South Africa

All classes at the Tompi Seleka College of Agriculture in Marble Hall, Limpopo have been suspended indefinitely, due to violent protests that have been taking place on the campus over the past three weeks.

While the agriculture sector saw a year-on-year (y/y) employment gain in the third quarter of 2018, the level of unemployment in rural areas remains of great concern.

Well-known South African frozen foods company Irvin & Johnson is disputing the Competition Commission’s charges that it had engaged in anti-competitive practices with feedlotting and beef processing company Karan Beef.

Wireworm infestations in livestock were reported in seven of South Africa’s nine provinces in September.

Farmers in parts of South Africa’s second largest province, the Eastern Cape, were still suffering under hot, dry conditions and water restrictions, while others had received improved rainfall.

A Western Cape dairy farm is producing 84 000 litres of milk per day with help from the sun after installing a 300-panel solar PV system on the roof of the milking parlour.

New allegations of animal neglect have emerged against a former national winner of a top agricultural award.

The price difference between sustainable and non-sustainable mohair lots is widening, according to Pierre van der Vyver, CMW’s mohair manager.

Rather than take away land currently being farmed by successful commercial farmers in South Africa, the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, wants government to partner with them.

Slow economic growth, a widening fiscal deficit, the need to address the high public service wage bill, and restructuring of state-owned enterprises, were some of the key issues contained in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) 2018 that was tabled by the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, in Parliament today.

South Africa’s farmers and consumers who are already reeling from the record national fuel prices that hit the country in early October, should brace for these prices to increase even further in early November.

The three-year-long drought in the northern parts of Limpopo has had a devastating impact on livestock and game in the province, particularly on rhino.

Despite Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, recently announcing that the listeriosis outbreak in South Africa was official over, Listeria monocytogenes bacteria was still present in ready-to-eat meat samples obtained from rural areas and the informal sector.

A cow that conceives is destined to be four times more profitable than one that does not. This is according to Professor Cliff Lamb of Texas A&M University in the US.

The Western Cape is set to receive R974 million from National Treasury and the National Disaster Management Centre for disaster recovery programmes and projects.

Farmers’ Weekly has put the plight of the drought-stricken farmers in Sutherland on the international map.

Agri SA’s AgroHub website was recently launched during the organisation’s annual congress that took place in Pretoria.

The agriculture sector has reacted positively to the appointment of former SA Reserve Bank Governor and labour minister, Tito Mboweni, as South Africa’s new finance minister.

South Africa’s agricultural machinery sales recovered strongly in September after a dismal performance the preceding month.

The Census of Commercial Agriculture that will run from 15 October 2018 to June 2019, will cover all South African farming operations, according to statistician-general Risenga Maluleke.