Another challenging pome fruit season ahead
The outlook for pome fruit this season is still uncertain, with various factors threatening the financial viability of producers, according to Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape. Pienaar was speaking...
Scepticism abounds over Zimbabwe’s compensation offer to farmers
Zimbabwe’s few remaining commercial farmers who lost their land during that country’s large-scale expropriation of white-owned farms were sceptical about the Zimbabwean government’s recent compensation offer. This was according to...
Produce shortage prompts rationing of purchases by stores in UK
The shortages of fresh produce currently being experienced in the UK and Ireland can largely be ascribed to extreme weather conditions being experienced in Spain and North Africa, where harvests...
Farmers get some reprieve from Budget 2023
The annual budget delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in Parliament on Wednesday, 22 February, delivered some relief for those farmers struggling under the burden of load-shedding and rising input...
‘Stock theft statistics do not paint a true picture of the crime in SA’
The South African stock theft statistics as recently released by the South African Police Service (SAPS) is not a true reflection of the impact of the crime in the country,...
Industry hits back at leather production criticism
It is reckless of animal welfare organisations to make unfounded assumptions about the treatment of livestock in South Africa, according to James Faber, chairperson of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation.
Role players hope to see government support agri sector in Budget Speech
Role players expect Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana to announce support for the agriculture sector as load-shedding and rising input costs see farmers battling to produce affordable food. Godongwana will...
Food prices continue to rise despite a lower CPI
The consumer price inflation (CPI) index may have decreased so far this year, but consumers still face significant food costs.
Renewed calls to exempt chicken from VAT
FairPlay has renewed calls for government to remove South Africa’s 15% value-added tax (VAT) from chicken portions because of “rising agricultural costs, including unreliable and increasingly expensive electricity”.
Transnet dumps blueberry industry in deep water
South Africa’s blueberry season has come to a close, and it is one that many farmers would prefer to forget, with the negative repercussions expected to be felt for years...
Widespread flooding declared a national disaster
On 13 February, government declared a national state of disaster in response to the floods affecting Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Northern Cape and North West.
Botswana optimistic about local apple production
Farmers in Botswana are looking forward to starting the commercial production of apples, after the introduction of semi-arid varieties of apple trees suitable for local conditions.
Organised agriculture wants SONA promises backed by action
Agricultural role players are unmoved by the commitments made by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 9 February.
Increasing the production of pulses will benefit people and planet
Hunger, poverty, soil degradation, and climate change: few crops can boast the ability to solve all of these challenges.
Rolling blackouts derail poultry progress
Poultry farmers are operating at a R2/kg loss due to the effects of rolling blackouts and high feed costs, according to Chris Schutte, CEO of Astral Foods.
Huge expectations from the State of the Nation Address
Solving South Africa’s energy crisis should be at the top of the agenda of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address on Thursday, 9 February, according to various agricultural...
Inclusion of Soetendalsvlei wetland in Agulhas park welcomed
Estuaries and wetlands are the most threatened and least protected ecosystems in South Africa. The inclusion of the Soetendalsvlei wetlands into the Agulhas National Park on World Wetlands Day earlier...
Shrinking populations could hurt SA’s agri exports
Population decline in South Africa’s biggest agricultural export markets is cause for concern, and young farmers should think carefully about which crops to grow in the future.
Macadamia farmers in for a four-year struggle
Trends in macadamia nut farming margins are showing a downward spiral of lower yields, lower prices and higher input costs. But with good management, farmers should be able to weather...
Tractor sales set to moderate after highs in 2022
Sales of agricultural machinery are not expected to reach the record highs of 2022 this year, as inflation rates and high input costs weigh on farmers.
ADVERTISEMENT
MUST READS
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
