News

African farmers could claim capital expenditure from international funding bodies as compensation for climate change, says Prof Guy Midgley, director of Stellenbosch University’s School for Climate Studies.

From perfectly formed fruit to the downright unusual, pineapples of every shape and size were on display at this year’s Bathurst Agricultural Show, where growers gathered to celebrate one of the region’s most distinctive crops.

A giant pumpkin weighing in at 1 221kg has set a new South African and Southern Hemisphere record at the annual Giant Pumpkin Festival held in Heidelberg over the weekend.

Consumers in the Philippines are now enjoying ‘the sweet difference’ from South Africa’s first commercial shipment of table grapes that arrived in that market. Apples and pears from South Africa will follow next as exports to the Philippines.

The South African National Roads Agency’s (SANRAL) draft policy on Rest and Service Facilities (RSFs) could erode rural competitiveness and increase transport costs for the agriculture sector if adopted in its current form.

Government has announced a temporary reduction in the general fuel levy in a bid to blunt steep April fuel price increases driven by global energy volatility, while signalling further support measures for households and key sectors.

Silage farmers have been given more control over the quality of their silage through practical tools released by Pioneer.

Differences over how to manage foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are testing the alignment between South Africa’s livestock industry and veterinary leadership.

Legal tensions over South Africa’s proposed foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccination scheme are intensifying, with the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) urging stakeholders to prioritise facts over fiction and work together to safeguard the livestock industry.

Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) has launched Respiclos, a combination vaccine designed to address two of the most costly and persistent disease challenges in South African cattle: bovine respiratory disease and clostridial infections.

For many farmers, the idea of restoring and rehabilitating veld can feel overwhelming because it is often seen as expensive, complex, and difficult to know where to begin. However, this perception is often the biggest barrier to getting started.

AgriSA and Agbiz have raised concerns over emerging fuel supply constraints in South Africa’s rural areas, warning that ongoing rationing could begin to disrupt agricultural operations if not urgently addressed.

Zimbabwe's rabbit farming sector is poised for significant expansion, with projections indicating a tenfold increase in value to US$25 million (about R400 million) in the medium term, up from a base of US$2,5 million (R40 million), as the industry transitions from informal roots to a thriving commercial enterprise.

As the South African pecan nut harvest gets underway in May, the industry is expecting a positive year as supply and demand trends count in their favour.

South Africa’s immediate fertiliser supply is said to be sufficient, but higher diesel prices, as well shipping delays in the Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict in the Middle East, will greatly impact farmers across South Africa, according to key industry players.

Ninety small-scale livestock farmers from North West and Limpopo have completed a targeted development programme aimed at improving herd health, productivity and access to formal markets, in an initiative led by the University of Pretoria (UP) and funded by Sibanye Stillwater.

South Africa’s response to the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak is showing signs of systemic strain, with diagnostic failures, vaccine delays and policy fragmentation undermining containment efforts.

A Farmer’s Weekly-sponsored panel discussion on foot-and-mouth disease will form part of the 2026 Bathurst Agricultural Show on 27 March.

Buyers, bidders, sellers, and guests from across South Africa attended the ninth annual Bona Bona Platinum Auction in March, one of the country’s premier wildlife events, held at the Bona Bona Game Lodge near Wolmaransstad, North West.

The unprecedented outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever in the South African pork industry have placed immense pressure on affected producers, with thousands of pigs culled and entire herds lost.