Farm attacks on the rise in the Free State

According to statistics released by Free State Agriculture’s Safety Desk, 79 farm attacks took place in the province in 2015, compared to 36 in 2013 and 52 in 2014.

Agri SA takes over management of Drought Disaster Fund

Agri SA will be taking over management of the Drought Disaster Fund which was originally initiated by Senwes in association with Agri SA.

Almost half of the world’s farmers have no bank account

According to a World Bank global financial development report, nearly half of the world’s farmers do not have a bank account or do not use of mobile money platforms.

Resistance to Colistin discovered in SA poultry

A national antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance programme has reportedly identified and confirmed the first ever known case in South Africa of resistance to Colistin.

South Africa could still lose its AGOA benefits

SA runs the risk of losing its duty-free benefits for goods exported to the US as part of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Maize plantings down by half

The planting window for maize in the summer production areas has expired, with only about 50% of the four million hectares earmarked for maize production planted.

AGOA breakthrough

The Department of Trade And Industry’s (DTI) Twitter account buzzed last night (7 January) with news that an agreement has been reached between South Africa and the US on AGOA.

Giant olives are a mouthful

Olives the size of small plums were recently introduced to industry role players in Cape Town by the Consortium for the Protection of La Bella della Daunia PDO (Protected Designation...

Investec sponsors trip to Israel for agri-entrepreneurs

Specialist bank Investec has invited up-and-coming agricultural entrepreneurs to submit applications to qualify for a one-week trip to Israel from 14 to 21 March 2016.

Don’t lower food safety standards – SAPA

The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) said it welcomed the participation of the US poultry industry in the local market through the import of chicken.

Zambia wants farmers to diversify

The government of Zambia has encouraged farmers to diversify their farming operations in an attempt to cope with the effects and risks of climate change.

Practical livestock production diploma offered part-time

An initiative by the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) has resulted in a practical-orientated part-time course towards a National Diploma in Livestock Production (NDLP) becoming available to prospective farmers.

South Africa’s first litchi exports to the US ‘a success story’

South Africa recently exported its first consignment of litchis to the US.

AGOA under threat – again

Minister of trade and industry Rob Davies today told journalists at a press meeting that agricultural goods such as citrus, macadamia, canned fruit, wine and avocadoes may be subject to...

Extreme heat expected to last until autumn

Most weather forecasting models indicate the continuation of a strong El Niño episode, causing lower-than-normal chances of rain towards the late-summer season in 2016, according to Cobus Olivier of the...

The importance of the agri water footprint

The agriculture industry’s water footprint is expected to play an increasingly important role in the future. A responsible footprint will add markedly to water conservation in a dry country such...

Highlights of the land reform policy shifts debate

The ANC started 2015 with a call for the expropriation bill to be finalised and implemented to help speed up the land reform process.

Driven hunt outcry

A driven hunt in Limpopo caused uproar after M-Net’s Carte Blanche ran an insert about the planned hunt, “with scant regard to providing adequate facts” on the legality of the...

Citrus exports to the EU still under threat from CBS

Incidences of Citrus Black Spot (CBS) that curbed exports in 2015 showed the true grit of the Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA) and local citrus growers, who made hard decisions in...

Colour-variant game prices sour amidst controversy

News from the game industry in 2015 was dominated by the record prices paid for so-called colour-variant species and high-value game species.

South Africa