TAU SA President, Louis Meintjes, affirms that this notable achievement is a feather in the cap of the agricultural sector and clearly indicates the resolve of agriculturalists, which remains, in spite of climatological and political challenges, one of only two sectors indicating growth while the rest languish in recession.

"This pertinent information follows on the heels of President Jacob Zuma’s acknowledgement that land claimants are not interested in gaining access to land, rather, the vast majority; prefer to settle land claims on a financial basis.

"Perhaps the time has come for government to steer the country on a path of growth, to shake off the stigma and untenable situation of junk status and to restore law and order instead of persistently piloting attacks against farmers and their land whilst it is clear that the so called ‘land hunger’ does not exist, and is merely a ‘money hunger’ in disguise; all this whilst the commercial farmer is practically the only group still achieving economic success, over and above the fact that they still put food on South Africa’s table every single day.

"It is therefore high time that the government refrain from throwing political threats at the door of agriculturalists and leave farmers alone to do what they do best," said Mr Meintjes.