Poultry industry in distress
Thousands of jobs in the poultry industry could be lost if the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) does not level the playing field between local producers and chicken importers.
Tina finally listens to farmers
Following agriculture minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson’s budget vote address in parliament recently, it seemed she was finally paying heed to concerns farmers have been raising for years. Denene Erasmus reports.
Cockfight in the chicken business
The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) is accusing the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) of using an outdated business model, and said that was why local producers were losing money.
More than 1 billion tons of food wasted annually
Close to 25% of all the calories linked with growing and producing food are lost or wasted between the farm and the fork.
Groundnut processors “not happy” with low crop estimates
South Africa’s groundnut processors are unhappy with the implications of the latest low estimate for this crop’s yield from the 2012/2013 summer production season.
Afgri launches a five-year developing farmer programme
A project aimed at developing emerging farmers over the next five years was recently unveiled during a farmers’ day in Vastfontein near Pretoria.
World Environment day – ten steps to reduce your “foodprint”
Every year World Environment Day (WED) takes place on June 5 and is celebrated by many countries in different ways, either through street rallies, parades, clean-up campaigns or tree planting.
Western Cape wheat farmers welcome winter rain
Heavy rain that fell over most of the Western Cape this past weekend came just in time, said wheat farmers who have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of winter rain.
Water supplier investigated
A company contracted to supply water services to the Lepelle Northern Water Board (LNW) in Limpopo has been accused of reselling water at a mark-up of almost 100%.
Floundering rand could sink SA
The plummeting value of the rand is good news for farmers in the export industry, but will impoverish the rest of the country.
African livelihoods at risk, says AU summit report
Hunger and malnutrition rates remain high in Africa, with extreme weather conditions destroying livelihoods and exacerbating Africa’s food insecurity.
Slight decrease in fuel prices
The wholesale price of diesel will decrease by nearly 4c/l on Wednesday next week, the department of energy announced today. The retail price of petrol will be 8c/l cheaper.
KZN police pounce on rhino poachers
Following an unprecedented onslaught by poachers against KwaZulu-Natal’s besieged rhino population during May, KZN police have been able to make a number of arrests in an effort to dam this scourge.
Party politics trump agriculture at DAFF budget vote
A number of challenges facing the agriculture sector were highlighted during the recent Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ budget vote debate in parliament.
Land reform a complete failure – Vink
“Land reform has been a failure in every single respect and this failure will haunt South Africa for the next 20 years,” said Prof Nick Vink of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University, at the recent Red Meat Abattoir Association conference in Stellenbosch.
First private agri-college in South Africa
A private agricultural college, the first of its kind in South Africa, has been announced for Bothaville in the Free State.
SA minister lauds Zimbabwe land reform
Minister of Public Works Thembelani Nxesi praised Zimbabwe’s land reform process at a recent function attended by farm workers and labour unions in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
Monsanto wins patent court case against US farmer
Multinational seed company Monsanto has won a landmark court case against a US farmer, after he failed to pay royalties for the patented genetically modified (GM) seed he planted.
Theft rampant in timber industry
Theft of equipment and timber in the industry is rampant – and escalating. The theft of chainsaws in Mpumalanga alone amounted to more than R10 million in the past two years.
A dry start to Western Cape wheat season
Many parts of the Swartland region have yet to receive significant winter rain, so an average wheat harvest is expected, according to Koos Blanckenberg, a grain farmer from Philadelphia and Grain SA’s representative for the Swartland areas in the Western Cape.
