Agriculture

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Agriculture News

Farmers, consumers buckling under load-shedding-induced costs

By: Marleny Arnoldi 6th July 2022 Industry body Agri SA has warned of the impact of ongoing power outages on the agricultural sector, with rising risks of food insecurity and social instability. Agri SA’s remarks come in the wake of South Africa experiencing Stage 6 rolling blackouts, which involves longer and more frequent... →

Best practices, governance can create sustainable local wildlife economies

By: Schalk Burger 1st July 2022 Sustainable wildlife economies that directly benefit local communities and provide resources to support development, can be created, but require best practices and standardisation to ensure the quality, safety and marketability of products and services, as well as transparency across the value... →

Association stresses quality control is imperative

1st July 2022 As part of its continuous education process, Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (Sappma) continues to enlighten design engineers, contractors and all users of plastic pipe of the critical importance of getting the highest quality of polymers in the products they specify or... →

A bunch of blue plastic pipes which have a light shining thorug them form back to front

SHINING LIGHT Sappma continues to shine a light on the need for quality products and materials to its members

South African food inflation rose sharply in May

By: Rebecca Campbell 29th June 2022 Food inflation in South Africa rose sharply in May, in both year-on-year (y-o-y) and month-on-month (m-o-m) terms, the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) has reported in its latest Food Inflation Brief. In y-o-y terms, food and non-alcoholic beverage prices last month were up 7.6%. In... →

Anglo investing in expansion of organic waste upcycling company Sanergy

By: Schalk Burger 28th June 2022 Diversified mining multinational Anglo American is leading the latest investment round of organic waste upcycling business Sanergy, which has operations in Kenya. Sanergy's solutions are helping to transform how fast-growing cities in the developing world manage waste by upcycling it into... →

Tongaat establishes restructuring committee, appoints chief restructuring officer

By: Creamer Media Reporter 27th June 2022 Agroprocessing company Tongaat Hulett has established a restructuring committee as an additional subcommittee of its board of directors to oversee and approve negotiations and the consensual development of a plan to reduce and repay debt to sustainable levels. It will also be tasked with... →

Country Bird launches expanded Tigane processing plant

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 24th June 2022 Southern African agricultural business Country Bird Holdings’ (CBH’s) newly expanded Supreme Chicken Tigane chicken production facility in Hartebeesfontein, North West, was officially launched on June 23, the culmination of over five years of planning and the realisation of R180-million worth of... →

An image showing the new air chiller at the Tigane plant

Inside the new air chiller

Is it possible to convert old coal mines into successful farms?

By: Darren Parker 24th June 2022 The rehabilitation of South Africa’s closed coal mines has long been a source of contention among miners, environmental activists and affected communities. Numerous old mines were not rehabilitated at all, while many others were rehabilitated to within only the bare minimum requirements of the... →

Farmers petition government to intervene in Tiger Brands factory closure

By: Darren Parker 23rd June 2022 Fruit producers have made urgent requests to the Western Cape provincial government, as well as national government, to intervene in food manufacturer Tiger Brands’ decision to close down its canning factory in Ashton, in the Western Cape, which agriculture industry association Agri SA believes... →

GreenCape’s 2022 green economy market intelligence reports outline opportunities

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 15th June 2022 This year’s editions of nonprofit organisation GreenCape’s yearly green economy market intelligence reports (MIRs) have been made available. The reports were officially launched on June 7 by Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities Mireille Wenger and Western Cape Minister of... →

Chenin Blanc conference to be held in South Africa

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 15th June 2022 Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape, has been selected as the global meeting point this November for a multi-disciplinary congress on Chenin Blanc, a white wine grape. South Africa has more Chenin vines planted than the rest of the world combined; however, Chenin’s birthplace is the Loire, in France. →

Motsepe Foundation, partners invest in projects to uplift farmers, communities

By: Darren Parker 15th June 2022 Nonprofit organisation the Motsepe Foundation has launched two large-scale agricultural and farming projects involving rural and traditional communities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, in partnership with agriculture industry association Agri SA and established commercial farmers and agribusinesses.... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Darren Parker
Dr Patrice Motsepe

South African agriculture again recorded growth in the first quarter, but trend is slowing

By: Rebecca Campbell 15th June 2022 The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) has highlighted the continuing economic growth of the South African agricultural sector during the first quarter of this year (Q1 2022) but has warned that this growth was expected to decelerate “drastically” over the course of this year. In... →

ACI edges two points lower for the second quarter; higher costs, rates a concern

By: Marleny Arnoldi 13th June 2022 The Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz)/Industrial Development Corporation Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) has edged lower by two points to 60 in the second quarter of the year. This follows a 12-point decline in the first quarter of the year, as agribusinesses are bearing the brunt of... →

Tongaat stresses its commitment to the group’s recapitalisation

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 10th June 2022 JSE-listed agribusiness Tongaat Hulett has stressed to shareholders that it remains committed to the recapitalisation of the group and that it continues to engage proactively with a range of stakeholders on a sustainable capital structure for the group. This follows after the Takeover Regulation... →

Company produces over 1Mt of corrosion resistant steel

By: Halima Frost 10th June 2022 Stainless steel manufacturer Columbus Stainless, based in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, says that it has produced more than one-million tons of its 3CR12 chromium-containing corrosion-resistant stainless steel for a variety of applications for local and international clients. 3CR12 is a locally... →

A stainless steel 3CR12 exhaust pipe laying among a group of rusted metal exhaust pipes with a small seedling growing n front of it

SHINING LIGHT The notable corrosion resistance of Columbus Stainless's 3CR12 improve on cost of ownership and product longevity

Agriculture sector needs to prepare for incoming carbon tax, ESG guidelines

By: Marleny Arnoldi 9th June 2022 As the world approaches the exceedance of planetary boundaries, the agribusiness sector also needs to do its fair share of adaptation to ensure the sustainability of global food systems. This presents an opportunity for those that can pivot to adopting more sustainable practices. →

Paul Allen’s Institute helps South Africa thwart locust swarms

By: Bloomberg 9th June 2022 South Africa is bracing for a repeat of last season’s locust swarms, the worst in decades, and is banking on a tracking technology backed by the institute of Microsoft Corp’s late co-founder, Paul Allen, to tackle the infestation. Agri Eastern Cape, which represents farmers in the coastal... →

Wacker Neuson launches new training academy, as it celebrates fortieth anniversary in Africa

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 3rd June 2022 Construction machines and equipment, spare parts and services provider Wacker Neuson has celebrated its fortieth anniversary in Africa with the launch of a new training academy at its facility in Florida, Johannesburg. This milestone also comes in a year that saw the company achieve its best... →

The Wacker Neuson training acadamey

Takeover Regulation Panel nullifies shareholder waiver of Magister’s investment into Tongaat

By: Donna Slater 3rd June 2022 Sugar, ethanol, animal feeds and cattle company Tongaat Hulett reports that the Takeover Regulation Panel (TRP) has completed its investigation, concluding that the third parties and Magister Investments are concert parties, and accordingly that the shareholder waiver has been nullified as a... →

National rail policy to support local industry, manufacturing

By: Schalk Burger 3rd June 2022 The National Rail Policy White Paper has a deliberate bias towards local manufacturing to ensure industrialisation and the local production of steel, railway lines, rolling stock and supplies, and the State and private sector operators should procure all supplies from South African manufacturers,... →

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula

Tech company commissioned to run upgrades in UAE

3rd June 2022 Global technology company ABB has installed ABB Ability System 800xA, called the market-leading distributed control system (DCS) automation platform, to upgrade three grinding units at Star Super Cement in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), →

Company performs complex breakdown repair on rotor

3rd June 2022 Electro-mechanical services and repairs company Marthinusen & Coutts (M&C) recently performed comprehensive repairs to the rotor of an aging 30 MW generator which had failed during operation at JSE-listed forest group Sappi’s Saiccor pulp mill in Umkomaas, KwaZulu-Natal. →

MECHANICAL REBUILD Generator rotor undergoing dimensional checks in M&C mechanical rebuild

No racketeering decision yet in former Tongaat Hulett execs' fraud case

By: News24Wire 2nd June 2022 The National Director of Public Prosecutions has not yet made a decision on whether or not to charge former high-profile Tongaat Hulett executives with racketeering. This emerged on Thursday when the six appeared again before Durban Regional Court Magistrate Garth Davis. →

Argo Tractors inaugurates new head office in Kempton Park

By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd June 2022 Agricultural vehicle supplier Argo Tractors South Africa (Argo SA) has inaugurated its new head office, just off the R21 highway, in Kempton Park. The 16 000 m2 premises hosts a 6 000 m2 building, which includes office space and a 650 m2 showroom, as well as a 100 m2 training facility. About 2... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Marleny Arnoldi
Argo Tractors head office in Kempton Park

Land Bank aims for debt solution by end-Sept

By: Reuters 2nd June 2022 South Africa's Land Bank is working on a new debt restructuring plan that it hopes will be finalised by the end of September, the National Treasury said on Wednesday. The state-owned agricultural bank defaulted on its debt in April 2020 and missed a restructuring deadline in March 2021. It has so... →

FEFISOL II launched to support agriculture in Africa

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 1st June 2022 Following the success of the first FEFISOL fund, which closed in July 2021, its promoters – social investors Solidarité Internationale pour le Développement et l'Investissement (SIDI) and Belgian cooperative Alterfin – have structured a new fund dedicated to financing African rural microfinance... →

AMIE reiterates call for local chicken producers to further develop export markets

By: Donna Slater 1st June 2022 The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) has reiterated its stance that importing chicken into South Africa is crucial to keeping prices of locally available chicken in check for consumers, who it says are struggling to afford this vital source of protein. AMIE CEO Paul Matthew... →

Agri SA proposes diesel rebate scheme increase to buffer food prices from fuel hike

By: Schalk Burger 31st May 2022 A targeted intervention to increase the diesel rebate to the agricultural sector would buffer the cost pressures that impact food prices, while also being a more sustainable option over the coming months given pressures to the fiscus, says agricultural industry organisation Agri SA chief... →

Local poultry producers remain at odds with chicken importers on tariffs

By: Donna Slater 30th May 2022 In an ongoing dispute between chicken importers and local chicken farmers about lowering the prices of poultry products, trade movement FairPlay founder Francois Baird has challenged chicken importers to reveal their “substantial” profits and how much they have invested in expanding their... →

Ukraine conflict squeezes South Africa's citrus exports to Russia

By: Reuters 26th May 2022 The conflict in Ukraine has throttled South Africa's citrus exports to Russia and driven input costs higher, further squeezing fruit producers already suffering from spiralling shipping costs, an industry body said. The war, which started on February 24, blocked South Africa's citrus shipments... →

SA poultry producers missing out on export market with lax livestock health standards

By: Donna Slater 26th May 2022 The South African poultry industry is “missing a massive opportunity” to export products as a result of it not meeting the health and safety standards required by trade blocs such as the European Union (EU), says the South African Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE). A robust and... →

Kgodiso Development Fund investing R28m to support emerging raisin farmers

By: Schalk Burger 25th May 2022 The Kgodiso Development Fund has announced two new investments totalling R28-million, aimed at supporting emerging farmers in the raisin industry. The first project, in the Northern Cape, involves an investment of R12-million for the first year, in a partnership with industry association Raisins... →

AfDB starts fund to wean continent off Russian wheat

By: Bloomberg 20th May 2022 Africa’s biggest multilateral lender announced a $1.5-billion fund to boost grain production to help avert potential food shortages stemming from Russia’s war with Ukraine. The African Development Bank will use the facility to supply about 20-million farmers with climate-smart certified seeds and... →

Need for fire-related event realised

By: Halima Frost 20th May 2022 Event organisers Specialised Exhibitions’ inaugural Firexpo South Africa 2022 will highlight the services and products of local suppliers in the fire prevention and protection sector to visitors. The event will be hosted from May 31 to June 2 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, in Midrand, Gauteng. →

A picture of two gentlemen shaking hands at a branded stand at an event hosted by event organizer Specialised Exhibitions

FACE TIME The inaugural FireExpo 2022 will be held at the Gallagher Convention Centre and is one of the first in person expo's being held in over two years

Tongaat chairperson Von Zeuner steps down

By: Creamer Media Reporter 19th May 2022 Louis von Zeuner has resigned as chairperson of sugar producer Tongaat Hulett, but will remain on the board until June 30 to ensure a smooth handover to interim chairperson David Noko. Noko is lead independent nonexecutive director and will serve as interim chairperson until a successor is... →

SA Cangegrowers calls on government to honour Sugar Masterplan commitments

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 19th May 2022 When Minister Ebrahim Patel delivers the budget for the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) on May 20, industry organisation SA Canegrowers says it hopes he will use it as an opportunity to provide an update on government’s action to implement its commitments under the Sugarcane... →

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