Agribusiness

An informal trader is described in Western Cape government legislation as “any person who carries on a business as a street vendor or hawker, including an employee of such a person, and includes any person who trades in a public place”.

Five years ago, Beefmaster Feedlot near Christiana embarked on a strategy to encompass the entire value chain. Today, its operations extend from producing feed to selling its meat at retail outlets.

Thorn Park trading store began farming chickens 19 years ago after fortune walked through the door – literally. Now raising in excess of 10 000 chickens, the enterprise is proving to be the store’s proverbial golden egg. Grant Hollins visited the operation outside East London to find out more.

According to various climate change models, the average temperature in South Africa will increase by 2°C within the next 40 years and by as much as 6°C within the next 80 years.

The market for macadamias is growing. According to Martin van der Merwe of Sabie Valley Macadamias in Hazyview, Mpumalanga, the Chinese market alone has the capacity to absorb 100 000t of macadamias.

In the semi-arid region of the Kahalari, under the desert sun, the Berekisanang farming project is bustling with activity. Jaco Visser reports on this citrus and table grape farm.

The Mozambique government has committed itself to unlocking the enormous agricultural potential of the Beira corridor, but progress has been slow – and costly.

‘Don’t romanticise small-scale farming’ was the message at the recent Potatoes South Africa symposium held to discuss speeding up black economic empowerment through partnerships.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange offers the futures contract and the put option. Either can provide small-scale maize farmers with peace of mind. The JSE’s Raphael Karuaihe explains.

According to some, there is a viable alternative to Minister Gugile Nkwinti’s controversial 50:50 land reform proposal. With this option, the land holds its value and farmers can improve economies of scale. Piet Smit of the Bosveld Group and Dr Theo de Jager of Agri SA talk to Nan Smith.

After several years of weak profits, beef producers are more optimistic. Tracy Davids of the Bureau for Food and Agriculture Policy explains why she is bullish on beef.

Received wisdom says that for a fresh produce market to be successful, it must be located where the buyers are and not where the producers are. But a new market in Limpopo appears to be breaking the rules – successfully.