INTERNATIONAL MARKETING DEVELOPMENTS AND THE EFFECT ON SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE / NEIGINGE IN INTERNASIONALE BEMARKING EN DIE EFFEK DAARVAN OP DIE SUID-AFRIKAANSE LANDBOU

Abstract

The global agricultural marketing environment is changing rapidly. Coupled with the advance in technology, a borderless society is emerging tha t necessitates a rethinking of traditional agricultural policies. This paper analyses this trend by presenting an overview of issues currently affecting agricultural trade, both globally and in South Africa. The latter has undergone a significant deregulation and liberalisation process of its own. Coupled with global trends towards even further deregulation, especially during the 1999 round of multilateral trade negotiations, agricultural industries and economists will be required to focus their attention in this direction. While the former need to devise strategies that will enhance their international competitiveness within a deregulated environment, the latter will have to become involved in the policy debate surrounding this issue. This necessitates, however, on both sides, an improvement of theoretical knowledge of international trade, as well as an understanding of global issues.

Die globale landboubemarkingsisteem is besig om te verander. Saam met die tegnologiese vordering wat tans plaasvind is 'n gemeenskap sonder grense besig om te ontwikkel wat veroorsaak dat 'n herevaluaering van tradisionele landboubeleide nodig geword het. Hierdie referaat analiseer hierdie neiging deur 'n oorsig oor die aangeleenthede wat handel in landbouprodukte tans beïnvloed te gee, beide wêreldwyd en in Suid Afrika. Laasgenoemde het 'n beduidende deregulerings- en liberaliseringsproses van sy eie deurgegaan. Saam met die wêreldwye neiging tot nog verdere deregulering, sal dit van landboubedrywe en -ekonome verwag word om hul aandag in die rigting te fokus. Terwyl die eersgenoemde strategië behoort te ontwikkel wat hul internasionale mededingendheid binne 'n gedereguleerde omgewing sal bevorder, behoort die laasgenoemde betrokke te raak in die beleidsdebat rondom hierdie aangeleentheid. Dit benodig egter aan albei kante 'n verbetering in teoretiese kennis van internasionale handel, asook 'n begrip van globale aangeleenthede.