Promise of price increases as production decreases
Improved global dairy supply and demand and expected lower production growth may result in higher international prices in coming months.
South African delegation visits Costa Rica
A South African delegation consisting of members of organised agriculture and led by agriculture minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson recently visited Costa Rica on a fact-finding mission at the invitation of Walmart.
More tractors expected to be sold this year
The number of tractors and combine harvesters sold in June grew by 13,6% and 100% respectively. This is according to the latest sales figures from the South African Agricultural Machinery...
Copper theft takes shine off doing business
Theft of copper cable continues to place a severe burden on doing business in SA, despite figures dropping 15,9% in May to 356t from 424t in April.
Standard Bank in firing line for DairyBelle price cut
Standard Bank is taking flak for milk processor DairyBelle’s decision to cut the milk price by between 50c/l and 75c/l.
PZP puts elephant population control within reach
Delegates at the International Wildlife Management Congress in Durban recently heard of the successful use of the PZP (porcine zona pellucida) immunocontraceptive vaccine.
Worldwide collaboration needed to save the rhino
Conservationist Ian Player has asked international wildlife management groups to support the call by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) to lift the...
Multi-million rand Fynbos Fire Project launched
South African researchers will soon embark on a multi-million rand, internationally funded project, called the Fynbos Fire Project, to implement far reaching integrated fire management programmes in the Fynbos biome.
Food prices lowest since 2010
The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO’s) food price index is at its lowest level since September 2010.
Land department misses another deadline
Under the leadership of Minister Gugile Nkwinti the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) missed several self-imposed deadlines before finally publishing the green paper on land reform in...
Management, not policies, hamper land reform – Agri SA
Execution of the land reform process, rather than the willing-buyer, willing-seller clause, is at the core of its failure and any attempts to fix the problem will be futile if...
Striking foresters burn down plantations
A wage dispute between Komatiland Forests (KLF) and their employees has led to the decimation of over 600ha of trees after strikers allegedly set fire to plantations.
Small fruit sizes hamper citrus exports
Farmers in Limpopo are likely to export a much smaller volume of citrus this year due to the persistent drought in the area which has resulted in reduced fruit sizes.
Pest mutations towards GM cotton discovered
Genetic mutations of cotton bollworm have been discovered in China following years of exposure to biotechnology.
Western Cape farmers fed up with farm inspections
Gerrit van Rensburg, the Western Cape MEC of agriculture, has lashed out at politicians for targeting farmers in the Western Cape with frequent farm visits to inspect working conditions on...
Fuel efficiency still a problem
Fuel prices decreased by about 89c/l for 93-octane petrol and 62,5c/l for 0,05% sulphur diesel at the start of July‚ as announced by the Department of Energy.
Closing in on land reform target numbers
Land expropriation without compensation is officially off the cards. But massive discrepancies exist between government rhetoric and actual land redistribution transfer figures, prompting a reassessment of land reform going forward....
DairyBelle defends price cuts
Milk buyer DairyBelle announced a milk price reduction of between 50c/l and 75c/l to between R2,55/l and R3,10/l from 26 June. Jacques Fourie, DairyBelle’s acting CEO said the cuts were...
Inputs put the squeeze on wheat farmers
The latest input cost trend monitor by the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) paints a grim picture of the cost-price squeeze faced by wheat farmers, which has brought the industry...
Findings of Zita investigation must be made public
Two of South Africa’s largest farmers’ unions are calling for a capable director-general (DG) of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) to replace the recently suspended Langa Zita.
