Comments open for draft AgriBEE Sector Code

Members of the public and other interested parties have until 19 January 2016 to comment on the draft AgriBEE Sector Code.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), together with the AgriBEE Charter Council, on Monday announced the approval of the Draft Amended AgriBEE Sector Code, in terms of section 9 (5) of the BBBEE Amendment Act 46 of 2013.

The AgriBEE Sector Code was published on 20 November 2015 in the Government Gazette as Gazette Number 3 9429 (Notice 1 160 of 2015).

The Draft Amended AgriBEE Sector Code has been aligned with the Amended BBBEE Codes of Good Practice.

“Comments are invited from stakeholders and the general public on the Draft Amended AgriBEE Sector Code during the 60 days public comments period, which ends on Tuesday, 19 January 2016.  All comments must be submitted in writing. The contact details are provided in the Government Gazette Notice,” DAFF said on Monday.

The AgriBEE Charter Council and DAFF, together with the Provincial Departments of Agriculture, plan to engage relevant stakeholders during the 60 days public comments period.

Further details will be communicated to sector stakeholders through the provincial Departments of Agriculture.

The Amended AgriBEE Sector Code will be finalised in terms of Section 9 (1) of the BBBEE Amendment Act 46 of 2013 after incorporation of Public Comments.

It will become effective and applicable to all enterprises and business entities operating in the agricultural sector for purposes of measuring their BBBEE compliance annually.

The scope of application of the Draft AgriBEE Sector Code includes the primary production of agricultural products; the provision of inputs and services to enterprises engaged in the production of agricultural products; the beneficiation of agricultural products - whether of a primary or semi-beneficiated form; and the storage, distribution, trading and allied activities related to non-beneficiated agricultural products.

Find the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment pages on the Department of Trade and Industry's web pages here.

Source: SANews 2015-11-24