South Africa

If the forecast for late-winter rain across the south-western and southern parts of South Africa holds true, winter grain producers in the Western Cape may achieve their best yields since 2016.

One of the consequences of the COVID-19-related lockdown regulations was that many women working as informal traders have been “locked out” of their livelihoods.

Pineapple producers in the northern KwaZulu-Natal region have expressed the hope that as the economies in overseas countries start to “open up” after the COVID-19 pandemic, exports will re-commence and even increase.

Al Mawashi, which has exported approximately 120 000 sheep aboard ship from South Africa to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in two shipments since October 2019, will on 6 August contest a legal bid by the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) to have further such exports permanently banned, allegedly due to various animal health and welfare violations before, during and after the shipments.

Despite the market for fresh herbs being very small compared with that of fruit and vegetables, it is an industry that has grown significantly over the past few years.

Various industry representative organisations were again left bewildered by the unexpected late July announcement by Minister of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy, to ban inter-provincial travel for South Africa’s many subsistence hunters.

Fuel prices are set to go up again in August despite a stronger rand.

A reasonably bright year for South African agriculture is forecast with growth of the sector expected to be strong in 2020, despite the impact of COVID-19 and its attendant regulations.

The support expressed by the farming sector, and in particular the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation’s (RPO), for the live export of sheep by sea, has been met with sharp criticism from the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA).

Top-selling Scotch whisky brand, Johnnie Walker, has announced that early in 2021 it intends to debut the first-ever 100% plastic-free paper-based spirits bottle.

Gender equality and women's dignity are valued and encouraged in the South African agricultural industry.

The R1,7 million winning bid for an eight-year-old bull sold recently at the National Boran Sale, set a new South African price record for a bull of this breed, far surpassing the previous national record of R1 million.

The recent decision by government to reinstate the ban on domestic alcohol sales under Level 3 of the lockdown regulations to contain the COVID-19 pandemic will result in an even larger surplus of wine in South Africa.

An inspection that was carried out on behalf of the Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF) found that the feedlot facilities being used to keep sheep destined for live export by sea, and the ship that will be used to transport the animals to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, were in compliance with World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) standards for animal health and welfare.

The South African government has received scathing criticism after the classification of drought as a national disaster was revoked. The notice, published in the Government Gazette recently, was signed by the National Disaster Management Centre’s head, Dr Mmaphaka Tau.

Negotiations recently commenced between the agribusinesses GWK and VKB about a possible partnership and synergies following approval from the companies’ respective boards.

The 12 000ha community-owned Somkhanda Game Reserve (Somkhanda) in northern Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal recently started generating much-needed additional income through the commercial sale of meat harvested from its game populations.

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) has issued a statement in which it warns members of the public about a number of fake social accounts claiming to belong to agriculture minister, Thoko Didiza.

At least 26 Tshwane Fresh Produce Market (Tshwane Market) users have submitted individual letters of support for a recent letter to Mpho Nawa, administrator of the City of Tshwane council, by Julian van der Nat, chairperson of the Institute of Market Agents of South Africa (IMASA) at Tshwane Market

The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) had withdrawn the 189A process that would have resulted in the loss of 1 000 jobs at the institution.