Susan Marais
Poultry industry in for a rough ride in 2022
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.
How to start farming with R1 million
Is it possible to start a farming operation in South Africa in 2021 for less than R1 million? A number of experts discussed the start-up potential of layers, broilers, pigs, vegetables and lucerne with Susan Marais.
Agri department officials confident SA has enough animal vaccines
South Africa has enough of the necessary vaccines to combat all crucial livestock diseases.
SA-grown pears can now be exported to China
After many years of hard work and negotiations, South Africa has finally been given permission to export pears to China.
Concern over locust threat on unoccupied farms
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.
Heavy rainfall raises risk of crop failure, disease outbreak
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.
New MPO CEO wants to ensure dairy farmers are heard
Gerhard Kriel (56) was recently appointed new CEO of the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO), and will take office on 3 January 2022.
Pig farmers urged to reduce antibiotic use
There will probably never be a time when pork producers will be able to completely eliminate the use of antibiotics, but they are urged to stop using growth promoters and reduce the use of antibiotics.
Low prices force farmers to let watermelons go to waste
A sharp drop in market prices have forced several watermelon farmers to plough unharvested fruit back into the lands, or find alternative markets in their local areas.
Agriculture’s third quarter GDP decline a ‘temporary hiccup’
Economists agree that the agriculture sector is not in trouble, despite the latest GDP figures released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) showing that the sector’s GDP contracted 13,6% quarter-on-quarter.
ARC honours top beef cattle breeders
South Africa’s top cattle farmers were honoured during the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) recent virtual annual National Beef Performer of the Year Awards.
Mixed reaction to upswing in agribusiness confidence
While the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) showed that agricultural businesses’ confidence is at its second highest level in 20 years, this positive sentiment is not shared by all stakeholders.
Fuel price hike could lead to job losses in farm sector
The latest fuel price increase will put pressure on the entire agricultural value chain and could lead to increased job losses, industry leaders have...
TWK delivers ‘best financial results on record’ in 2020/21
The TWK Group has announced its “best financial results on record” for the year ended 31 August 2021.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains world’s most food-insecure region
Sub-Saharan Africa is still the most food-insecure region on earth according to the Economist’s Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Food Security Index (GFSI) report, launched in Pretoria on Monday, 22 November.
Omnia mid-term results benefit from global input shortages
Omnia Holdings has been able to more than double its profits after tax from continuing operations to R467 million, according to its mid-term results for the period ending 30 September 2021.
Fears about damage for Southern Cape farmers after torrential rainfall
While the rain is widely welcomed, farmers in the Southern Cape could face serious damage after the region received heavy rainfall on Monday, 22 November.
Repo rate increase raises concern about farming debt
A hike in interest rates on the back of increased administrative costs, rather than “consumer pull” is of grave concern. This was according to Prof André Jooste, an agricultural economist affiliated with Stellenbosch University.
New data tool aims to fight Southern Africa’s wildlife crime
The African investigative environmental journalism group, Oxpeckers, has launched the #WildEye Southern Africa online tool to help map and track wildlife crime in Southern Africa.
Pineapple farmers feel the input cost pinch
Despite improved producer prices, pineapple farmers are feeling the pinch of rising input costs.
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