News

The US has announced a ban on poultry imports from Botswana after an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was reported on some poultry farms in that country.

A lack of maintenance has frustrated farmers to the point where Potatoes South Africa has called for the privatisation of the Tshwane Market.

Reports of serious environmental damage have already been received following the collapse of a tailings dam at an abandoned diamond mine near Jagersfontein in the Free State on Sunday.

The worst floods in Pakistan in decades are creating food shortages at a time when the country is already experiencing a financial crisis.

Industry leaders have welcomed Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza’s decision to lift the countrywide ban on the movement of cattle introduced to contain the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

South Africa’s agricultural exports saw a 12% or about R51 billion quarter-on-quarter increase during the second quarter of the year, according to the latest trade data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Tuesday (6 September).

While a recent survey found that a large proportion of South Africans struggled to afford three meals per day, food affordability would have been worse if farmers did not produce food as abundantly as they had in recent years.

Role players in the Northern Cape’s agricultural industry have called for everything possible to be done to prevent the spread of sheep scab, also known as brandsiekte, in the province.

Farmers in South Africa’s summer rainfall regions should prepare for a third consecutive high-rainfall season, which could lead to flooding, waterlogged lands, and crop damage.

Two of North America's largest fruit marketers, Driscoll's and Naturipe Farms, are currently carrying out evaluations of large areas in Canada to establish their suitability for the mass production of berries normally grown in warmer regions.

ProVeg International has hailed the recent interdict awarded to the South African Consumer Goods Council, to prevent the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) and its designated assignee, the Food Safety Agency, from seizing any plant-based meat alternative products deemed to be in breach of Regulation 1 283 of the Agricultural Product Standards Act No. 199 of 1990.

The lack of action taken to have agricultural import bans imposed by Botswana, and more recently Namibia, lifted is creating a feeling among South African fresh produce farmers that government has failed them.

Good news for South African consumers is that government recently published a detailed set of standards for the manufacturing of boerewors.

The current heatwave in China has now surpassed the 70-day mark and is the longest and most widespread on record.

The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa and multinational logistics company DP World, which holds the concession to operate the export terminal at the Port of Maputo, recently hosted stakeholders on a tour of the facilities in Mozambique.

South African wool producers have expressed jubilation about the lifting of the ban on wool exports to China.

The Department of Basic Education’s drive to close “uneconomical schools” in rural areas is threatening the future sustainability of the farming sector.

Agri North West has expressed concern about the fact that cattle that had been vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the province were not being branded by government officials as was legally required.

When the land surrounding Olchoro Oirowua village in western Kenya became badly degraded due to overgrazing, extensive deforestation and never-ending cycles of drought, more than 30 Maasai livestock-herding families leased some of their land to a large-scale farmer.

Participants at the virtual launch of the BFAP Baseline Outlook 2022-2023 report on Wednesday, 18 August expressed optimism about the long-term growth of the agriculture sector, despite the challenges outlined in the report.