Jeanne Van der Merwe
Journalist, specialising in agriculture and logistics. Connecting dots, finding context and presenting information in usable and reader-friendly formats.
Up or down: which way will the sugar import tariff trigger go?
The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa has launched an investigation into the appropriate level of tariff protection against imported sugar, after the sugar industry asked government for a significant increase, while the beverage industry called for lower tariffs.
Flood of imports sour optimistic year for cane growers
A small recovery in local sugar production coincided with a steep drop in the international sugar price, and slow government response to the volatile international market resulted in record sugar imports during 2025.
Anomalies and contrasts ruled SA’s rainfall patterns in 2025
It was a year of extremes for South African weather, with unusually wet conditions in parts of the summer rainfall areas, while winter cropping areas felt the pinch of below-average rainfall.
Fruit growers deliver in 2025, but logistics limit exports
South Africa’s fruit exporters had a roller-coaster year, as optimism over record yields and exports was tempered by market jitters over tough tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration and ongoing logistical uncertainty.
Fiery weekend devastates Paarl wine estate, strains fire crews
A hot, windy weekend kept Western Cape fire crews busy on the last weekend before Christmas, with a fire at Laborie Wine Estate in Paarl and disruptions in a number of other farming areas.
Feed donation brings hope to struggling Southern Cape farmers
For many in the Western Cape, the severe drought of 2017/18 is a distant memory, but on the Mossel Bay Vlakte the drought never really ended.
Help for Cape Town port during strong winds in peak export season
Strong winds and network outages have significantly soured port operations in Cape Town over the past two weeks, but Transnet is optimistic that it can still deliver a positive season for fruit exporters.
SA table grapes will struggle in US without tariff exemptions
The Trump administration’s decision not to reduce its 30% reciprocal tariff on South African table grapes flies in the face of US consumer demand.
The gaps in the cold chain putting export table grapes at risk
By choosing to take short cuts in post-harvest on-farm cooling, table grape producers are effectively choosing to compromise the quality of their product upon arrival in export markets.
Why the EU’s pesticide rules don’t fit South Africa
Calls to ban pesticides in South Africa simply because they’re banned in the EU disregard crucial differences between the regions, as well as farming in the EU, which is heading towards an increasingly unprofitable and unsustainable future.
Farmers must prepare for GlobalGAP water-use scrutiny
International auditing systems such as GlobalGAP may soon introduce maximum water-use limits for fresh produce farmers.
Stellenbosch University confirms student suffocated sheep
Stellenbosch University will soon institute mandatory ethical animal research training, part of its measures to prevent a repeat of the needless mistreatment of sheep that occurred during a feed study earlier this year.
New pivot for Stellenbosch University boosts agriscience offering
Research and student training at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of AgriSciences received a major boost earlier this month with the donation of a Lindsay Zimmatic 9500P centre pivot irrigation system, valued at about R1 million, to the university’s Mariendahl research farm.
SA wine industry bullish about African market
African consumers are developing a palate for South African wines, as is evidenced by the fact that Nigeria imported more South African wine than China in 2024.
Investors in Namibia’s blueberry industry aim for the big leagues
Namibia’s blueberry industry aims to emulate Peru, the world’s fastest-growing blueberry producer, in its quest to scale up its own production.
Warming climate poses threat to blueberry producers around the world
Climate change emerged as a significant factor in the future development of blueberry production at last week’s International Blueberry Organisation summit held in Cape Town, Western Cape.
Exports and destinations for SA blueberries expand
It is a testament to the strength and adaptability of the local blueberry industry that exports grew by 7% this past year, despite up to 70% of the country’s early cultivars being wiped out by black frost in the Groblersdal region.
Traceability shapes prices in red meat export markets
While expanding red meat exports has been one of the South African agriculture sector’s good news stories, shortcomings in animal health and traceability are dragging prices below those of competitors.
Trump tariffs force SA to address problems on other markets
South Africa’s premium agriculture exporters are doubling down on the US market despite Donald Trump’s 30% tariffs.
‘Without traceability, SA red meat producers will get left behind’
Louw van Reenen, executive chairperson of the Beefmaster Group, told the Western Cape Red Meat Producers’ Organisation’s (RPO) annual general meeting, which recently took place during Nampo Cape in Bredasdorp, that the company would not have been able to access the lucrative market it was currently enjoying without having implemented traceability at its feedlots.
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