News

The response to the 2026 Budget Speech, delivered in Parliament on Wednesday by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, was largely positive. However, the absence of specific support to address the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak has left the sector feeling discouraged.

Gauteng’s battle against foot-and-mouth disease has entered what provincial authorities describe as its ‘most decisive phase’, with a scaled-up vaccination programme launched on 26 February as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise.

South Africa’s dairy industry has warned that inconsistent and non-standardised foot-and-mouth disease controls are placing it under mounting strain, despite scientific consensus that properly processed dairy products are safe for human consumption.

South Africa’s economic growth outlook is steadily improving, with growth projected to reach 1,6% in 2026, up from 1,4% in 2025. Growth is expected to average 1,8% over the medium term, reaching 2% by 2028.

As Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana prepares to table the 2026 National Budget this afternoon, agricultural stakeholders say his speech will reveal whether government is serious about protecting jobs, managing risk, and supporting the sector’s long-term growth.

The South African Canegrowers Association has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa and several Cabinet ministers, requesting urgent action to prevent the liquidation of Tongaat Hulett and stabilise the wider sugar industry.

The Western Cape Nguni Club hosted an information day on 17 February in Darling, where industry experts and breeders discussed breed characteristics, the economic impacts of bull selection, and optimal feed programmes, and a panel took questions from local farmers.

After Friday’s Supreme Court ruling that US President Donald Trump had violated federal law by unilaterally imposing sweeping global tariffs, Trump announced a 10% import tariff on all imports, later threatening 15%. However, the rate published on Monday morning remained at 10%.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Wandile Sihlobo as Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land, where he will support government efforts in land reform, rural development and agricultural trade.

South Africa marked a significant milestone in its fight against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) on 21 February when the first one million doses of high-potency vaccine arrived at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Gauteng.

The growing citrus crop is expected to put pressure on South African farmers this year as existing export markets near saturation. Compounding the effect is a stronger exchange rate, which is set to erode margins.

South Africa’s macadamia industry is at a turning point. After a decade of rapid growth and high prices, the sector is now entering a period of consolidation, tighter margins and increased structural risk, particularly concerning the growing export of unshelled nuts to Asia.

As foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) continues to wreak havoc on South African livestock farms, disrupting auctions, halting exports and placing enormous financial strain on producers, three significant developments this week are offering a measure of hope to an embattled industry.

The Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture hosted its fourth agricultural show on 17 February in Gqeberha, uniting farmers from the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and Sarah Baartman District Municipalities.

The South African canning industry is navigating a tough season as dry, warm climatic conditions, tight markets, and a stronger rand collide with ongoing uncertainty around US tariffs.

South Africa’s escalating foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak is “certainly not under control”, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen told Farmer’s Weekly in an interview on Thursday, but he insists a decisive vaccination strategy, tighter biosecurity, and stronger public-private coordination will turn the tide.

The agriculture sector helped to boost employment in South Africa at the end of 2025, with farm jobs reaching their highest level since Q3 in 2023, according to Statistics South Africa’s (Stats SA) latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released earlier this week.

An international seafood sourcing mission to South Africa has identified both export-ready potential and key compliance gaps among Eastern Cape producers seeking entry into the European Union market.

As local sugar cane farmers face rising sugar imports and global market pressures, the industry prepares for Phase 2 of the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, South African Sugar Association executives reflect on Phase 1 outcomes and outline next-phase priorities.

South Africa’s broiler industry is more competitive than the US’s, according to the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy’s (BFAP) new ‘Competitiveness of the South African Broiler Industry’ report, after investment under the Poultry Sector Master Plan strengthened its efficiency and global standing.