Dairy industry operations and overall agricultural economic growth have been “significantly stifled” by the “shocking conditions” of rural roads across the country.
This concern was raised by leading dairy industry logistics firm Tip-Top Milk following complaints from Agri SA, the KZN Agricultural Union, Kwanalu, and other provincial agricultural unions regarding the poor state of roads across the country and the severe implications this has on food and job security, as well as overall economic progress.
“During a four-month period, from November 2021 to February 2022, Tip-Top Milk spent R176 000 in fleet repair costs due to poor road conditions in KZN alone. This is in addition to fuel price increases - and it is the South African public who rely on this food supply that are directly affected,” Tip-Top Milk CEO David de Jager said.
“Unfortunately, the current road conditions have forced us to make some difficult decisions on where we can collect milk from and deliver milk to, which comes at a great cost to the entire dairy value-chain, and is affecting farmers and those we supply.”
Tip-Top Milk drivers, who have experienced the deteriorating conditions of rural and agricultural roads first-hand daily, have reported serious road damage in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, North West, Mpumalanga and Free State, while collecting, delivering and supplying milk.
“Our drivers contend with dangerous potholes, uneven road surfaces, washed-away roads, chronic corrugation, and sometimes impassable roads. Their safety is of the utmost priority, and we do everything we can to ensure that they are taken care of in terms of rest, food, safety, health and training, but the repair and maintenance of road infrastructure is beyond our control,” De Jager said.
Tip-Top Milk provides the southern African dairy industry with milk logistic services and marketing of producers’ milk, while ensuring that the processes of collecting, sampling, testing, and delivery of this milk is timeous, safe and cost-effective for all.
The firm said that the cost of fleet repair as a direct result of poor road conditions was a huge cost to all logistics companies – and this had an impact on the price of fresh produce for consumers.
“Urgent action from government, municipalities, stakeholders and leadership in attending to these concerns is needed. If road infrastructure in rural and agricultural areas is not attended to timeously, this will have a devastating impact on the dairy industry and food security, as well as on the economy,” De Jager added.
