Parliament, Tuesday, 12 May 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture today reviewed and adopted the Department of Agriculture's 2026/27 budget (R7.8 billion) and performance plans, including those of its public entities.
The process included briefings from the department and its entities, such as the Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort Biological Products, the National Agricultural Marketing Council, the Perishable Products Export Control Board and the South African Veterinary Council.
The committee noted the department’s key priorities of inclusive growth, poverty reduction and a capable state, with improved governance, increased production, food security, transformation, market access and biosecurity.
The committee noted that the budget allocation of R7.8 billion for 2026/27 has been reduced (from R7.96 billion in 2025/26). Almost 57% (R4.46 billion) is allocated for transfers/subsidies (mainly to provinces and the Land Bank). Meanwhile, major programmes such as Food Security and Support received 42% of the budget, Agricultural Production and Biosecurity received 33%, Administration 13% and 12% of the budget goes to Economic Development and Marketing.
The department is required to fill 147 key vacancies. An amount of R2.6 billion has been set aside for Animal Production and Health to address foot and mouth disease (FMD), while biosecurity funding remains low, despite sector risks. The committee raised their concerns over the lack of measurable targets for grant utilisation and food security outcomes.
The committee was concerned that R924 million is allocated to Cooperative Development, without clear targets for cooperative/agroprocessing support.
The committee also raised red flags on the entities reporting to the department. The Agricultural Research Council receives R1.2 billion in grant funding, with the focus on research, biosecurity and commercialisation. However, funding for a new FMD vaccine facility remains a challenge.
Onderstepoort Biological Products is largely self-funded but faces production delays due to aging equipment and management instability. The National Agricultural Marketing council receives a R49.7 million grant. However, it is experiencing a high vacancy rate due to funding constraints.
The Perishable Products Export Control Board is also self-funded and manages the export cold chain and is expanding digitisation. Meanwhile, the South African Veterinary Council, which is also self-funded, faces a severe shortage of veterinarians and calls for legislative review and more training capacity.
The portfolio committee Chairperson, Ms Dina Pule, noted the lack of measurable targets for conditional grants and sector transformation, and the insufficient funding for biosecurity and food initiatives. She also noted the delays in infrastructure and management appointments at Onderstepoort Biological Products and the Agricultural Research Council continues to be a challenge, as do the high vacancy rates and funding issues at the National Agricultural Marketing Council and the South African Veterinary Council.
The committee requests that the department provide it with quarterly updates on structure, vacancies and progress towards strategic targets in the 2026/27 year. It also recommended that the department develop measurable targets for grant utilisation, cooperatives and agroprocessing, while strengthening oversight and reporting for all entities, especially on funding and project implementation. The committee also calls on the department to facilitate interdepartmental engagement on veterinary training and legislative reviews.
The committee supports the department’s strategic direction but highlighted the need for improved accountability, measurable targets and urgent action on funding, biosecurity and sector
transformation. The report of the committee will be debated on Friday this week.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, MS DINA PULE.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Sureshinee Govender (Ms)
Cell: 081 704 1109
E-mail: sugovender@parliament.gov.za
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