Sopia shines the spotlight on the potato industry’s resilience
State of affairs addresses are not only hosted by and for local government. The South African potato industry recently hosted its very own State of the Potato Industry Address (Sopia),…
Transnet doubles capacity as it gears up for grain season
State-owned Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has doubled the capacity available to transport grain from Bethlehem, in the Free State, by rail to the country’s ports for export. The State-owned freight utility…
Nine in 10 farmers still struggling with lockdown
It has been a long year for South Africa’s small and micro-farming community, the latest edition of the BeyondCovid Business Survey, conducted by specialist management consultancy Redflank, reveals. Released in…
Cannabis Master Plan to be presented to Nedlac
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) is on the verge of presenting a Cannabis Master Plan to Nedlac. DALRRD Minister Thoko Didiza says as the legalisation…
Biosecurity measures can reduce the risk of avian influenza in farmer flocks
As South Africa officially enters the colder months of the year with temperatures dropping, naturally everyone is mindful and takes more vitamins in the hope of avoiding the dreaded winter…
Citrus growers welcome world’s largest reefer vessel
Last week (May 14) marked a major milestone for the Port of Durban with the arrival of the world’s largest specialised reefer vessel, the Cool Eagle, which will help meet the capacity…
Large agricultural harvest and higher commodity prices continue to boost tractors and harvesters’ sales
South Africa’s agricultural machinery sales have remained on a positive footing since May 2020. The figures released by the South African Agricultural Machinery Association last week show that tractors’ and…
What do major agricultural forecasters say about the 2021/22 global grains and oilseeds season?
The outlook for global agricultural conditions is once again in the spotlight this week as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is scheduled to release its projections for the 2021/22 production…
Growth coalitions that work? We need to talk about citrus
The stand-out performance of the citrus industry in SA is an export-led success story, which has generated hundreds of thousands of jobs along the value chain. Less well appreciated is…
436,563 hectares released under land distribution programme
Deputy President David Mabuza says 436,563 hectares of land have to date been released and approved for allocation, under the land distribution programme. He said this while responding to oral…