South Africa

Farmers in the Welkom district are still in the process of assessing the extent of the damage to grain lands and grazing after an evaporation dam belonging to the local Sibanye-Stillwater mine breached its walls at the end of December 2021.

Free State Agriculture (FSA) has joined the chorus of voices calling for government intervention to mitigate the damage suffered by farmers following heavy rainfall across the province.

The downward adjustment of fuel prices for January is not expected to bring much respite for farmers and consumers, according to Dawie Roodt, chief economist at Efficient Group.

While difficult to quantify, it could be safely assumed that thousands of hectares of grazing have thus far been destroyed by brown locusts (Locustana pardalina) in the Eastern Cape since the start of the 2021/22 summer season.

The damage caused by excessive rain in virtually every part of the summer grain production area, and especially in the western Free State and North West, has destroyed vast tracks of grain fields, and thus it is necessary for government to declare a State of Disaster. This was according to Francois Strydom, chairperson of Agbiz.

The South African wool industry is in uncertain territory, although the country experienced fewer COVID- 19-related challenges in 2021 than in 2020, when the wool market saw a dramatic drop in prices and the Cape Wools SA market indicator fell to R118,58/kg in September 2020.

With profit margins under pressure, many smaller pig farmers will leave the industry, while bigger farmers will consolidate and become more efficient, according to Johann Kotzé, CEO of the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation.

With escalating input costs, consumers’ disposable income under pressure and avian influenza still looming, poultry producers will have an uphill battle to rebuild their flocks in 2022.

Despite South Africa exporting substantial volumes of maize, ending stocks as a proportion of local usage are projected to remain above 20% for both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons.

South Africa’s red meat industry benefited from the steady increase in the producer prices of beef, mutton and lamb in 2021, but exports of carcasses and live animals now need to increase.

Various factors will influence potato production in 2022, according to Willie Jacobs, CEO of Potatoes South Africa.

South Africa has enough of the necessary vaccines to combat all crucial livestock diseases.

After many years of hard work and negotiations, South Africa has finally been given permission to export pears to China.

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) have once again urged farmers and other landowners to report locust swarms, especially those seen on unoccupied farms.

Above average rainfall across parts of South Africa’s summer rainfall region has resulted in some farmers having to delay planting of crops such as maize, soya bean and sunflower.

The 2022 wine grape harvest is expected to amount 1,42 million tons, which is 80 000t above the industry’s five-year average of 1,34 million tons, and 2,2% smaller than the 2020 harvest, which came in at 1,45 million tons. This is according to the first crop estimate.

South African livestock producers can be assured that the veterinarians who care for their herds are amongst the best in the world. This was according to Dr Sarah Ewing, education officer at the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC).

Gerhard Kriel (56) was recently appointed new CEO of the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO), and will take office on 3 January 2022.

Cabinet has endorsed the appointment of new members on the Land Bank board to steer it out of its financial woes.

Various organisations are considering taking steps to reduce the chances of their events turning into COVID-19 super spreaders.