In the early nighties, the South African agricultural sphere, particularly the grain industry, needed a boost after the Anglo-Boer War. The then Transvaal Parliament adopted the first Cooperative Act in 1908 to make provision for the establishment, registration and control of cooperative agricultural organisations with an unlimited accountability. The scarcity of capital in agriculture was the main reason for this approach.
Lees Meer
The value development strategy, which was actively implemented from 2004, was initially accompanied by uncertainty and instability due to external pressure from investors that prevailed for the sake of optimising the industry, some staff members of the group were laid off, and eventually the staff count was reduced to 1091.
In the first two decades of the twentieth century, before the years of the development of silo-building programmes but already with the onset of co-operations, the first harvest deliveries were done in bags and transported to stations by ox wagons. Initially, Senwes erected depots at stations to receive, grade and store grain on behalf of the farmer until it could be railed to buyers.
The eighties remain infamous in agricultural memories as the worst years of suffering for the industry. Senwes Chairman at the time, Tobie Loubser described 1983/1984 as “the most oppressive agricultural circumstances in living memory.” Because of severe drought conditions, Senwes’ turnover dropped by R944,3million, a drop that hit the products and trade departments (especially the grain department) the hardest.