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Agroprocessing News

Quantum Foods confirms avian flu outbreak at two Western Cape layer farms

By: Creamer Media Reporter 20th September 2017 Food and poultry company Quantum Foods will quarantine and depopulate two of its commercial layer farms in the Western Cape after an outbreak of avian influenza. Although the outbreak was confirmed at only two layer houses, the company has, as a preventive measure, decided to depopulate the two... →

Equipment manufacturer inaugurates new facility

By: Mia Breytenbach 15th September 2017 Heavy-equipment manufacturer Caterpillar has officially inaugurated its new parts distribution facility, near Johannesburg, in Gauteng. The 60 000 m2 facility consolidates two smaller parts-distribution sites – Linbro Park and Isando – and offers several advantages, including the ability to work... →

SHEER ADVANTAGE The 60 000 m2 facility allows for the ability to work more efficiently while increasing capacity to provide unmatched parts availability for customers across Africa

Localisation key to welding industry growth

By: Nica Schreuder 15th September 2017 Promoting local manufacturing in South Africa creates opportunities for the local welding industry, says South African science institution Agricultural Research Council and Agricultural Engineering (ARC-AE) research team manager for renewable energy, agricultural infrastructure and agroprocessing... →

AGRICULTURAL WELDING The Senotlelo feed mill is an example of how welding is used in the agriculture industry

Solar grid keeps harvests high, hospitals lit in parched rural Zimbabwe

By: Reuters 11th September 2017 Until recently, farmers in this town in southern Zimbabwe struggled to water their crops, frustrated by poor rainfall and the regular breakdown of the diesel engines that powered their irrigation systems. As in most areas of rural Zimbabwe, rain-fed agriculture provides most of the jobs in this... →

South African business delegation sets off for Russia

By: Natasha Odendaal 8th September 2017 A 20-member South African business delegation is heading to Russia next week to showcase their home-grown products and services at the 2017 World Food Moscow International Food Exhibition. Through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) scheme, the Department of Trade and Industry... →

Edible-oil refinery gives grape seed industry a boost

By: Robyn Wilkinson 8th September 2017 Engineering firm First Ocean completed the commissioning of a small-scale edible oil refinery on time and within the budget, adding value to the local grape seed industry in Somerset West, in the Western Cape. →

Photo by Bloomberg
ENHANCING LOCAL INDUSTRY The new refinery will contribution to the economic growth of Somerset West by further enhancing the well-established grape industry in the region

SA’s export strategy aims to boost capacity for value-added goods, services trade

By: David Oliveira 8th September 2017 South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI's) Integrated National Export Strategy (INES) to help improve the global competitiveness of South African exporters and tap the export-led economic growth benefits that have flowed to other developing countries in recent decades. The strategy... →

NWK appoints new CEO

5th September 2017 Agricultural products and services provider NWK has appointed Theo Rabe – the group's FD since 2005 – CEO with effect from September 5. He has already acted as MD for the past nine months. →

NWK CEO Theo Rabe

Debate on land rehab for future farming comes to the fore as mine closures increase

By: Dylan Slater 1st September 2017 As the mining industry winds down from the supercycle, thereby coming under increasing budget constraints as markets tighten up and commodity prices fall, more mines are closing and the need for their rehabilitation is coming to the fore. There is growing debate regarding the use of rehabilitated... →

Ghost tomato factory showcase for Nigeria's farming problems

By: Reuters 30th August 2017 At a state-of-the-art plant in northern Nigeria, shiny machines stand next to a conveyor belt ready to crush tomatoes to satisfy the country's insatiable demand for tomato paste. But a lonely cleaner mopping the floor is the only sign of activity in Nigeria's biggest tomato factory, equipped with... →

Dangote Group founder and CEO Aliko Dangote

South Africa's crop committee raises record maize estimate by 2.7%

By: Reuters 29th August 2017 South Africa will harvest 16.413-million tonnes of maize this season, the biggest crop on record after improved weather conditions across the maize belt boosted yields, the government's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) said on Tuesday. The estimate is up 2.7% from the CEC's July forecast of... →

Disaster relief money starts flowing into Western Cape

By: News24Wire 29th August 2017 The Western Cape government has received the first tranche of the money it needs to cope with the devastating drought and fires in the province, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Des van Rooyen said on Tuesday. The first tranche of R34 866 263 was transferred on August 21... →

Poultry industry and government to set up task team for bird flu – Zokwana

By: African News Agency 23rd August 2017 Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana on Tuesday agreed to set up a task team consisting of representatives from the poultry industry and government to work on scientifically-based considerations regarding vaccination of chickens. Zokwana revealed this in a statement... →

Opinion: Turning the chicken war into a trade war

18th August 2017 In this opinion article, XA director Donald Mackay questions why legitimate legal processes are being overlooked in the dispute over European Union chicken imports. Mackay acknowledges that his consultancy is not a disinterested party in the matter. I read the recent fiery opinion piece by... →

Donald Mackay

Lovell steps down as Sapa head

By: Natasha Odendaal 16th August 2017 South African Poultry Association CEO Kevin Lovell is stepping down, effective August 17, after 11 years at the helm. Dr Charlotte Nkuna has been appointed acting CEO. →

AgriProtein assessing two new fly-farming sites in South Africa

By: Irma Venter 11th August 2017 Waste-to-nutrient group AgriProtein will expand its presence in South Africa with two new fly-farming sites, while also growing its research and development function in the country, says CEO Jason Drew. AgriProtein started operations in Cape Town in 2015, launching the world’s first... →

Western Cape’s agricultural growth to drive economy

By: Robyn Wilkinson 11th August 2017 Supported by the Western Cape government’s strategic initiatives to help farmers grow their crops – and their market share – the province’s official tourism, trade and investment agency Wesgro has successfully committed investments in the Western Cape agricultural sector of R1.56-billion over the... →

Photo by Bloomberg
UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT The Western Cape plays a key role in South Africa’s agricultural sector, with a unique rainfall pattern allowing for a mixture of agricultural activities

Land Bank hikes FY17 profits to R372m

By: African News Agency 3rd August 2017 The Land and Agricultural Development Bank on Thursday, released a strong set of results for the financial year ending March 31, 2017, as the group and bank generated a profit of R372.2-million and R316.3-million respectively, compared to R181.9-million and R94-million in 2016. The bank said this... →

Agriculture a significant growth area for Africa

By: Anine Kilian 31st July 2017 Agriculture is the largest economic growth sector for Africa, New Partnership for Africa's Development business foundation CEO Lynette Chen said at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Industrialisation Week on Monday. She pointed out that less than 10% of arable land in Africa was... →

Tongaat Hulett launches R550m sugar refinery project in Mozambique

By: Anine Kilian 24th July 2017 Sugar producer Tongaat Hulett on Monday launched a R550-million 90 000 t/y refinery to process brown sugar into white sugar at its Mozambique-based Xinavane sugar mill. The refinery will produce its first product in September 2018. →

Macadamia producer to invest millions in new processing facility

By: Anine Kilian 24th July 2017 Macadamia nut processing company Green Farms Nut Company (GFNC) has started construction to expand its macadamia nut processing facility, in White River, Mpumalanga, with Phase 1 set for completion in 2018. According to the Southern African Macadamia Growers Association (Samac), new macadamia... →

SA committed to increasing trade with Zambia, says DTI minister

By: African News Agency 21st July 2017 South Africa was committed to increasing trade and addressing the trade imbalance with Zambia. This was according to South Africa’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, ahead of a two-day Outward Trade and Investment Mission to Lusaka, Zambia, from 24-25 July. →

Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies

Lessons learned underpin multicontinent sugar strategy

By: Robyn Wilkinson 21st July 2017 Specialised polymer manufacturer Vesconite Bearings believes that the experience it has gained from KwaZulu-Natal sugar mills will prove instrumental in ensuring the success of its multi-continent sugar strategy and grow the company’s revenue from new markets. →

EDDIE SWANEPOEL The knowledge gained from hard-wearing African sugar applications has been essential in converting other relatively new markets to using Vesconite Bearings’ products

Nakambala sugar mill expansion project completed

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 21st July 2017 During the third quarter of 2017, project management and equipment design company Bosch Projects completed the implementation of the Nakambala Product Alignment and Refinery project in Mazabuka, Zambia. Bosch Projects sugar sector director Steven Rosettenstein, who was the project manager for the... →

NAKAMBALA SUGAR MILL Illovo Sugar appointed Bosch Projects as engineering, procurement and construction management consultants for the mill’s expansion

Sugar industry to make the most of yield recovery

By: Robyn Wilkinson 21st July 2017 As KwaZulu-Natal’s sugar cane growers start to recover from the effects of the drought, the South African Canegrowers’ Association (SA Canegrowers) is urging the industry to remain resilient and look for opportunities to diversify their operations. →

BOUNCING BACK The SA Canegrowers board of directors is optimistic about the 2017/18 season, with improved rainfall set to improve production levels

Bird Flu confirmed on new locations in Gauteng and Mpumalanga

By: African News Agency 12th July 2017 The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N8 virus – commonly known as bird flu – has been confirmed on two new locations on farms in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, the department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries said on Tuesday. “The new locations involved commercial layer chickens on farms... →

SAB invests R2.8bn in expanding Gauteng breweries

By: Anine Kilian 11th July 2017 Multinational beverage and brewing company Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB-InBev) subsidiary South African Breweries (SAB) will invest R2.8-billion into brewery expansions, including two new packaging lines for returnable glass bottles, at its Alrode and Rosslyn breweries, in Gauteng. During a media... →

AB-InBev Africa president Ricardo Tadeu

Control system minimises dust escape during grab discharge

By: Simone Liedtke 7th July 2017 Materials handling equipment supplier BLT South Africa’s Samson travelling Eco-Hoppers have an effective dust control system that minimises the escape of dust during the grab discharge cycle. →

DUST CONTROL The grab discharge cycle includes transferring materials down the line using handling systems

Commission approves Dow, DuPont merger with conditions

By: Anine Kilian 5th July 2017 The Competition Commission has recommended to the Competition Tribunal that the proposed large merger between DuPont and Dow Chemical Company be approved with conditions. Both Dow and DuPont are companies incorporated in accordance with the company laws of the US. Dow is the ultimate parent... →

South Africa faces land reform dilemma, partnership is key

By: Natasha Odendaal 5th July 2017 South Africa is facing a land reform dilemma, with the redistribution of land having progressed well below expectations and with much of the land already transferred falling into an economic abyss. Of the estimated 5.9-million hectares of functional farms that had been transferred, up to 90% have... →

Learning from, replicating land reform successes a better option than land grabs – Hanekom

By: Natasha Odendaal 5th July 2017 Expropriation of land without compensation will result in serious damage to the economy and is fundamentally unjust, Member of Parliament and former Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom reiterated on Wednesday. Speaking at the Agribusiness Africa conference, in Kempton Park, he said that while the... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Derek Hanekom

Research is crucial for agricultural growth – ARC

By: Natasha Odendaal 4th July 2017 The expansion of public–private partnerships to develop innovation and research networks that are critical to the sustainable growth of the agricultural sector, should be considered more deeply. With Africa’s population explosion, and the ever-pressing need to accelerate food production, more... →

Fly-farm venture mulls two more SA sites, appoints heavy hitters as it expands

By: Irma Venter 4th July 2017 Waste-to-nutrient group AgriProtein will expand its presence in South Africa with two new fly-farming sites, while also growing its research and development function in the country, says CEO Jason Drew. AgriProtein started operations in Cape Town in 2015, launching the world’s first... →

Research, technology key to surviving next drought – DuPont

By: Natasha Odendaal 4th July 2017 Research and technology will be key to surviving the next drought, with investments equal, at minimum, to the cost of drought required to mitigate the impact of the changing environment. Droughts cost some $6-billion to $8-billion globally every year, with 80% of the drought-related losses in... →

Agriculture sector needs to take a more futuristic approach for survival in a digital world

By: Natasha Odendaal 4th July 2017 Technology has the potential to change the future landscape of the agriculture sector if used effectively and if participants are willing to “think bigger”, FutureWorld futurist and entrepreneur Craig Wing said on Tuesday. With ever-changing technologies in the fourth industrial revolution, it is... →

FutureWorld futurist Craig Wing discusses how technology can benefit the agriculture sector. Video and editing: Nicholas Boyd.

Forestry sector joins forces to mitigate impact of wildfires on plantations

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 4th July 2017 Following the recent wildfires that swept across the Southern and Eastern Cape areas, industry bodies Forestry South Africa (FSA), Sawmilling South Africa (SSA) and the South African Forestry Contractors Association will mobilise additional contractor capacity to ensure that the interests of... →

DTI to implement policy interventions to curb poultry industry losses

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 28th June 2017 Rather than make findings on the current state of the poultry industry and the ongoing challenges it faces owing to the dumping of imported chicken products, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), together with the government-led Poultry Task Team, which was established in January, would... →

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