Top score for SA Wagyu x Angus carcass on Japanese scale
Members of South Africa’s five-year-old Wagyu South Africa beef cattle society have expressed excitement about the rare 15 marbling score recently achieved by a locally produced 490,4kg and DNA-verified Wagyu x Angus carcass.
Optimism as SA’s late table grape crop is rushed to markets
Roughly 95% of South Africa’s table grape crop is exported, and as a result, the current delay experienced in harvesting has resulted in a rush to get the fruit to the markets in time for the Festive Season.
Agriculture continues its positive contribution to GDP
South Africa’s farming sector continued its positive growth and contribution to national gross domestic product (GDP) during the third quarter of 2020 (Q3 2020).
SA soils ‘extremely degraded’ by unsustainable farming
South Africa’s soils are extremely degraded, and over the past 100 years, the country has lost up to 50% of the carbon content in cultivated soils.
Water stress affects more than 80% of SA cropland
Very high levels of water stress or very high drought frequency affect about 1,2 billion people living in agricultural areas globally.
Farmers urged to report locust sightings
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has urged farmers in the Free State, Northern Cape and Western Cape to report any sightings of locust swarms so that these can be prevented from spreading throughout the country.
Good rain staves off effects of diesel increase
While the increase in diesel prices would usually be felt by grain farmers in the process of planting, good rain has allowed farmers in the central and western parts of the country to plant earlier, helping them stave off the effects of the recent diesel price increase.
SA agribusiness confidence shoots to six-year high
Although current sentiments for South Africa’s agriculture sector are generally positive, parts of the sector, such as the tobacco and wine value chains, are now feeling the financial aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated national and international lockdown restrictions.
Growing evidence of chemical resistance in cutworm
Widespread damage to crops due to cutworm infestations has been reported in several provinces, and there are early indications that the pest has built up resistance to chemical treatments.
Weak rand results in big fertiliser price increase
Crop farmers, who are the biggest users of fertiliser, will be the most severely affected by the recent uptick in global prices, as South Africa imports around 80% of its fertiliser needs.
High food prices could take the cheer out of festive season
South Africa’s annual consumer price inflation rose to a seven-month high in October, largely driven by rising food and non-alcoholic beverage prices, according to the latest Consumer Price index (CPI) report that was recently released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
Moody’s downgrade won’t affect restructure, says Land Bank
Farmers who will require financing from the Land and Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank) in the near future will continue to encounter difficulties in accessing such funding due to the bank’s current long-standing liquidity challenges.
Consumers must brace for stronger December meat prices
Cash-strapped South African consumers will have to dig deep into their pockets if they are looking to splurge on red meat and pork this December.
Imported inputs continue to hamper local grain production
The South African grain production industry is highly dependent on imported agricultural inputs, which means local grain prices are subjected to the same supply and demand forces that drive international markets.
Seized berry shipment released as parties reach agreement
Dutch authorities releasing two shipments of blueberries exported by Rossouw Boerdery Group’s subsidiary Ross Berries to the Netherlands, marks a victory for local farmers, according to a statement by the group.
Compliance, enforcement needed to curb brucellosis in KZN
The dramatic increase in the recorded cases of brucellosis (Brucella abortus) in cattle in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) since 2019 is a reflection of many livestock owners’ lack of compliance with legislation, combined with government’s failure to enforce this legislation.
Hundreds protest against farm murders in the Free State
Isak Moletsane, a hunter from Kroonstad, was one of the hundreds of people who attended Free State Agriculture’s (FSA) recent protest action against the murder of father and son Pieter and Eddie Hills in the Henneman district.
Wet conditions delay planting in eastern summer grain region
Grain planting in the summer grain production region of South Africa is well underway, with planting in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal nearing completion, according to Grain SA’s latest production survey.
Women’s potential in agriculture must be increased
South Africa still has a long way to go to address gender inequality, according to various panellists who participated in a recent webinar hosted by Corteva Agriscience in partnership with the Gordon Institute of Business Science.
Normalised liquor sales will help wine industry recovery
Stakeholders in South Africa’s wine industry have welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that restrictions on liquor trading would be eased, saying that it will assist in the recovery of the wine industry.
