National Agricultural Marketing Council (South Africa)

In 1996 Parliament passed the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act (Act No. 47 of 1996). This new act replaces the Marketing Act of 1968 and brings about deregulation in the South African agricultural industry. In order to implement the provisions of the Act, the NAMC was established in January 1997. The NAMC is a statutory body established in terms of the Act to advise the Minister of Agriculture and the South African Agriculture Industry on matters relating to the marketing of agricultural products The Marketing and Economic Research Centre (MERC) was established to enhance the mandate of the NAMC through the MAP Act. MERC is involved in five main focusing areas namely: Mapping, understanding and quantifying agro-food chains Trade Linking farmers to markets and market development Risk management Information management system This is done through research as commissioned by the NAMC or requested by directly affected groups. Examples of requested studies done ...