South Africa

South African farmers receive far less government support than their counterparts in competing countries, leaving them at a disadvantage in international markets where agricultural policies increasingly distort production and trade.

Farmers can get everything right on the land and still lose out at the port. At the opening of the 31st Commonwealth Agriculture Conference in Cape Town, that vulnerability helped frame a wider discussion about how agriculture could adapt to change while caring for the people who produce the world’s food.

South Africa needs to outsmart emerging biosecurity threats rather than react after they have spread, says Stellenbosch University’s Prof David Schimmelpfennig. He argues that better use of targeted data could help authorities detect risks sooner and avoid far higher production losses and control costs.

The US has announced its intention to terminate South Africa’s eligibility under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from 1 January 2027, putting agricultural exporters at risk of losing preferential access to the US market.

The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) is supporting the Department of Agriculture’s decision against imposing a countrywide restriction on poultry imports from Brazil following a Newcastle disease (NCD) outbreak in the state of Santa Catarina.

Tongaat Hulett’s already protracted business rescue process has been dealt another blow as the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner has undertaken to personally oversee an investigation into alleged organised crime involving the company’s sale.

KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union (Kwanalu) President Nick Reitz has called for clearer mandates and better communication from organised agriculture, following AgriSA’s commitment to a more results-driven approach.

South Africa’s poultry industry risks losing its competitive advantage against international producers as deteriorating municipal infrastructure drives up production costs, threatens jobs and undermines the industry’s growth prospects.

South Africa’s cherry industry had a challenging start to the 2026/27 season, with unusually early harvests, variable fruit quality, and delayed access to the Chinese market threatening export volumes. Despite strong international demand, exports could decline by as much as 30% compared with the previous season.

Pieter Nortjé, a farmer from Sitrusrand near Kirkwood in the Eastern Cape, was named the 2026 Grain SA/Syngenta Grain Producer of the Year at an awards ceremony in Boksburg, Gauteng, on 23 October.

Protected production provides greater control over growing conditions, but success still depends on healthy plants, sound management, and access to viable markets.

Vegetable farmer Sophy Litshani Musabeni has won the Agricultural Development Agency’s (AGDA) 2026 Agricultural Business Pitch Competition, receiving R100 000 in cash and website development support valued at R35 000 as she prepares to expand production and pursue European export markets.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s announcement of a R10 billion fuel levy intervention and additional funding for agricultural extension services offers some relief to farmers, but agricultural organisations warn that poor infrastructure, weak municipal management, and the effects of El Niño remain major risks to profitability and growth.

Tongaat Hulett’s delisting from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange marks progress in its business rescue plan, as practitioners work to finalise the sale of the company’s businesses and assets amid ongoing pressure on South Africa’s sugar industry.

South Africa’s groundnut industry ended the 2026 season on a high note, with improved yields, favourable prices, and renewed investment in cultivar development setting the stage for further growth. However, concerns over a developing El Niño are dampening prospects for the coming season.

South African farmers already know what it takes to operate amid insecurity and failing infrastructure. Prof Abel Esterhuyse of Stellenbosch University’s Department of Strategic Studies warned that producers elsewhere could face similar pressures as five major forces reshape global agriculture.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been confirmed in kudu at Addo Elephant National Park, where red hartebeest and eland are also showing clinical signs of the disease. The park is under quarantine as veterinary authorities assess the risk of further transmission.

Honey Katoo from Patensie in the Eastern Cape took top honours at the 2026 Agri’s Got Talent competition at a gala evening near Klapmuts, Western Cape, on 16 October. She is the second consecutive winner from the citrus-growing town, following fellow Endulini Fruit employee Jenedine Jantjies’s win in 2025.

Gauteng needs to move beyond assessing climate risks and responding to disasters to taking practical steps to strengthen its resilience to extreme weather.

The 2026 Royal Show’s carcass competition produced a record sale of R110 580, with Vredesig Dormers & Suffolk, Hatari Farming, and 2 Broers Dormers among the leading exhibitors.