Exports 

Definition of an exporter 1.1 An exporter is a person who buy potatoes from a producer, a fresh produce market or any other source and in doing so become the principal or owner of the produce. 1.2 A commission agent is a person who handle produce on a commission basis on behalf of a principal (producer) and in doing so has to registrate in terms of Act 12 of 1992 as a “commission agent”.In other words the principal stays the exporter.

2. Code of conduct
   
   
   • 2.1   All members and new applicants must sign the South African Potato Exporters’ Forum Code of Conduct to confirm that they subscribe to and will comply with the Code.  The signed original to be returned to the Secretariat for record purposes.
   • 2.2   Members in default will be informed in writing that the Code of Conduct is to be signed and returned within 30 days of date of notice, failing which the following action will be taken:

   1   Membership to be suspended until signed Code of Conduct is received.
   2   Member to be expelled from the Forum if failure to respond to further follow up.
   3   Name(s) of expelled members to be published by the Secretariat.

3. Management commitee and annual general meeting
   
   
   • 3.1 The Forum will be governed by a management committee of 8 members consisting of:
     
     Six (6) exporters elected from the registered members; and
     Two (2) members representing Potatoes South Africa.
   • 3.2 The management committee will be elected annually at a full meeting of the Forum.
   • 3.3 The management committee has the right to co-op any other person to the committee which they deemed necessary.
   • 3.4 An interim management committee will govern the Forum until the first full meeting of the Forum during the first quarter of 2003.  The pilot committee requests Potatoes South Africa to put into place such an interim management.
   • 3.5 The management committee elects annually a chairperson and vice-chairperson from the eight (8) members.
   • 3.6 Only one (1) member per registered exporter may be elected as a member of the management committee.
   • 3.7 The quorum applicable to the management committee will be 50% plus 1 of the members.
   • 3.8 It is the responsibility of the management committee to organise the annual general meeting or a special meeting of the Forum (on request).
   • 3.9 The management committee will meet quarterley or on request for a special meeting.
   • 3.10 If a member of the management committee fail to attend management committees or stay away without apologies for more than two (2) consecutive meetings has to vacate the management committee position until the next annual general meeting.
   • 3.11 The above means that the management committee will function with seven (7) members until the next annual general meeting.
   • 3.12 Service providers cannot be elected on the management committee, but will be co-opt when deemed necessary.
     
     
4. Membership
   
   
   • 4.1 Membership is open for the following groups:

     1   Primary exporters; and
     2   Service providers.

   • 4.2 The management committee will evaluate all applications against the criteria and when the application is accepted the applicant will be informed in writing of the decision by the Secretariat.
   • 4.3 The application form for membership must be accompanied by the following documents

     1     A letter of the auditor of the applicant.
     2     A letter of the bank of the applicant.
     3     South African Revenue Service registration number.
     4     References from at least three (3) potato producers.

   • 4.4 The applicant must provide ample proof of a fixed address.
   • 4.5 An applicant is not a member, and may not attend meetings of the Forum, until approved by the Management committee.
   • 4.6 The annual membership fees applicable are as follows:

   1     Primary Exporters at a flat rate of R5000/yr (excluding VAT).
   2     Service providers at a flat rate of R3500/yr (excluding VAT)

   • 4.7 Membership fee cheques must accompany all membership applications.  Unpaid applications will not be processed.
   • 4.8 If an application is not approved by the management committee, the secretariat will return the cheque.
   • 4.9 Members whose fees are unpaid after the due date will be informed per registered letter that payment is to be made within 30 days of date of invoice plus interest accrued, failing which, the following procedures will be implemented:

   1     Membership to be suspended until debt is settled.
   2     Member to be expelled from the Forum, if he fails to respond.
   3     Names of expelled members to be published by Secretariat in its publications.
   4     Legal steps to be instituted to recover all monies due.

   • 4.10 Ex-members applying for re-application/re-instatement will be treated as a new applicant.
   • 4.11 The membership fee includes the costs -

   of setting up and displaying the updated list of accredited exporters continuously on the website of Potatoes South Africa.

   of publishing the updated list of accredited exporters bi-monthly in the magazine CHIPS.

   administrative costs of forum meetings.

   of supplying relevant production and marketing information to the accredited exporters on a monthly basis.

   • 4.12 The membership fees will be revised annually by the management committee.
   • 4.13 It is the responsibility of the registered exporter to continually inform the secretariat of any changes i.e. address, phone number, etc.
     
     

5. Secretariat
   

   • 5.1 The secretarial/administrative functions of the Forum will be handled by Potatoes South Africa at no extra costs.
   • 5.2 Included in this service is the management of an information service by Potatoes South Africa focussed on exports.
   • 5.3 Also included in this service is the management of a communication system.

6. Legal position of forum
   
   

   • The South African Potato Exporters Forum is an official body of Potatoes South Africa, therefore Potatoes South Africa act as the legal person for the Forum.

7. Finance
   
   
   • 7.1 The membership fees will be paid in a separate account at Potatoes South Africa.
   • 7.2 The management committee will receive a monthly update of the financial position of the forum.
   • 7.3 Potatoes South Africa will therefore render the full financial services to the forum.

	Firm	Contact Person	Tel	Fax
1.	Propots P O Box 180   Eppindust 7475	Jandré Duvenhage	021 534 4420 082 551 4470 jandri@propots.com	021 534 4421
2.	Potato Exchange (Pty) Ltd PO Box 1477 Montana Park 0159	Schalk Joubert	012 548 9107 083 454 6938   potato@intekom.co.za	012 548 2900
3.	RSA Saadbeurs Posbus 11233 Silverlakes (Pretoria) 0054	Dawid Kriel Petrus Slabber	dawid@rsaseeds.co.za	(012 809 4000  083 3066153
4.	Wes Kaap Aartappelsaad P O Box 10 Sandberg 8121	Jan Laubsher / Annemi Laubscher	027 4122442   083 703 7838 jhlaub@mweb.co.za	027 4221128
5.	FPD Holdings (Pty)Ltd Posbus 2956 Durbanville 7551	Daan du Plessis Lourens vd Merwe	021 9144441 082 492 5082 daan@fpd.co.za fpd@fpd.co.za	021 9144558
6.	Freshgold P O Box 36563 Chempet  7442	Pieter von Maltitz	021 555 1966 082 658 2161 pieter@freshgoldsa.co.za	021 555 0461
7.	Potato Seed Production PO Box 295 Lydenburg 1120	Karin Jordaan	013 235 3891 082524391 enquiries@potatoseed.co.za	013 235 107
8.	Aartappelnetwerk SA BK Posbus 1075 Middeburg 1050	CP Smit Neels Marais	013 2430544 082 555 4833 082 553 5248 neels@potatonet.co.za	013 235 1107
9.	Western Free  State Seed-Potato Growers (pty) Ltd Private Bag X507, Christiana, 2680	Charl Nel	082 388 0522 053 4412241 cnel@wvmoere.com	053 441 3401