News

According to South Africa’s largest apple and pear supplier, Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing, the minimum wage increase for farm workers – from R69/day to R105/day – will see some farmers exiting the sector.

Farmers’ union, TAU SA, has welcomed the Treasury’s undertaking to discuss the possibility of implementing a tax rebate for taxpayers’ private security expenses with trade union Solidarity.

The Mpumalanga department of agriculture has allegedly sold 310 cattle worth an estimated R1,3 million in order to repay money owed to Dr Job Mthombeni, Mpumalanga president of the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (Afasa).

The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) spent R1 billion on consultants over three years from 2009 to 2011.

Smallholder farmers could afford to pay the new minimum wage if they were competitive and successful.

An increase of 81c/l in the price of petrol from next Wednesday was announced by the Department of Energy.

A recent study by meat scientists from Stellenbosch University revealed that there is significant fraudulent labelling of meat products on the South African market.

The African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (Afasa) has urged President Jacob Zuma to fast-track amendments to the Green Paper on Land Reform that will do away with the ‘willing-buyer, willing-seller’ principle used in land reform transactions.

Results from a recent study show that the labelling of game meat in South Africa is very poor, with different species being substituted almost 80% of the time.

The African Farmers Association of South Africa (AFASA) wishes to applaud the Finance Minister Mr. Pravin Gordhan for the allocation of a total budget of R6.2 billion to support growth and development of smallholder farmers.

The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) describes the recent report by the Stellenbosch University of false labeling of processed meat products “a timely wake-up call that we cannot afford to be complacent on when it comes to compliance with food labelling standards”.

The Agriculture Business Chamber (Agbiz) welcomed the “rather bold” 2013/2014 National Budget presented by Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan yesterday.

A substantial loss in state income due to last year’s economic turbulence was the overriding theme for this year’s budget speech.

After nearly two months, a strike at KZN pork processor Frey’s Meats processing plant in Cato Ridge is over. But not before it inflicted serious harm on pig farmers.

In the wake of the EU horse meat scandal, a new study by Dr Donna-Maree Cawthorn and Prof Louw Hoffman of Stellenbosch University’s Department of Animal Sciences, in conjunction with Harris Steinman of the Food & Allergy Consulting & Testing Services in Milnerton, in the Western Cape, has revealed there’s a number of ‘fraudulent’ meat products on the SA market.

Although the current outbreak of African horse sickness (AHS) is not over yet and additional cases could be confirmed in the months ahead, there are encouraging signs that the situation in the worst hit areas in the Eastern Cape is stabilising.

After pulling over and inspecting a suspicious-looking vehicle recently, two SAPS officers patrolling the KwaMagwaza area of KwaZulu-Natal were surprised to discover that it contained nine people, four antelope carcasses, an axe, two shotguns, ten live shotgun rounds and a pistol with a magazine with two live rounds.

Stock theft cost South Africa’s farmers hundreds of millions of rand last year and many Eastern Cape stock farmers believe they are losing the battle against stock thieves.

Fairtrade in South Africa has experienced dramatic growth over the past few years and the annual Fairtrade Week currently taking place is set to further increase Fairtrade awareness among local consumers and boost sales.

Local wine sales have not kept up with the growth in wine exports from SA and, with the industry optimistic about further export growth and the penetration of new markets in 2013, it’s likely that local sales will continue to lag behind.