FGM - Farmsecure

Farmsecure Newsletter Edition 24, 28 January 2011 

INDEX 

Farmsecure Global Markets 

Who’s Who at FGM 

Agriculture in the Media 

Next Farmsecure Staff Update 04 February 

Next Farmsecure Newsletter 11 February 

“We want to bring more cents of every rand back to the 

farmer.” 

Erick de Klerk, 

Executive Director, FGM 

Information published in this editorial is private and intended for internal use. Please note that distribution of this material 

without prior permission from the Media & Communications Manager is strictly prohibited.

Written by Chantal Yazbek 

Introduction 

Anthropological studies often claim that primary 

agriculture was man’s first profession, one of the key 

tools that led to the formation of communities. In current 

times economists, banks and other professional analysts 

alongside environmentalists, debate whether a return to 

a ‘purer’ and ‘simpler’ form of community based primary 

agriculture is able to once again sustain the human race. 

Jerome Yazbek, Farmsecure Group CEO, (in his 

presentations of the Farmsecure induction course), 

often describes that a major crippling factor in the 

development of South African agriculture has been 

(inherited from our isolated past) our inward focused 

approach and our hesitance to engage proactively in 

the export of agricultural products to other markets in 

the world. One could say that in this lies the somewhat 

repetitive answer to the questions that economists 

to environmentalists continually return to address 

throughout our modern era. 

From the expansion of communities out of Babylonia, 

to the development of language and the rise and fall of 

great empires that have and are to come, one factor can 

arguably be said to have stood at the middle of human 

sustainment and development: Man’s ability to trade 

and barter. 

In the past two weeks throughout many meetings of 

minds amongst management from different companies 

within the Group, a holistic view of the agricultural value 

Chief Editor Chantal Yazbek, Elvera Strydom Sub-editor & Writer, Layout & Design Dieter Strumpher, 

Editor Chantal Yazbek, Layout & Design Dieter Strumpher, Published by Farmsecure Holdings (PTY) LTD) 

Published by Farmsecure Holdings (PTY) LTD.

chain has been approached. Part of this holistic view to 

the value chain has been to recognise the ability and 

potential of ‘trade’ to contribute substantially to farming 

sustainably and profitability. 

Since his introduction to Farmsecure in 2004, Erick de 

Klerk, a founding member of the Group has had a vision 

to add value to the agricultural chain by bringing more 

cents of every rand or dollar back to the farmers’ farm, 

through strengthening and managing more effectively 

the marketing of the farmers’ agricultural product. 

Erick describes that in order to achieve this, one can 

only but be involved in the entire agricultural chain from 

‘Soil to Shelf’. Erick further describes that Farmsecure, 

over the past 5 years, has taken such an approach and in 

2011 now finds itself as a Group positioned throughout 

the agricultural business cycle, which has allowed him 

to fulfil his dream through the creation of Farmsecure 

Global Markets. 

With its origins in the heart of Farmsecure, in Bethlehem, 

Farmsecure Global Markets began as a service offered to 

Farmsecure Capital and its farmers, whereby Erick and 

his team managed the marketing of the Farmsecure 

farmers’ crop, ensuring that they receive a profitable 

price for their product at the end of each season. 

From humble beginnings Erick and his team believe that 

they can add much more value to the farmer and the 

industry through the expansion of their initial services 

and with this we are proud to present to you this new 

division of the Group. 

The Purpose of Farmsecure Global Markets: 

Farmsecure Global Markets is a division of the Farmsecure 

Group and focuses primarily on the distribution of 

farmers’ produce as well as the logistical management of 

all grain and other agricultural produce. 




Farmsecure Global Markets (FGM) was established 

to increase the efficiency of logistical processes for 

Farmsecure products from soil to shelf. 

Key Focus Areas: 

• Commodity Supply Chain Solutions 

• Risk Management Solutions 

• Raw Material & Feed Solutions 

• International Supply Chain Solutions 

Vision: 

The vision of Farmsecure Global Markets is to increase 

the profitability and sustainability of the Farmsecure 

farming community. To achieve this, a team of experts 

with vast knowledge and experience in the industry was 

established to ensure that the farmers receive the most 

competitive prices for their produce in retail markets. 

Business successes will be achieved through the: 

• Quality of the product 

• Quality of the service delivery 

• Quality of the administration 

Jaco Nel, MD of FGM believes that, “Farming should 

not and does not have to be a risk business; risk can be 

mitigated by intelligent decision making.” Jaco further 

explains that this requires that FGM form closer and 

deeper relationships with the farmer and requires our 

staff to elevate the practice of their jobs to new levels of 

professionalism. “Standards are very important, and will 

ensure our sustainability.” 

Conclusion 

Jerome Yazbek believes that this new development 

allows the Group not only to become more export 

orientated but provides opportunities for the Group 

to work together and to further fulfil the Farmsecure 

dream of an integrated agricultural circle providing 

sustainability and profitability for all. 

Please contact the Farmsecure Global Markets offices at: 

Castle Walk Corporate Park 

Block A Office 1 

443 Nossob Street 

Erasmuskloof 

0181 

Tel: +27 (0)12 360 0531 

Fax: +27 (0)12 360 0500 

Postnet Suite 300 

Private Bag x10 

Elarduspark 0047 




WHO’S WHO at FGM 

JACO NEL 

As General Manager of Farmsecure Global 

Markets, I see this as an exciting and massive 

opportunity to create new business with a 

team that can make a difference through the 

implementation of new structures in this field. 

Before becoming part of the Farmsecure family I 

was the Group Acquisition Manager at the Namib 

Group, with representation in Namibia, Swaziland, 

Mozambique, Botswana and Mauritius, where 

I was involved in grain stock positioning and 

import. 

PIERRE DE VILLIERS 

Hi my name is Pierre de Villiers and I joined the 

Farmsecure Trading team in June 2009. I have a 

Financial Market background having spent the 

last 14 years trading Interest Rates, Currencies, 

Futures and Options and everything in-between. 

I was born in Stellenbosch but I have spent my 

entire life up in JHB. I love the Cape and try to get 

there as often as possible. 

Currently I am a Manager at FGM and look forward 

to growing together with the FS Trading division 

and plenty of new challenges ahead. 





YOLANDÈ PEACH 

I was appointed as the Financial Manager of the 

Trading department when we were still part 

of Farmsecure Capital. It was just me and Erick 

and later Pierre. I had to do everything that the 

men did not want to do! No wonder everyone 

thought I was Erick’s PA. 

Then we did “THE BUSINESS PLAN”, got it 

approved and the mad rush started. Currently 

I am the Risk and Compliance officer, but my 

time is still mostly spent on admin and finance 

procedures for all the business we are doing and 

planning. As Farmsecure Capital is our biggest 

(and best) client, I am their account manager and 

my role is to keep them happy!!! 

STEPHAN GROBBELAAR 

I am involved in hedging the contracted farmers’ 

grains and constantly analysing and valuing 

their positions versus market prices to look for 

opportunities where they can increase their 

returns. As a broker in the agricultural derivative 

markets I also have several clients who hold 

positions in these markets in a speculative nature. 

At the end of the day I am a broker who trades 

agricultural derivatives and I try to make money 

for my clients. 





CLAIRE PRETORIUS 

Ek gaan die kontrole van die hedging en stock 

doen, asook die goedkeuring en aanpassings 

op die kliënte se fasiliteite. FGM het ‘n program 

laat skryf vir al die stock wat FGM gaan finansier. 

Ek en Daneel gaan verantwoordelik wees vir die 

bestuur van die program, asook die daaglikse 

admin state. Met lewering tyd, sal ek betrokke 

wees by die ‘recons’ en die prosessering van al die 

data. Admin sal ook deel wees van my daaglikse 

takies. 

JOHANNES ELS 

Ek is nou amper ‘n jaar by Farmsecure. Ek en Daneel 

was vir 7 maande in Bethlehem onder Yolandè se 

vlerke om die fyner kunsies van die bedryf te leer. 

Bynaam “Wors” het ek verwerf nadat daar vele 

male gebraai is by Farmsecure Bethlehem, die 

res van die mense ken my as “Broer”. In Oktober 

2010 het ons opgetrek V(b)lou bul land toe om te 

help met die opsit van Farmsecure se nuutste en 

opwindendste besigheid! 

My rol in FGM was vroeër om te help kantoor opsit 

… Verder is ek betrokke met die finansiering van 

fisiese voorraad, trading en logistiek wat nog baie 

gaan uitbrei in Farmsecure. Na ‘n rowwe paar 

maande is FGM slag gereed om beter diens aan 

die Groep en ons boere te lewer! 





JANNES VAN DER HOVEN 

Ek is vanaf Januarie 2010 deel van die Farmsecure 

Groep en het onlangs by die FGM span as 

Finansiële Bestuurder aangesluit. Ek is baie 

opgewonde en vol moed vir wat vir ons voorlê in 

2011. 

Om ‘n bietjie agtergrond oor myself te gee asook 

‘n kort beskrywing waaruit my daaglikse take 

gaan bestaan is eintlik baie eenvoudig. As ‘n 

opgeleide boontjie-teller of ouditeur as mens 

die spesie so wil benoem, is ek saam met my 

span verantwoordelik vir alle finansiële funksies. 

Dit wissel van finansiële state, begrotings, 

kontantvloeistate, maandelikse bestuur-state 

ensovoorts. 

Apart van verslagdoening en rapportering oor 

die finansiële stand van die maatskappy sal ek 

ook darem hier en daar ‘n paar interne kontroles 

en prosedures inbou net om die ouditeur binne 

in my tevrede te hou. 

Vir almal wat saam met my gaan werk wil ek 

graag net vroegtydig die volgende sê: Ek het 

die vermoë om slim konsepte te verstaan en uit 

te dink, maar die proses is maar ongelukkig ‘n 

redelike tydsame storie vir my brein. Wees dus 

maar asseblief geduldig en byt op julle tande 

indien julle dieselfde vrae keer op keer van my 

kant af hoor. Op ‘n meer ernstige noot glo en 

poog ek om te streef na eerlikheid, integriteit 

en selfbeheersing wat ek glo baie belangrik 

beginsels is in die werksomgewing. 





HERMAN SMIT 

Ek is ‘n Graan-Bemarker wat graan wat in 

Mpumalanga geproduseer word moet aankoop, 

en dit dan doeltreffend bemark aan verwerkers 

van graan. 

DANEEL MYBURGH 

Ek is aangestel as ‘n Trader by Farmsecure. Op 

die stadium is ek baie betrokke by die bestuur 

van ons boere se posisies, bemarking van graan 

en die ontwikkeling van nuwe markte, alhoewel 

baie van my tyd by Farmsecure al bestee was aan 

meubels rond dra en BRAAI, hence die bynaam 

“tjop”. Dankie Jakes en Jannie … So tussendeur 

die koppe stamp en op tone trap geniet ek dit 

baie by Farmsecure en sien uit om te kyk wat 

Farmsecure Markets gaan oplewer in die jaar. 

Kom kuier gerus vir ons by die nuwe kantoor, 

ons sal dit waardeer om bietjie geselskap van die 

platteland te hê. Ek is wel self ‘n bloubul, maar 

hulle raak nou te veel vir my in die stad … 





JACOBIE VAN DER WESTHUYZEN 

Hier by FGM noem hulle my die “Accountant”. 

Op hierdie stadium beteken dit dat ek al die 

informasie van die operasionele kant af vat en 

poog om dit te verwerk tot beskrywings en 

syfers. Ek is ook verantwoordelik vir alle betalings 

wat deur FGM gemaak word. Dus, op ‘n daaglikse 

basis moet ek prosesseer, rekonsilieer, bereken 

en betaal. Dis maar ‘n ontwikkelende proses. 

RENSCHA LUTTIG 

My job at FGM involves two focus ares as my official 

titel is Assistant Accountant and Administration. 

On the accounting side I am responsible for the 

following tasks: Cash books accounting, expense 

reconciliations of Farmsecure Global Markets, 

SAP GL expense reconciliation and discretionary 

trading reconciliations. 

With regards to administration I am responsible 

for the following tasks: Administration of office 

leave register, S&T claims, and administration of 

SOP’s of Human Resources. Office housekeeping 

aspects including keeping the offices conducive to 

a healthy and motivational working environment 

and also administration on in-house personnel 

records to FSG. 





IZANNE MEIRING 

My work at FGM involves maintaining debtor’s 

accounts, journals, reconciliations, debtors 

collecting, age analysis reports as well as invoicing 

clients according to usage of facilities and all 

types of tasks and duties that are reasonable and 

lawfully incidental to the above. 

NOMZA ZWANE 

My name is Nomsa Promise Zwane. I am 23 

years old and I am working at Farmsecure Global 

Markets. I love it with all my heart and like making 

tea for my bosses the most. At this company, if I 

was educated, I will be working here for the rest 

of my life. 





BLUE GOLD 

W O R L D W AT E R W A R S 

The Next Global Commodity 

“In every corner of the globe, we are polluting, diverting, pumping, and wasting our limited supply of fresh water 

at an expediential level as population and technology grows. The rampant overdevelopment of agriculture, 

housing and industry increase the demands for fresh water well beyond the finite supply, resulting in the 

desertification of the earth. 

Corporate giants force developing countries to privatize their water supply for profit. Wall Street investors 

target desalination and mass bulk water export schemes. Corrupt governments use water for economic and 

political gain. Military control of water emerges and a new geo-political map and power structure forms, setting 

the stage for world water wars. 

We follow numerous worldwide examples of people fighting for their basic right to water, from court cases to 

violent revolutions to U.N. conventions to revised constitutions to local protests at grade schools. As Maude 

Barlow proclaims, “This is our revolution, this is our war”. A line is crossed as water becomes a commodity. 

Will we survive? ...” 

http://www.bluegold-worldwaterwars.com/ 

The Media & Communication Department has one Blue Gold DVD and you are welcome to contact us if your 

department would like to arrange a viewing. 

Volg daaglikse Landbouweekblad nuus, op ons webtuiste. 

The views and opinions published from personal materials and interviews in this editorial do not 

necessarily represent the official views of the Farmsecure Group.


South Africa 

aims to finalise 

maize export deal 

to Saudi Arabia 

and India 

Due to an overload of 4 million tons of maize delivered in 2010, the maize market saw a 21% reduction in the 

price of maize. 

An article in Business Day (25th of January 2011), reports that mr. Langa Zita, Director General of the 

Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, expects around 100 000 ton of South Africa’s surplus maize to 

be exported to Saudi Arabia and India. Mr. Langa Zita predicts the deal to be finalised by the end of February. 

For more information on the deal and the possible impact it will have on the SA market and its farmers, 

please see the links below. 

http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE70N0CH20110124 

http://www.landbou.com/nuus/nuus-artikel/mielies-oorskot-dalk-na-saoedi-arabi 

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=132325 



Volg daaglikse Landbouweekblad nuus, op ons webtuiste. 

The views and opinions published from personal materials and interviews in this editorial do not 

necessarily represent the official views of the Farmsecure Group.

FGM - Farmsecure

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