cards

Briefing the media on the outcomes of the cabinet Lekgotla held in Pretoria during the week, he said the framework would now "go out for consultation".

"This arises out of the concern about the high and rising food prices and their impact on the poorest in the country," he said.

It was necessary to have some institutionalised way to respond to it on a continuous basis, rather than an ad hoc basis.

The agency would study the phenomenon on an ongoing basis so that it could recommend to government what could be done to produce the desired results.

Mbeki said, some time ago, when government was faced with a similar problem of high and rising food prices, a pricing committee was set up to look into possible interventions.

This had resulted, for example, in a major food company simplifying its packaging for mealy meal, which resulted in a significant reduction in price for consumers.

"But, given the current impact of high food prices - and it's global - it's clear that you are faced with a systemic challenge with regard to this; some structural challenge which is affecting the whole world."

"And therefore you need an agency, which is kind of more permanent, less ad hoc, with greater capacity to look at the entirety of the food system, not only as it affects us, but within the global context, so that we respond to this, bearing in mind (it is); what seems to be a long-term feature of both the domestic and global economy.

"Particularly, given the impact of high food prices on poor people."

Other government plans in this regard included the need to review the question of increasing agricultural production in the country, addressing the challenge of SA having become a net food importer over the years, and implementation of the agricultural strategy agreed to with organised agriculture, Mbeki said.

- Sapa