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Agroprocessing News

Call made for ‘broad coalition’ to reverse South Africa’s premature deindustrialisation

By: Terence Creamer 20th April 2018 A new no-holds-barred study of South Africa’s economic transformation over the past two decades concludes that the country has not only deindustrialised prematurely, but has also failed to materially transform its economic structure to one that encourages inclusive growth and development. Titled... →

Short retention time silo installed in Thailand

30th March 2018 A recent milestone for project manager and equipment designer Bosch Projects, in conjunction with its technology partners in Thailand, was the development of a new short retention time (SRT) refined sugar conditioning silo, designed to significantly reduce conditioning time and capital investment... →

NEW TECHNOLOGY The newly developed short retention time refined sugar conditioning silo enables reduced residence time of 16 hours, compared with the standard period of between 65 and 72 hours

Polymer offering diversified into US beet sugar industry

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 30th March 2018 Thermoplastic producer Vesconite Bearings is expanding its polymer offering to the US beet sugar market, building on its experiences and success in the local and US sugar cane industries. Vesconite Bearings began supplying its locally-produced polymers to the South African sugar industry in 2009... →

PROCESS SWEETENER The HiTemp 150 hanger bearing is an abrasive-resistant material, ideal for applications that are wearing on traditional materials such as bronze

Insufficient tariff requires urgent intervention

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 30th March 2018 The current sugar import tariff of South Africa is insufficient to regulate imports, which makes it imperative that the tariff be increased, says South African Sugar Association (Sasa) executive director Trix Trikam. “There are various systems to implement tariffs, with South Africa employing a... →

PROBLEMATIC The Health Promotion Levy currently being pursued will have an adverse effect on the local sugar market

Plug-and-play IoT edge gateway launched for industry, mining

By: Schalk Burger 27th March 2018 Information technology (IT) hardware multinational DellEMC and local Internet of Things (IoT) developer IoT.nxt have launched an edge computing device, called the Raptor, which enables businesses to deploy an IoT network in their operational environments to integrate existing sensors and... →

Cape farmers lose 25% of orchards, vineyards as result of drought – expert

By: News24Wire 22nd March 2018 Drought-stricken farmers in the Western Cape have had to abandon at least a quarter of their high-value vineyards and deciduous fruit orchards because of a lack of water for irrigation. This has had a knock-on effect on rural employment, with the loss of about 30 000 seasonal farm worker jobs... →

New research facility to unlock economic potential of South Africa’s biomass waste

By: Shirley le Guern 20th March 2018 The Department of Science and Technology and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on Tuesday launched a R37.5-million Biorefinery Development Facility (BIDF) in Durban that will bridge the gap between research and development and industrialisation, while helping to rejuvenate... →

Science and Technology Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane and Biorefinery Development Facility group leader Bruce Sithole

Land expropriation without compensation key for economic growth – Masondo

By: Anine Kilian 6th March 2018 Land reform, including the uncompensated expropriation of land, is necessary for economic growth and development and will contribute towards ending unacceptable levels of inequality, poverty and unemployment, African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) member Dr David... →

Long-suffering SA manufacturing sector hoping to reap Ramaphosa dividend

By: Dylan Slater 2nd March 2018 Prior to the Valentine’s Day resignation of now former President Jacob Zuma, popular industry sentiment pointed towards a better year in terms of manufacturing and gross domestic product (GDP) on the back of a recovering commodities market. →

Trade agreement with the EU a boost for Western Cape exports

By: Kim Cloete 1st March 2018 The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and six countries in Southern Africa has been a boost for the Western Cape, with strong gains for the wine and fishing industries since it came into effect in October 2016. The EPA between the EU and the Southern African Customs... →

Consumers urged to buy local as poultry industry remains ‘in distress’

By: Simone Liedtke 27th February 2018 Despite being the highest per capita consumer of poultry products on the African continent, and the ninth-highest consumer in the world, South Africa finds its poultry industry in deep crisis, buy local campaign Proudly South Africa (SA) said at its first yearly poultry forum on Tuesday. Faced... →

Illovo’s economic value-add in Africa reported at R23.8bn

By: Schalk Burger 21st February 2018 Sugar producer Illovo Sugar Africa has estimated its positive economic impact across the six countries in which it operates at R23.8-billion, which includes a R5-billion direct positive economic impact. This is a 29% increase in the company’s total contribution to the economies over a period of... →

Treasury allocates R6bn for drought relief measures

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 21st February 2018 Citizens of towns in the Western Cape, particularly Cape Town, on Wednesday could give a sigh of relief as Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba outlined that a provisional allocation of R6-billion has been set aside in 2018/19 for drought relief measures and to augment public infrastructure investment.... →

Water department seeking partnerships to strengthen policy environment

By: Dylan Slater 9th February 2018 The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has reiterated that it is seeking partnerships with the public and private sectors, as well as civil society, to strengthen the current water and sanitation policy environment, said Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, during the Water Infrastructure Investment... →

South African grape variant to be launched at German fruit trade fair

By: Dylan Slater 6th February 2018 South African science institution, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), in partnership with the South African Table Grape Industry (Sati) and Culdevco, plans to launch a seedless red table grape at the South African National Pavilion during the Fruit Logistica Trade Fair, which takes place in... →

Fruit farmers opening sluices for Cape Town

By: News24Wire 6th February 2018 The fruit growers of the Groenland Water Users Association (GWUA) in the Western Cape will begin the release of between seven-million to ten-million cubic metres of water on Tuesday to help Cape Town avoid Day Zero, GWUA chief executive Johan Groenewald said. "We were blessed [with rain], even... →

South African table grape harvest seen stable despite drought

By: African News Agency 5th February 2018 The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) said on Monday that the country’s harvest would be stable in the 2017/2018 season despite the drought. “The country’s harvest is resilient with volumes stabilising despite the worst drought in decades,” SATI said in a statement. →

New models needed to revitalise and modernise SA’s water sector

By: Dylan Slater 2nd February 2018 Sustainable transformation in the South African water sector requires the introduction of new models and mechanisms for working relationships that will enhance the effective and efficient delivery of related water services to consumers, according to Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane. →

Showcase of SA's manufacturing prowess to debut in 2019

By: Dylan Slater 2nd February 2018 To showcase the best South Africa has to offer in terms of local manufacturing and South African-produced capital equipment, capital equipment manufactures lobby group the South African Capital Equipment Exporters Council (Saceec) has partnered with exhibition organisers Specialised Exhibitions... →

KfW Development Bank signs R900m loan facility with Land Bank

By: Anine Kilian 1st February 2018 Germany’s KfW Development Bank on Thursday signed an agreement for a R900-million loan to the Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank). The loan, which will assist the Land Bank with refinancing its loan book and extending longer-term financing to both emerging and... →

Land Bank CEO TP Nchocho

Crop munching pest in Africa raises hunger threat

By: Reuters 29th January 2018 A crop munching worm that can fly up to 100 km (60 miles) at night is spreading rapidly across Africa, threatening food production and the livelihoods of millions of farmers already struggling with conflicts and drought, experts said on Friday. The larvae form of fall armyworm prefers maize, but... →

South African maize planting area seen down 18% from last season

By: Reuters 26th January 2018 South African maize farmers are expected to plant 18% less of the staple crop this season due to dry and hot weather along the western part of the maize belt, a Reuters poll showed on Friday. South Africa's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) is expected to forecast the planted area at 2.159-million... →

Wine industry sees positives despite expected R700m shortfall

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 22nd January 2018 The smaller wine grape harvest anticipated by industry body Vinpro for this year is expected to result in a R700-million shortfall at farm gate, at a time when production costs have doubled in the past decade and the minimum wage for farm workers is set to increase by 17% in May. However, despite... →

Sawis warns wine grape crop may be smallest since 2005

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 19th January 2018 Continuing drought and low water supplies in the Western Cape may lead to South Africa’s smallest wine grape harvest since 2005, when 1.15-million tonnes were harvested owing to drought and diseases in some production areas. Industry body South African Wine Industry Information and Systems... →

Former Land Bank CEO convicted of fraud

By: African News Agency 19th January 2018 The specialised commercial crimes court in Pretoria has convicted former Land Bank CEO Philemon Radichaba Mohlahlane and three others of defrauding the bank of at least R6 million in a case dating back to 2012. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, said... →

Without rain, S Africa's Cape Town may run out of water by April

By: Reuters 16th January 2018 South Africa's Cape Town, one of the world's iconic tourist destinations, could run out of water by April as the city's worst drought in a century risks forcing residents to join queues for emergency rations. "Day Zero" – the date taps are due to run dry – has crept forward to April 22 as city... →

South Africa white maize futures scale 11-month peak on hot, dry conditions

By: Reuters 15th January 2018 South African white maize futures prices hit 11-month highs on Monday as a spell of hot, dry weather raised concerns about plantings and yields over a swathe of the maize belt. Maize is South Africa's staple crop and policy makers such as the central bank, which will meet later this week on... →

Drought conditions hit South African maize belt – industry group

By: Reuters 9th January 2018 The western part of South Africa's maize belt has been hit by drought and farmers there have only planted 70 to 75% of the area they had intended to, industry group Grain SA said on Monday. With the window of planting opportunity fast closing, the unexpected onset of dry conditions in the key... →

Balancing rules, safety and certification will be key to drone industry success

By: Dylan Slater 15th December 2017 The regulations and laws governing access to South African air space for remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) are sound and among the “best in the world”, according to Edenvale-based commercial drone operator Visual Air Productions director Stephen Verheul. →

South African poultry group calls for probe of forced labour in Brazil

By: Reuters 12th December 2017 South Africa's poultry industry body has asked the government to investigate allegations of forced labour in the sector in Brazil, the world's largest poultry exporter. The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) said it had asked its government to seek "urgent comment" after a report said... →

Omnia files contempt of court case at Foskor over contentious phosphoric acid pricing

By: Dylan Slater 8th December 2017 Diversified chemicals producer Omnia has filed a contempt of court case against phosphates and phosphoric acid producer Foskor over the alleged breaching of a court order by the Competition Tribunal →

Battling threat of sugar tax, excessive imports and low price

By: Victor Moolman 8th December 2017 The large amount of sugar being imported into South Africa has caused the country’s sugar industry, which may soon be further compromised by the introduction of a sugar tax, to start exporting sugar at world market prices to offload excess sugar, which it is unable to sell locally. While opposing... →

Photo by Victor Moolman
DEDICATED TO SUGAR CANE Large parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, about 360 000 ha, are dedicated to growing sugar cane

Municipalities to reduce emissions by diverting waste

By: Simone Liedtke 1st December 2017 Consulting engineering company JG Afrika and international specialist waste consultancy RWA have developed a strategy to help South African municipalities reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by diverting biodegradable waste from their landfills. →

WASTE-DIVERSION STRATEGY The strategy entails waste disposal and the beneficial use for business development

Potential of groundwater in spotlight again amid Western Cape drought

By: Dylan Slater 1st December 2017 Groundwater still holds significant potential to provide water for various uses, especially to augment large-scale supply during drought, notes Geological Society of South Africa: Western Cape ground water division chairperson Dr Roger Parsons. →

Crookes Brothers profits down on lower sugar cane revenue

By: African News Agency 29th November 2017 Agricultural firm Crookes Brothers said on Wednesday its after-tax profit decreased by 70.5% to R26.4 million in the six months ended September 2017, driven down by a decline in sugar cane revenue in the aftermath of drought. Crookes however said it expected results for the full year to March... →

Land Bank a key driver in transforming agri sector in South Africa

By: African News Agency 22nd November 2017 South Africa’s State-owned financial institution the Land Bank has a number of key deliverables, but one of the most important is to help transform the sector by assisting emerging and smallholder farmers. The Land Bank is one of the key institutions at the Africa Agri Investment Indaba 2017... →

Third biennial food and drink exhibition to be held in 2018

By: Simone Liedtke 17th November 2017 Conceptualised as a “for Africa by Africa” event, exhibition company Messe München South Africa (SA) will host the third biennial food and drink technology Africa (fdt Africa) exhibition from September 4 to 6 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, next year. →

FDT AFRICA 2018 The aim of fdt Africa 2018 is to consolidate the existing target groups of exhibitors and visitors

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