Agriculture in 2013: Drought devastates large summer rainfall regions
The previous summer’s drought in the eastern parts of Limpopo was said to be one of the worst since 1983.
Record maize harvest for US
The US Grains Council reported a record maize harvest of 355.3 million metric tons for the 2013/2014 season.
Agriculture in 2013: Poultry – an industry in distress
At the beginning of the year, the SA Poultry Association (Sapa) was disappointed with the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI’s) decision not to impose definitive anti-dumping duties on cheap poultry imports from Brazil.
Agriculture in 2013: The threat of strikes ever present
After the violent strikes in the Western Cape late last year, it was reported on 18 January that most permanent farm workers in that province had returned to work on 9 January, the day on which strikes had been expected to resume.
Agriculture in 2013: Huge wage increase rocks agriculture
Minimum wages, drought, fires, disease, import tariffs and a meat labelling scandal.These were all issues on the agricultural agenda this year. Farmer’s Weekly news editor, Niel Saayman, compiled this overview of the year’s main news stories.
Taking on ivory poachng
At the Elephant Summit held in Botswana in early December urgent measures were adopted to halt illegal ivory trade. But some conservationists are asking if these will be enough.
A fund for all seasons
The Christmas Fair Fund, which was founded by a group of young farmers' wives in Stanger in 1952, recently held its 61st Christmas Country Fair at Collisheen Estate, near Ballito in KZN.
North West still desperately dry
Isolated showers of rain have been reported in the drought-stricken areas of the North West, but the western parts of the province remain dry, according to Agri North West’s deputy CEO, Naude Pienaar.
Mpumalanga receives good rains
Farmers in Mpumalanga are grateful for the widespread rain they have received in recent weeks. Agri Mpumalanga reported that all farming sectors were looking forward to a promising summer production season.
A can do Christmas
In the spirit of Christmas multinational agricultural company Monsanto handed over 700 cans of tinned food and 50 blankets to two welfare organisations on Thursday, 12 December, at River Place Country Estate near Pretoria.
Unlocking agriculture’s potential
Recently, Radobank brought together 50 farmers from 18 different countries and six continents in the Netherlands to discuss the future of farming. The participants identified the ‘6-S future of farming framework for food security’ – succession; sustainability; social enabling factors; supply chain; science; social media.
Unique online bidding system for grains
The Basislink online bidding system developed by Senwes and Grainlink came into operation on 11 December.
