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Farming Economics News

Good rains lift SA crop production estimates – agricultural economist

By: African News Agency 30th January 2019 After a slow start to the 2018/19 summer crop season with severe dryness during December particularly in parts of the North West and Free State provinces, conditions rebounded early in January 2019 as good rains provided the much-needed moisture for planting, a senior agricultural economist said... →

Agricultural sector plan prioritises job creation, agroprocessing

By: Marleny Arnoldi 29th January 2019 Agbiz CEO Dr John Purchase on Tuesday shared the agricultural sector’s five-year business plan at the Business Unity South Africa Business Economic Indaba, held in Midrand. The plan for this sector prioritised the recovery of jobs lost as a result of the drought in the country and to continue... →

Agbiz CEO Dr John Purchase discusses the agricultural sector's five-year business plan. Video and editing: Nicholas Boyd.

South Africa farmers seek R3bn in drought aid

By: Reuters 25th January 2019 South Africa's agricultural industry body AgriSA will approach banks, agribusiness and government to raise R3-billion to help farmers hit by severe drought, its executive director said on Friday. Farmers have faced dry conditions over most of the nation for the last year, even as they are still... →

Company focused on agriculture

By: Cameron Mackay 25th January 2019 The agricultural sector is set to become a significant focal point for leading bearings and power transmission product distributor Bearings International (BI) in 2019, as it expands its portfolio of agricultural application products in the first quarter of this year. “There are a few product... →

AGRI-SMART SOLUTION The joint venture will bring the most essential spare products closer to farmers, in order to satisfy their maintenance needs for bearings and agricultural products

South African wine grape crop for 2019 ‘marginally larger’ – Vinpro

By: Simone Liedtke 21st January 2019 The 2019 South African wine grape harvest is expected to be only slightly larger than that of 2018, as vineyards are still recovering from a three-year drought, bad weather during fruit set in October and a continued decline in wine grape vineyards, agricultural association Vinpro said in a... →

The 2018 harvest amounted to just over 1.2-million tonnes, 14% smaller than the previous year, mainly owing to the drought

AGCO to take farm mechanisation into rural African communities

By: African News Agency 21st January 2019 Global agriculture company AGCO has launched an initiative to take farm mechanization deep into rural communities in Africa to facilitate food security and unlock the potential of small-scale farming. AGCO, a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, unveiled the Farm in a... →

Drought, animal disease threaten South African farmers

By: Reuters 21st January 2019 South African grain and red meat farmers are bracing for hard times after dry weather conditions and an outbreak of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease suspended meat exports, officials said on Friday. Maize prices have climbed amid concerns that dry conditions in the main part of South... →

Don’t hurt farmers with higher electricity tariffs, says Agri Western Cape

By: Kim Cloete 15th January 2019 Sharp electricity tariff hikes would have a major detrimental effect on the agricultural sector, Agri Western Cape has said during public hearings into electricity tariffs. In its submission to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa), Agri SA said high increases in electricity costs... →

Agri-hub seen as key post-mining-economy jobs driver in west Gauteng

By: Terence Creamer 14th January 2019 An ambitious plan to develop Gauteng’s West Rand into an agri-industrial hub, primarily producing high-value crops for domestic and export markets, is starting to take shape and is expected to be officially launched during the first quarter of 2019. The initiative has been branded ‘Bokamoso Ba... →

Photo by Sibanye-Stillwater
The programme is part of bigger plan to build a sustainable post-mining economy in the West Rand

Dry conditions threaten 2019 maize crop – Grain SA

By: Reuters 12th December 2018 Dry conditions in the main part of South Africa's maize belt have delayed crop plantings, threatening yields for the staple food and sending prices sharply higher, the farmers lobby group Grain South Africa said on Tuesday. With the optimum planting window fast closing in the western part of the... →

Measures in place to boost the Western Cape economy

By: Thabi Madiba 7th December 2018 The Western Cape economy remains relatively stable despite challenges affecting consumer spending, says Western Cape Economic Opportunities Minister Beverley Schäfer. “The province has recorded good gains in employment, and continues to record the lowest expanded unemployment rate in the country.” →

Beverley Schäfer Growth in the Western Cape economy slowed down over the past years because of the drought that impacted on some of the province’s key sectors such as agriculture and tourism

Partnership for land tenure rights mutually beneficial

By: Paige Müller 7th December 2018 Sugar producer Illovo Sugar Africa has been partnering nongovernmental organizations, governments and global donors to transform the landscape of tenure rights in its operating countries, says Illovo Sugar Africa Group MD Gavin Dalgleish. “Africa has the highest proportion of agricultural land... →

Photo by Bloomberg
WOMEN IN SUGAR More than 65% of those who have benefited from the Illovo Maragra plantation partnership to date have been women

Agribusiness outlook remains cautious as lack of rainfall issue looms

By: Simone Liedtke 5th December 2018 The agriculture sector’s optimistic outlook at the start of the 2018/19 production season has changed, says Agbiz agribusiness research head Wandile Sihlobo. Despite the season having started with farmers aiming to lift the summer grain and oilseed planting activity by 5% from the previous season... →

Photo by Simone Liedtke
Agbiz agribusiness research head Wandile Sihlobo

First institutional anaerobic digester launched at NPO’s Johannesburg premises

By: Simone Liedtke 28th November 2018 To promote renewable energy as a cost-effective technology in a world facing the impact of climate change and global warming, the University of South Africa, diversified miner Exxaro Resources and the South African National Energy Development Institution on Wednesday launched its first... →

Photo by Simone Liedtke
The University of South Africa, Exxaro Resources and the South African National Energy Development Institution on Wednesday launched its first institutional anaerobic digester at nonprofit organisation EARTH Centre’s premises, in Johannesburg

Treasury loses out on more than R1bn in VAT from drought-stricken farmers

By: News24Wire 27th November 2018 The government has lost out on more than R1-billion in VAT from drought-stricken farmers who were forced to cut production after their irrigation water from the Cape supply dams was radically reduced a year ago. Agri Western Cape CEO Carl Opperman said on Monday this was one of the facts he... →

Astral commits to R1.1bn in expansion projects

By: Simone Liedtke 19th November 2018 On the back of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent investment drive and stimulus plan, integrated poultry producer Astral Foods has committed R1.1-billion to expansion projects over the next three years. This is the JSE-listed company’s first major expansion in its poultry division in a decade and... →

Wine looking positive in the face of poor economy

16th November 2018 Despite the poor performance of the economy, industrial research company BMi Research says the wine industry yielded a positive volume growth relative to the previous year. The company notes that the growth in production may be attributed to farmers investing in improved irrigation systems as... →

MALTITUDE OF BEERS With lower incomes households are opting for cheaper beers at home instead of at restaurants

Big five to save water for wine producers

By: Halima Frost 16th November 2018 Owing to the prolonged drought that has caused severe challenges, the local wine industry is researching more efficient ways of monitoring and managing water use through five projects, says representative body of the South African wine industry Vinpro. This comes after what has been recorded as... →

RIPE FOR THE PICKING The harvest done at exactly the right time makes for a good wine

Cane valuations, land negotiations dent Tongaat Hulett’s H1 headline earnings

By: Marleny Arnoldi 12th November 2018 JSE-listed agriculture and agroprocessing group Tongaat Hulett suffered a 64% year-on-year decrease in operating profit for the six months ended September 30 to R530-million, compared with the R1.4-billion profit reported for the six months ended September 30, 2017. Tongaat said on Monday that... →

Prototype soil sampling device being tested for use in agriculture

By: Schalk Burger 26th October 2018 A cost-effective, handheld soil and water chemical testing device for use in agriculture is being developed and tested by information technology research subsidiary IBM Research, says IBM Research Brazil Industrial Technology & Science manager Dr Mathias Steiner. The AgroPad is a business... →

AGROPAD SCAN Farmers can gain meaningful information to optimise conditions to grow a specific crop

Govt commits support for clothing, textiles sector and emerging farmers

By: Marleny Arnoldi 24th October 2018 The National Treasury has, over the medium term, placed incentives for agriculture, land reform, manufacturing and research and development among its priorities for expenditure reprioritisation. The Clothing and Textile Competitiveness Programme has helped sector exports grow from R7.1-billion in... →

Simple farm implement can increase crop yield, reduce soil erosion

By: Creamer Media Reporter 19th October 2018 Ethiopia-based farm implement manufacturer Aybar Engineering exhibited its Broad Bed Maker (BBM) farm implement at this year’s Maker Faire Rome exhibition, which took place from October 12 to 14 in Rome, Italy. The company was established in 2014 to develop improved agricultural implements for... →

Photo by Aybar Engineering
The Aybar BBM is a land management system that assists farmers to construct broad bed furrows to drain excess water in vertisols

Stats SA to conduct commercial agriculture census

By: Marleny Arnoldi 8th October 2018 Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) will, on October 15, embark on a countrywide Census of Commercial Agriculture. About 600 field staff will visit commercial farms across the country to establish the number of commercial farmers, farm size, crop type being farmed in different geographic areas,... →

AfDB seeks partnerships to lift 1bn people out of hunger

By: Simone Liedtke 26th September 2018 The African Development Bank (AfDB) has called on global partners to join hands to lift one-billion people globally out of hunger. The finance institution said in a statement that it was leading the way by investing $24-billion in African agriculture over the next decade. →

Agribusiness confidence declines significantly in third quarter – index

By: Marleny Arnoldi 10th September 2018 The Agbiz/Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Agribusiness Confidence Index has fallen below the neutral 50-point mark, declining by six points to 48 in the third quarter of the year – the lowest level since the second quarter of 2016, which was a drought year. Agbiz states that while the... →

AfDB, FAO to collaborate again on boosting agriculture investments in Africa

By: Marleny Arnoldi 28th August 2018 The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have agreed to strengthen joint efforts aimed at growing agriculture sector investments in Africa. The organisations will raise up to $100-million over five years to support these activities,... →

Agricultural organisations commit to developing national strategy

By: Simone Liedtke 27th August 2018 The presidents of the African Farmers Association of South Africa (Afasa), the National African Farmers Union of South Africa (Nafu SA), Agri SA and the Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa (Tau-SA), as members of the Agri Sector Unity Forum (Asuf), on Monday declared their intent to work... →

Gauteng rapid land release programme to be launched next week

By: Simone Liedtke 22nd August 2018 Gauteng Premier David Makhura will, on August 31, launch the province’s rapid land release programme, in which he plans to make provincial land and buildings available for the development of human settlements and for urban agriculture projects. Speaking at the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and... →

ANC, AgriSA to meet over expropriation, economy

By: News24Wire 20th August 2018 The ANC and AgriSA, the country’s largest representative body of commercial farmers, will meet on Tuesday to discuss the heated issue of expropriation without compensation. This follows months of uncertainty in the agricultural sector and the broader economy after the ANC’s initial decision to... →

Tiger Brands’ shares fall on lower FY18 earnings expectations

By: Simone Liedtke 16th August 2018 JSE-listed Tiger Brands’ share price fell by nearly 9.8% on Thursday morning after it announced that its earnings per share (EPS) and headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the financial year to end September 30 are likely to decrease by 22% to 37% year-on-year. It reported EPS of R19.15 and HEPS... →

Davies endorses Itac’s recommendation of increase in sugar import duties

By: Simone Liedtke 15th August 2018 Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies has endorsed the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa’s (Itac’s) recommendation for an increase in import duties on sugar to $680/t. While the level is not at the maximum bound rate, as initially requested by the industry in the... →

AfDB head calls for agriculture technologies to optimize African farmers' output

By: African News Agency 10th August 2018 African farms should be given access to technologies that will enhance production, with evidence from countries such as Nigeria demonstrating that technology coupled with strong government backing are yielding positive results, African Development Bank (AfDB) president Akinwumi Adesina has said.... →

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

App monitors spread of FAW in Africa

By: Erin Steenhoff-Snethlage 10th August 2018 The Fall Armyworm Monitoring and Early Warning System (FAMEWS) application (app) can save 300-million people in Africa from food insecurity and prevent significant economic losses in maize of up to $4.8-billion, caused by the infestation of the fall armyworm (FAW), says Food and Agriculture... →

Photo by Bloomberg
PEST ARMY The invasion of the fall armyworm is threatening the food security of 300-million people in Africa

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

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