South Africa

Farmers who have experienced livestock theft are invited to participate in a wide-ranging study exploring the impact and implications of stock theft and farm animal mutilation, as well as their experiences with the criminal justice system.

While breed societies usually showcase live cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs at Nampo Harvest Day, this year they are preparing for a very different exhibition in light of the restrictions on cloven-hoofed animals due to the nationwide foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.

As South Africa’s wheat farmers head into the 2026/27 winter crop season, higher fuel and fertiliser costs, weaker global wheat prices, and uncertain weather conditions are expected to weigh on plantings, potentially pushing them to a 12-year low.

The confirmation that two vaccinated dairy herds in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have contracted foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has intensified criticism of South Africa’s vaccination strategy and underscored the vulnerability of the dairy industry.

Avoid traffic congestion and parking hassles at Nampo Harvest Day with the Mielie Hop Shuttle service from 12 to 15 May 2026.

After concerns over recent unseasonal downpours at Nampo Park in Bothaville, organisers say conditions have improved significantly, with sunny and mild weather forecast for Nampo from 12 to 15 May.

Bats remain under threat despite their vital role as keystone species. On International Bat Appreciation Day on 17 April, Dr Mark Ofua, wildlife veterinarian and Wild Africa representative, emphasised that bats support biodiversity and help control pest populations.

South African farmers received slight relief after the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) corrected an error in its May 2026 diesel price calculation, reducing the official wholesale diesel increase by nearly R1/ℓ.

Whether you are looking for compact orchard tractors or high-horsepower machines built for large-scale operations, this year’s Nampo Harvest Day promises something for every production system. Farmer’s Weekly spoke to some of the leading exhibitors about the showstoppers in their line-ups.

Nation in Conversation, taking place at Nampo 2026 near Bothaville, Free State, aims to bring together industry leaders, academics, policymakers, and producers to unpack South Africa’s most pressing agricultural challenges.

The Eastern Cape government has moved to strengthen frontline animal health services and tackle unemployment in the province by investing R512 000 in a pilot programme supporting 13 animal health technicians to establish primary animal healthcare enterprises in rural communities.

Government has gazetted a new national vaccination framework and voluntary fast-track scheme aimed at accelerating South Africa’s response to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Excitement is building for this year’s Nampo Harvest Day, as thousands of farmers, agribusinesses, and industry stakeholders prepare to converge on Bothaville in the Free State for what remains the largest agricultural show in the Southern Hemisphere.

Excessive rainfall in the Northern Cape over recent weeks has caused extensive damage to the road network, severely impacting agriculture and prompting Agri Northern Cape (Agri NC) to urgently petition local government to declare a state of disaster.

South African farmers are facing a sharp rise in input costs after the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources confirmed steep fuel price increases for May, with diesel breaching R30/ℓ for the first time.

Two new cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) have been confirmed on a cattle farm in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, prompting intensified steps across the region as authorities move to prevent further spread.

The South African Pork Producers' Organisation (SAPPO) hosted its annual Baconer’s Brunch on 22 April in Cape Town, where agricultural financiers and media representatives were given an outlook on the pork industry’s production status, profitability, disease challenges, and welfare trends.

Efforts to strengthen compliance with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) livestock movement controls were evident on 28 April when Department of Agriculture provincial veterinary services officials, together with the Cullinan South African Police Service (SAPS) stock theft unit, attended the Karoo-Ochse weekly livestock auction in Bronkhorstspruit.

Sandveld potato producers have warned that proposed groundwater regulations could increase costs and red tape and ultimately threaten production in one of the country’s most water-dependent regions.

The South African sugar industry has welcomed a R200 million funding commitment from the Industrial Development Corporation aimed at restarting Tongaat Hulett’s mills and refinery ahead of the 2026/27 crushing season, easing immediate fears of disruption while longer-term uncertainty remains.