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Agriculture News

New-configuration valve creates export potential

By: Halima Frost 10th August 2018 South African thermoplastic valves supplier Astore Keymak has placed an order for about 30 redesigned FK industrial butterfly valves (FK d90) from its Italy-based supplier Formatura Iniezione Polimeri (FIP) Valves, with first shipment expected later this year. The valves will be added to the... →

Irrigation system reduces water use in orchards by 70%

By: Erin Steenhoff-Snethlage 10th August 2018 Louirrigate’s micro drip irrigation system, Tree Hog, can reduce farmers’ water use by up to 70% in orchards, and save up to 70% of energy costs, claims Tree Hog designer and Louirrigate owner Louis Loubser, who is a wine and fruit farmer in Robertson, Western Cape. The Tree Hog system is... →

WATER CONSERVATION The Tree Hog can reduce water consumption by up to 70%

W Cape focusing on creating certainty in agriculture sector

By: Erin Steenhoff-Snethlage 10th August 2018 The Western Cape provincial government is focusing on creating certainty for the agriculture industry by trying to ensure that farmers can continue farming and save jobs by requesting an increase in the water allocation to the industry from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), says... →

CERTAINTY NEEDED Farmers are positive about recent rains in the Western Cape, but more rain is needed to sustain recovery efforts

South Africa has significant potential for biopharming, bio economy

By: Erin Steenhoff-Snethlage 10th August 2018 Judging by the number of patent applications filed for biopharming inventions by local universities, research councils and science councils, there is significant potential for South Africa to create an industry around biopharming, claims intellectual property firm Spoor & Fisher. “Biopharming is... →

Photo by Bloomberg
BIOPHARMING POTENTIAL Maize, potato, and tobacco plants can be used in biopharming

Omron focusing on aiding farmers

10th August 2018 Since early 2017, Japanese electronics company Omron has focused on providing solutions for the agricultural industry’s demand for technology and automation with the SX series of compact inverters, which is well suited for pumping applications, namely irrigation, that require smooth flow and... →

South African farmers face tough road to recovery

By: Erin Steenhoff-Snethlage 10th August 2018 Local orchards and vineyards could take between five and seven years to fully recover from the recent drought, provided there is average or above-average rainfall for three consecutive years, says agriculture industry association Agri SA head of natural resources Janse Rabie. “Because of the... →

Photo by Reuters
ROAD TO RECOVERY Drought stricken regions in South Africa need three years of significant rainfall to recover

Blockchain can facilitate development of communal lands

By: Schalk Burger 10th August 2018 Blockchain systems can provide a trusted registry of property ownership in communal lands, which can facilitate their development into productive assets, says Zimbabwean former commercial farmer and former chairman of the National Association of Dairy Farmers Dave Conolly. Conolly is researching... →

Photo by Reuters
ZIMBABWEAN FARMING Commercial transformation on the back of ownership and productive use of assets supports development

DA proposes free trade, cost and regulatory reductions to stimulate manufacturing

By: Schalk Burger 7th August 2018 Political party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), on Tuesday proposed increased free trade and reducing regulatory burdens and energy costs to stimulate manufacturing in South Africa. In its policy proposal, ‘Manufacturing a new economic future’, the party states that “an effective trade policy... →

Staude to retire as Tongaat CEO; CFO to take extended medical leave of absence

By: Creamer Media Reporter 6th August 2018 Peter Staude will retire as CEO of JSE-listed Tongaat Hulett, with effect from October 31. He worked for the company for 40 years and served as CEO for the past 16 years. →

Tunisia, AfDB to launch drones pilot project for agriculture management

By: Marleny Arnoldi 30th July 2018 Tunisia and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have signed an agreement for the launch of a pilot project to use drones for data collection, which will enhance the management of agricultural projects in the country. The project will be implemented over the next ten months and will receive... →

G20 agriculture ministers slam protectionism, pledge WTO reforms

By: Reuters 30th July 2018 Agriculture ministers from the G20 countries criticized protectionism in a joint statement on Saturday, and vowed to reform World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, but did not detail what steps they would take to improve the food trade system. In the statement, they said they were "concerned about... →

Cairns Group Farm Leaders disappointed at new US agricultural subsidies

By: Anine Kilian 27th July 2018 The Cairns Group Farm Leaders, which comprises a group of farm organisations from various agricultural exporting countries, including South Africa, have expressed concern about the US administration’s announcement that it will provide $12-billion to support US farmers impacted by tariffs imposed... →

Company completes reusable bins supply for new vehicle model

By: Halima Frost 27th July 2018 Rotational and low pressure injection moulding specialists Kaymac Structural Foam (KSF) completed a contract with a leading German automobile manufacturer last month, where it supplied reusable collapsible bins for components of a new vehicle model being manufactured in South Africa for world... →

HOLDING IT TOGETHER Collapsible bins were produced to hold automotive parts

As crops dry, Malawi turns to solar irrigation

By: Reuters 23rd July 2018 As climate change brings longer droughts, farmers in eastern Malawi's already dry Lake Chilwa basin are seeing an ever-more-frequent disaster: maize wilting or drying completely, leaving families hungry. "In the past many farmers relied on rain-fed agriculture to grow their food," said Edwin... →

SA’s ambitious Youth Employment Service starts taking shape

By: Marleny Arnoldi 20th July 2018 The Youth Employment Service (YES) aims to create one-million jobs within three years to help alleviate the situation of six-million unemployed youths in South Africa, 60% of whom reside in townships and rural areas. YES was established by the CEO Initiative, which is a partnership created... →

YES CEO Tasmia Ismail-Saville discusses the first hub opening and company involvement towards the initiative. Camerawork and Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

Company facilitates provincial prosperity

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 20th July 2018 With sustainable woodfibre products and solutions provider Sappi’s KwaZulu-Natal operations contributing about R11.7-billion annually to the province’s economy, the company is pursuing socioeconomic transformation in its communities of operation. “We recognise that transformation is not just a... →

ENTRENCHED PLAYER Sappi Southern Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal operations contribute R11.7-billion to the province’s economy yearly

System installed at sugar refinery

20th July 2018 Industrial equipment group Goscor Cleaning Equipment (GCE), in partnership with authorised dealer Maverick Industrial Cleaning Solutions, recently supplied and installed a Delfin vacuum system at agroprocessing company Tongaat Hulett sugar refinery in Rossburgh, Durban, the company noted in a... →

SYSTEM SUPPLY The Delfin vacuum system was supplied and installed through Maverick Industrial Cleaning Solutions

Sappi to build xylitol, furfural production demo plant

By: Creamer Media Reporter 18th July 2018 Pulp and paper producer Sappi has decided to build a demonstration plant to further scale up its novel Xylex technology for the production of xylitol and furfural. The plant, which will become operational in early 2019, will be located adjacent to the existing sugars and lignin extraction plant... →

Company to expand channel blowers range

By: Halima Frost 13th July 2018 Sandton-based side-channel blower supplier CR Elec plans to expand on its offerings, which will complement its existing Sirocco brand. A side-channel blower can generate significantly higher pressures than industrial fans, and is also known as a vacuum pump or vacuum compressor. The side-channel... →

BLOWING AWAY COMPETITION Side-channel blowers across the range will maximise offerings

Occupational disease prevention campaign launched

By: Schalk Burger 6th July 2018 Workplace health and safety compensation funds Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA), Federated Employer’s Mutual Assurance Company and the Department of Labour Compensation Fund, as well as the Department of Mineral Resources, on Thursday launched the Occupational Disease Prevention Campaign, in... →

Installation of water metering system complete

By: Donald Makhafola 6th July 2018 Utility management company Bosch Munitech in March completed the design and installation of a metering and monitoring system to manage water consumption for the Lower Berg River Irrigation Board, in the Western Cape. The company was appointed last year in November to install the Krohne Waterflux... →

COMPLIANT The Krohne Waterflux electromagnetic flow meter is a low maintenance water meter which meets stringent potable water standards designed for bidirectional flow measurement

Chemicals factory to support value chain opened in Maluti-a-Phofong SEZ

By: Schalk Burger 6th July 2018 An industrial chemicals factory opened in the Maluti-a-Phofong special economic zone (SEZ), in Harrismith, Free State, will play a key intermediate role in supporting the value chains that pass through this transport node, says the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Chemicals and Textiles... →

KEVALI FACTORY IN HARRISMITH Visitors and dignitaries tour the new chemicals factory in July

Moody’s warns of credit implications for Africa as China shifts to consumption-led growth

By: Simone Liedtke 3rd July 2018 China's shift to consumption-led growth will have mixed credit implications for African sovereigns, flattening the trade volumes of oil and ferrous metal exporters, while benefitting other exporters and tourist destinations, Moody's Investors Service said in a report published on Tuesday. "China... →

Danone's Morocco dairy firm loses 50% of milk market – CEO

By: Reuters 27th June 2018 France's Danone will never quit Morocco despite its local dairy firm Centrale Danone having lost more than 50% of its market share in fresh milk due to a consumer boycott, Danone's chief executive said on Tuesday. Unknown activists launched a consumer boycott campaign on April 20 against major... →

Omnia lifts FY18 profit by 12% y/y

By: Anine Kilian 26th June 2018 JSE-listed Omnia Holdings posted positive results for the financial year ended March 31, with group revenue having increased by 7% year-on-year to R17.37-billion, as a result of a stronger performance by the mining and chemicals divisions. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and... →

Omnia CEO Adriaan de Lange talks about the group's profitable financial year

Sub-Saharan farmers to fight Fall Armyworm with new digital weapon

By: African News Agency 26th June 2018 The fight by sub-Saharan farmers against the Fall Armyworm pest, which has devastated crops and threatened food security for 300-million people, has gone digital. The United Nations (UN) has reported that the new weapon which was launched by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and... →

South African sugar industry to march over influx of imports

By: African News Agency 26th June 2018 Hundreds of sugar cane farmers from KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces will on Tuesday march to the Department of Trade and Industry in Tshwane demanding that a tariff on sugar be reinstated to protect the domestic industry from cheap imports. The South African Sugar Association (SASA) said... →

Metair considers debt funding options for proposed TAB acquisition

By: Anine Kilian 25th June 2018 JSE-listed Metair and its advisers are assessing the most effective and efficient debt funding alternatives for settling the proposed €300-million purchase price for Tovarna Akumulatorskih Baterij (TAB), in Slovenia. Metair earlier this month announced that it had submitted an indicative... →

Saldanha Bay aquaculture development zone gets green light

By: Marleny Arnoldi 22nd June 2018 The proposed sea-based Aquaculture Development Zone (ADZ), in Saldanha Bay, in the Western Cape, has been granted an environmental authorisation. →

Strong attendance growth at Fastener Fair Turkey 2018

22nd June 2018 Exhibitors at the fourth edition of the Fastener Fair Turkey 2018 welcomed high calibre Turkish and international visitors for three days, with a total of 2 900 managers, engineers and buyers visiting the event. This represents an impressive 70% growth, compared with the 2016 show. →

Avocado 'green gold' ripe and ready for South Africa's farmers

By: Reuters 21st June 2018 Whether you like to squash it onto your toast in the morning, millennial-style, eat it to cut your cholesterol with healthy unsaturated oil, or moisturise your face with it - if you live in the West, you're probably rarely far from an avocado. And that is very good news for South Africa's... →

Emission abatement technology could drive industrialisation – EPCM Global

By: Nadine James 20th June 2018 South African firm EPCM Global Engineering has partnered with Luxembourg-based Carbon Process & Plant Engineering (CPPE) to bring its emissions abatement technology to Africa, in a move that could spur industrialisation, says EPCM Global CEO Tumi Kgomo. He explains that the technology, which was... →

South Africa’s metrology institute reports successful food safety conference

By: Rebecca Campbell 14th June 2018 The National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) announced earlier this week that it had held its first Africa Food Safety Workshop during the first week of this month, in Pretoria. The event was attended by delegates form South Africa, Africa and the rest of the world. They represented... →

Sea Harvest to acquire fishing business, stake in subsidiaries of Viking Fishing

By: Marleny Arnoldi 13th June 2018 A consortium of broad-based black economic empowerment investors, led by fishing and food business Sea Harvest together with its subsidiary Sea Harvest Corporation, has entered into sale agreements with Viking Fishing Holdings to acquire the fishing business and selected shareholdings of Viking... →

Africa's largest fishing firm Oceana could lose fishing rights in Namibia

By: Reuters 6th June 2018 Africa's largest fishing company Oceana Group faces a battle to hold onto its fishing rights in Namibia after the southern African country said listed firms would no longer be awarded quotas. Bidvest Namibia, which is listed on Namibia's stock exchange, could also lose its local fishing rights... →

AgriProtein aims to break ground on R500m Gauteng fly factory in November

By: Irma Venter 6th June 2018 Waste-to-nutrient group AgriProtein aims to break ground on its second South African fly factory in November. AgriProtein rears fly larvae on organic waste and harvests the larvae to make natural, high-protein animal and fish feed products. →

The Cape Town fly factory

Land Bank welcomes board changes

By: Simone Liedtke 4th June 2018 The Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank) has welcomed recent appointments to its board, which it believes will serve to strengthen its commitment to good corporate governance. The recent appointments include MA Moloto as the new chairperson of the board, D Hlatshwayo... →

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