News

Winemakers in south-eastern France are taking stock of the damage to their vineyards following a week-long wildfire in late August, which caused widespread damage across the region.

South Africa is on track to produce a record volume of canola, according to the first production forecast for winter grains released by the Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) this week.

A recent notice issued by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) instructs food inspectors and those of designated assignees to follow up on food labelling that is misleading or incorrect in terms of the Agricultural Product Standards Act of 1990 (APS Act).

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns continue to have a negative impact on the private wildlife industry in South Africa.

Farmers in the Western Cape have expressed great joy about the snowfall on various mountains across the province during the weekend of 28 and 29 August.

Over the last two years, a number of new records have been set for the highest prices ever paid for registered bulls from different breeds sold at production auctions.

Anti-dumping duties on bone-in chicken imports were renewed against the UK, Germany and the Netherlands for an additional five years on 23 August 2021.

At least 3,5t of dead fish have already been collected following the torching of an agricultural chemical warehouse during the recent civil unrest in KwaZulu-Natal.

In the second quarter of 2021 (Q2) South Africa’s official unemployment rate increased to its highest level since Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) started publishing its Quarterly Labour Force Survey in 2008.

The fact that 15 people were killed in 181 attacks on farms and smallholdings between April and the end of June this year is extremely concerning.

Human-elephant conflict in Namibia has had a significant impact on the production potential of farms, and has become a serious threat to the country’s animal health status.

Ethical Trade Norway has teamed up with the local organised wool community to help South African woolgrowers farm more sustainably and environmentally friendly.

The gender bias in the leadership of the primary agriculture sector in New Zealand means it is missing out on a wealth of talent that is vital to reach its future goals.

The humble potato once again took centre stage with the recent crowning of the winner in the second International Potato Photographer of the Year competition.

A new strain of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which was first detected in Zambia in 2019, has now been identified in Namibia.

South Africa’s annual consumer price inflation (CPI) softened further in July to 4,6%, down from 4,9% in June and 5,2% in May.

Geographic indicators, such as the registering of rooibos with a unique regional status, should be seen as “insurance”, according to Prof Johann Kirsten, director of the Bureau of Economic Research at Stellenbosch University.

In an attempt to prevent outbreaks of diseases such as African swine fever, authorities in China are contracting companies to build high-rise ‘pig hotels’.

Fruit and vegetable farmers who paid Product Control for Agriculture (Procon) for inspection services since 2017 should demand a refund. This was according to BJ van Zyl, director of ZZ2 and chairperson of the Tomato Producers’ Organisation (TPO).

In the first half of 2021, South Africa’s agricultural exports amounted to about R90,49 billion, which is a 30% year-on-year increase, according to Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz.