South Africa

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been confirmed in two districts in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed that there were currently two outbreaks in the Zululand and King Cetshwayo districts in the north of the province.

John Barker and Felicity Carter reflected on some of the major trends reshaping the wine industry at the recent South Africa Wine Summit held in Cape Town.

As South Africa heads to the polls on Wednesday, the dire state of the country is more in focus than ever as we mark 30 years of democracy. Front-of-mind for the agriculture community is whether the mounting pressure on creating a more enabling environment for the sector will be realised after the election.

The R250,000 paid for a 50% share in a Brahman bull named Buffel (JVZ20 321) by the Advantage Brahman Stud near Howick in KwaZulu-Natal makes sound economic sense, according to Jan van Zyl, owner of the Kroon Vee stud.

Biosecurity on farms is in the spotlight once again after three farms in the Eastern Cape were placed under quarantine due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). This was confirmed by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development this week.

Farmer’s Weekly recently noticed some sneering social comments about the high price of sheepskin slippers advertised by a major pharmacy on Facebook. To understand why these slippers come at a premium price, we asked Louzel Steyn.

South Africa’s biggest agricultural show, the Nampo Harvest Day, ended on a high note on Friday, marking the highest attendance on record. Dirk Strydom, marketing lead for Nampo, said that it was also a particularly smooth-running event, pointing to the well-oiled machine that has become Nampo.

The upcoming National and Provincial elections on 29 May 2024 will most probably be more hotly contested than ever before, but at the same time the elections are triggering a great deal of questions, uncertainty, and instability across the country and across the voters poll.

If one does something for the right reason, it will have an impact and also ignite further action. A single act might look small on its own, but it has the ability to make a tremendous difference. This was the unanimous message during a panel discussion on empowering rural communities at Nampo Park in Bothaville.

A cattle farmer from Botswana and his daughter have excelled at the Grain SA/Omnia Nutriology's competition for farmer patents, better known as Boerepatente, held during the Nampo Harvest Day in Bothaville.

Although the agricultural sector’s contribution to GDP is calculated at just under 3%, its extended impact on GDP stands at between 10% and 12%.

Bayer recently announced the launch of its Bayer Boervrou van die Jaar (Female Farmer of the Year) award at Nampo Harvest Day 2024. The aim of the competition is to celebrate inspiring women who are achieving excellence in the agriculture sector

Case IH has launched a tractor to serve the Goldilocks of farmers – not too big and not too small. The new Optum CVX 270/300 is a powerful bundle, fitting in-between the Magnum and Puma series, delivering up to 340hp.

Step into the future of farming. John Deere is showcasing tractors and equipment packed with the latest technological innovations at Nampo 2024, reflecting the Agriculture in a Digital Age theme.

The back-office support system within a farming operation is more than fulfilling those dreaded office responsibilities or administrative duties. These services are the farmer’s assurance that the business is running smoothly and optimally, and form the backbone of successful farming operations. By optimising support systems, a farmer can improve productivity and profitability.

FNB Agriculture launched its new FNB Sustainable Agriculture Loan at Nampo 2024. The aim of the loan is to empower farmers and businesses to adopt practices that ensure growth and contribute to sustainable farming and the health of the planet.

Some 16 122 visitors attended the first day of Nampo Harvest Day 2024, held near Bothaville in the Free State yesterday. They arrived by, amongst others, 55 fixed winged planes and 13 helicopters.

Avoid the traffic congestion getting to Nampo by using the Mielie Hop – the easiest way to NAMPO and back!

The South African agricultural business sector is extremely positive about the expected opportunities at Grain SA’s 2024 Nampo Harvest Days that commence on Tuesday, according to Agbiz chairman Francois Strydom.

The R1,2 million support to black citrus growers in the Eastern Cape recently announced by the Citrus Growers Association’s Grower Development Company (CGA-GDC) and the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) is set to play a decisive role in helping them increase their access to global and local markets.