Article
Inspection services challenged
Published: 02/05/2024
Agbiz Grain has submitted comments on the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development’s (DALRRD) proposed inspection services.
Agbiz Grain commented on DALRRD’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the Grain Inspection Checklist, and Financial Model and Inspection Fees. The SOP confirmed that the party to be charged for a completed inspection is the ‘owner’ of the product, as required by the Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act 119 of 1990) (APS Act): “… the owner of the product in question shall pay the prescribed fees or the amount determined by the assignee …”.
The APS Act allows the owner’s product to be placed on the market for sale, on condition that the product complies. The owner of the inspected product must pay the inspection fee. There are several other important aspects of the SOP that Agbiz Grain has challenged, but it remains to be seen whether our comments have been accepted. Agbiz Grain has co-operated fully without disrupting the consultation process, but if our comments have not been considered, we are prepared to appeal. – Agbiz Grain