Revolutionary device for diagnosing FMD, bird flu launched in SA
At the Science Forum 2024, held at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) unveiled an...
Drought cuts into NWK’s profit
The drought over the past year had a markedly negative impact on the cash flow of agricultural producers, as reflected in the recently declared interim financial results of NWK.
Diesel worth millions of rands stolen in SA every year
TLU SA has expressed serious concern over the widespread and growing illegal diesel trade in South Africa, with estimates suggesting it could amount to millions, if not billions, of rands...
Agribusiness Confidence reflects optimism in agriculture for Q4
There is still optimism in the agriculture sector despite the subdued performance over the past couple of months. This was the overall message conveyed during the Agbiz information day held...
New cold storage facility strengthens logistics in the Eastern Cape
Commercial Cold Holdings (CCH) officially launched its Greenbushes facility in Gqeberha on 5 December, marking a pivotal moment for the Eastern Cape’s agricultural and logistics sectors.
Importance of regenerative agriculture highlighted on World Soil Day
Soil provides nearly all of the world’s animals and humans with food and gives life to all of the world’s plants, which supply much of the oxygen that animals and...
Difficulty of fighting fires in mountainous regions
The recent fires in Mitchell’s Pass in the Western Cape have brought attention to the unique challenges faced by firefighters in mountainous regions.
Positive outlook for pears: New varieties and growing demand
Favourable climatic conditions and new blushed pear varieties bode well for Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing. While it was still too early to estimate the size of the 2024/2025 pear harvest, early...
Greater efforts needed to protect cheetahs
On World Cheetah Day, observed annually on 4 December, attention was drawn to the cheetah’s vulnerability. With fewer than 7000 remaining, cheetahs now occupy less than 10% of their historic...
SA litchi price hike likely over the festive season
Between 40% and 50% of South Africa’s 2024 litchi harvest had been destroyed by adverse weather conditions, which would invariably push up the local litchi price significantly.
Japanese aid enabling Zim farmers to grow sesame
The United Nations World Food Programme welcomed a donation of R90 million from the government of Japan to support 37 000 smallholder farmers wrestling with the effects of climate challenges...
Citrus industry faces hurdles as export volumes fall
South Africa’s citrus industry experienced an unexpected dip in export volumes this year, presenting growers with significant challenges related to climate, market demands, and logistics. The Citrus Growers Association (CGA)...
Violent crime drops but farmers urged to strengthen security
Crime statistics for July to September reveal that crime is generally down in comparison with 2022 and 2023, yet up from 2020 and 2021 levels. This was according to crime...
Efforts to contain foot-and-mouth disease in KZN intensify
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) continues to pose a significant challenge in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), affecting communal dip tanks, small farms, and game reserves.
South African farmers ahead with climate resilience – COP29
Finance talks at the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) offered up an increase in the funding for developing countries to adapt to climate change and put mitigation measures in place.
Relief for farmers as interest rates drop again
The recent interest rate cut will give farmers some financial breathing space, according to major banks in the agricultural sector.
Green Monday launched in two Western Cape schools
Humane Society International/Africa (HSI/Africa) recently announced its Green Monday programme at two rural schools in the Genadendal Valley in the Western Cape.
US farmers concerned about mass deportation threats
The mass deportations threatened by US president-elect Donald Trump could deal a serious blow to that country’s agriculture sector, which is already struggling with severe labour shortages.
Eastern Cape’s Dwayne Kaschula wins Young Farmer of the Year Award
The 2024 Toyota SA/Agri SA Awards celebrated farming excellence on Thursday, with Dwayne Kaschula from Maclear, Eastern Cape, winning the Young Farmer of the Year Award.
Farmers need assistance to adapt to the changing climate
The importance of climate adaptation to improve water and food security was highlighted during a panel discussion at the African Agri Investment Indaba recently held in Cape Town.
