Garlic woes return after COVID-19 demand spike

The garlic industry’s troubles have returned after a brief glimmer of hope during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

Lack of rail transport squeezes fertiliser prices

According to industry experts, South Africa’s fertiliser prices are the third-highest in the world, with one of the most important contributing factors being the fact that this input is no longer transported by rail.

SA’s agribusiness confidence remains positive despite challenges

Excessive rainfall at the start of the planting season, higher input costs, logistical challenges and geopolitical tensions in Europe are taking their toll on agribusiness confidence, according to the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) released on Tuesday, 15 March.

‘Alarming upswing in green maize theft threatens food security’

The theft of green maize cobs in the Free State has escalated to such an extent that food security in the province is under threat.

Agriculture’s 2021 fourth quarter GDP results lauded

The agriculture sector’s contribution to South Africa’s fourth quarter GDP figures could have been even higher if it was able to expand meat exports, according to Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO).

Urgent financial support needed to fight Northern Cape locusts

Agri Northern Cape is appealing for financial support of its aerial locust extermination team to prevent the brown locust swarms currently prevalent across the Northern Cape reaching the crop production areas along the Vaal and Orange rivers, the Free State, and North West.

No solutions for leopard predation in Limpopo

Farmers in Limpopo are plagued by leopards that prey on their livestock. But solutions to the problem are few and far between, as the only control method appears to be shooting the predators.

Russia-Ukraine conflict disrupts global food supply chains

The fallout of the Russia-Ukraine war is expected to have a serious impact on the cost of production and distribution of food around the globe, and ultimately the consumer.

Agri shows to return to local calendar this year

Grain SA is going ahead with arrangements for the 2022 Nampo Harvest Day while it awaits the outcome of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s undertaking to lift the state of emergency, instituted in 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Poultry industry winning battle against unfair trade

The fight against unfair competition and illegal imports is starting to reap benefits for the broiler industry.

Urgent action needed to fight locusts across large parts of SA

The enormous swarms of brown locusts currently in evidence across the Northern, Eastern and Western Cape need to be eradicated as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the provinces’ farmland.

Russia-Ukraine conflict threatens SA fruit exports

The economic sanctions imposed on Russia following that country’s attacks on Ukraine are having a negative impact on the South African fruit and wine industries.

Uncertainty at Land Bank amid key resignations

Christo van der Rheede, executive director of Agri SA, has expressed certainty that the newly installed board of the Land Bank, and a new CEO, who still has to be appointed, will inspire confidence in the bank.

Sin tax hike will negatively affect job creation – agri leaders

Stakeholders in the South African agriculture sector have voiced their disappointment about the above-inflation increases in excise duties, announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, during the national budget address on Wednesday, 23 February.

Call for Free State farmers to pay for road repairs met with dismay

Farmers in the Free State are in a catch-22 situation following a call by the Free State provincial government for the province’s farming sector to repair the ever-deteriorating provincial road network at their own cost.

Winter grain farmers to feel fuel price pinch

The expected increase in the fuel price for March will be especially devastating for winter grain producers, who are currently gearing up to start planting.

Small livestock farmers in the Free State ‘besieged’ by thieves

Farmers in the Phuthaditjhaba district of the Free State are left at the mercy of stock thieves, with little or no support from the South African Police Service (SAPS).

‘Lack of access to machinery hampering developing farmers’

Developing farmers who struggle to gain access to machinery at the right time during the production process should consider hiring a contractor, rather than buying their own equipment.

‘Mandatory EU alcohol labelling unlikely to impact SA wine exports’

Although the adoption of recommendations to make health warnings mandatory on all alcoholic drinks in Europe could initially result in additional costs, it is not expected to have a major impact on South African wine producers.

Former Tongaat Hulett executives released on bail in fraud case

A culture of deference and a lack of challenging authority at Tongaat Hulett Limited (THL) resulted in employees following instructions without questioning the basis for accounting practices, according to an investigation by auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

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