South Africa

Renewable energy consortium, Lekela Power, has announced that commercial operations at its R7 billion wind farms, Loeriesfontein and Khobab Wind Farms, in the Northern Cape have commenced.

Free State farmer, Dan Kriek, was elected Agri SA’s new president during its congress in October. He spoke to Sabrina Dean about the association’s new strategy, and its vision to achieve ‘unity about agriculture’, a scenario in which all authorities agree on agriculture’s critical role.

It is anticipated that there will be further downward adjustments in the forecast for table grape production this season, due to delayed ripening and lower bunch weights reported in the Orange River region, according to the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI).

Sixty-four students received the Diploma in Agriculture: Mixed Agriculture from Potchefstroom College of Agriculture at a ceremony held earlier this month.

Farmers are frequently criticised for trying to remove illegal occupants from their land. This is often unfair, according to Peter de Wet, owner of Excelsior Wine Estate near Ashton in Langeberg. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his own experience of this issue, and his views on worker housing.

Government should put aside its concerns that speeding up land reform might deter potential and existing investors. Prioritising land reform, albeit in an “orderly manner”, was necessary to address imbalances in the country’s land ownership.

The agricultural sector will have to wait and see what the newly elected ANC President, Cyril Ramaphosa, will prioritise in terms of the sector, as he is obliged to implement ANC policy, especially land policy.

Grain producers in the western parts of SA’s summer grain production region were in urgent need of rain to start planting for the 2017/2018 production season, according to a Grain SA (GSA) statement.

With the summer holiday season in full swing, travellers to the country are urged to declare all agricultural products to avoid exotic pests and diseases being introduced to South Africa that could threaten the agriculture sector and the environment.

The prospect of a promising summer rainfall season has resulted in a 24,9% year-on-year increase in tractor sales for November.

Zama Buthelezi may only have started farming late in life, but she’s one of the top three in this year’s SAB KickStart Boost programme, and says there’s no doubt that farming is a calling.

A new K9 unit, established by Project Rhino to tackle wildlife crime in KwaZulu-Natal, needs approximately R1,2 million in funds to continue operating over the course of 2018.

Senwes announced a profit after tax of R144,9 million in its interim financial statements for the period May to October 2017. This was an increase of 60,7% compared with the previous year.

Speaking at the recent Agbiz media day held in Pretoria, Agbiz CEO John Purchase, said the local agricultural sector was operating in a challenging and complex global economy.

South African consumers should brace themselves for a steep hike in the price of eggs, according to Paul Makube, senior agricultural economist at FNB Business.

The World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA) has introduced a free mobile app that helps users to explore Conservation Champion wine farms.

Thirty-six people have died out of more than 500 confirmed cases of listeriosis, a food-borne bacterial disease, in South Africa this year.

The expansion in South Africa’s agricultural sector during the third quarter of 2017, the second consecutive quarter of growth, contributed significantly to the 2% growth which the country’s economy showed during the period under review.

It is the daily responsibility of every South African farmer and resident to conserve the country’s precious soil resources.

The 2017/18 snakebite season was not yet in full swing yet a number of serious snakebites had already occurred.