News

The beer, wine and spirits industries have called on government to give it more time to respond to Treasury’s recently published draft proposals on the taxation of alcoholic beverages aimed at reducing alcohol abuse.

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Friday evening, announcing urgent measures to tackle a food safety crisis that has led to rising cases of foodborne illnesses and fatalities across South Africa.

Bolstered primarily by vegetable oil prices, global food prices rose sharply in October to reach an 18-month high. This is according to data recently released by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Pannar Seed, in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, hosted a farmers’ day to launch the 2024/25 planting season at Ya Rona Temo Farm in Vereeniging, Gauteng.

The Health Promotion Levy (HPL), commonly referred to as South Africa’s sugar tax, was introduced in 2018 as part of an effort to reduce rising rates of non-communicable diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

As the world gathers in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), climate change financing and mitigation seems more uncertain than ever.

A young male leopard caused panic among residents of Monyakeng, near Wesselsbron in the Free State, when it was spotted in the area on Tuesday.

While the Department of Water and Sanitation is improving water security in South Africa, farmers are worried about how failures at municipal level might impact them, according to Janse Rabie, AgriSA’s head of natural resources.

Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz, highlighted the urgency for the BRICS bloc to deepen economic co-operation, particularly in agriculture during the Farming Forward event hosted by Standard Bank and Business Day at Sun City.

While South Africa faces stiff competition for its avocados in export markets, it is import tariffs and non-tariff barriers that result in the biggest hindrance to our export growth.

Zimbabwe has, since the beginning of November, harvested a record 518 502t of wheat from 106 230ha. A total of 119 594ha were planted to wheat this year compared with 91 000ha in the previous season, when a crop of 465 546t was achieved.

Scientists in the US have expressed concern about the detection of the first case of H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) flu in a pig in that country.

South Africa’s food is among the most affordable in the world, but the economic situation in the country is placing immense financial strain on consumers, making it increasingly challenging for people to access nutritious food. This was according to Roelie van Heerden, supply chain executive at Beefmaster Group.

South Africa’s agricultural regions are not expected to see a significant locust outbreak this season, according to Dr Gerhard Verdoorn, operations and stewardship manager at CropLife South Africa.

Growth in agriculture is in general two to three times more effective at reducing poverty than an equivalent amount of growth generated outside agriculture.

Wine businesses that ignore Gen Z’s drive for environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles do so at their own peril, says Frans van Wyk, director of Agrifusion.

Calle Schlettwein, Namibia's Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, recently called for agriculture to be recognised as a national priority and for resources to be allocated accordingly.

South Africa is faced with an enormous and ever-increasing rat population that could cause serious diseases such as bubonic fever.

The US Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book report published on 30 October has indicated that maize farmers could be experiencing their worst year in almost 20 years.

Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, delivered the medium-term budget policy statement on Thursday, which was met with mixed reactions from the agriculture sector.