News

The UK government has urged unemployed citizens to apply for seasonal farm work, however, many applicants have expressed frustration about being overlooked for these agriculture jobs while others have bemoaned the working and living conditions these job entailed.

Ongoing drought conditions in the main production regions resulted in a more than 20% decline in South Africa’s 2019/2020 mango harvest.

The low supply of maize currently being experienced in South Africa, has resulted in a short-term squeeze and volatility in the market.

Pineapple farmers were happy to benefit from the surprise spike in demand for this tropical fruit as South Africans, left high and dry by the ban on alcoholic drink sales imposed during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, started experimenting with different home-brewed fermented drinks, such as pineapple and ginger beer.

Severe drought conditions still dominated large parts of the Northern Cape, and was prevalent in “smaller patches” of the Eastern Cape, according to agricultural meteorologist, Johan van Den Berg.

Global cotton consumption is expected to decline 11,8% this year compared with the previous season, which will reduce global trade to 8,26 million tons in 2019/2020, according to the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

Despite significant gains in the battle against desert locust infestations in 10 countries, mostly in East Africa, food security remains at risk, especially as a second wave of locusts now threaten what could otherwise be a promising crop harvest for the region.

Although prospects for South Africa’s 2020 guava crop have been, for the most part, favourable so far this season, there is concern that there will not be enough workers available for harvesting due to the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Despite generous donations of animal feed to the drought-stricken farmers in the Northern Cape, sheep numbers in the province continue to decline dramatically.

The Australian National Farmers’ Federation has expressed concern about disruptions to agricultural trade between Australia and China, following the suspension of beef supplies from four Australian abattoirs by the Chinese government.

Due to disruptions across the entire wool supply chain, as a result of the restrictions to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, there was not enough wool available to hold a scheduled auction on 13 May this week.

In this episode of the Weekly Wrap podcast, Farmer’s Weekly editor, Denene Erasmus, and journalist, Sabrina Dean, discuss the top stories featured in the 22 & 29 May issue of the magazine. They discuss how the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will affect South Africa’s imports of wheat, a commodity for which the country is a net importer, for the rest of the year.

Early estimates for the 2020 malting barley season suggest that the hectares planted to this crop will continue to increase as it has since 2016.

Despite having taken an initial knock in demand on international and local markets as a result of global trade and movement restriction to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, South Africa’s avocado growers are now seeing a steady, positive turnaround.

South Africa’s private wildlife ranching value chain, worth well over R15 billion annually before the national lockdown to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic brought it almost to a standstill, is now on the brink of collapse.

The livestock auction industry in South Africa has suffered major setbacks during the past six months.

New Zealand has implemented a new climate change curriculum in schools that advises learners to avoid consuming dairy and meat.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a severe impact on the South African horticulture sector, due to confusion about which industries were allowed to resume normal trade. 

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in yet another upheaval in South Africa’s agricultural value chain.

Western Cape grain producers are facing another challenging planting season, according to Toit Wessels, assistant manager of marketing and Nampo at Grain SA.