Latest News
SA’s soybean success story needs to be heard and replicated
Over the past couple of weeks, soybeans hit the headlines in global media, spurred by then rising tensions in US-China trade relations. Coincidentally, the crop dominated agricultural media house headlines here at home as well, but not at a bigger scale and for different reasons. South Africans had learned from the National Crop Estimates Committee’s monthly updates that the country’s soybean harvest could reach 1.4 million tonnes in the 2017/18 production season, which is a record harvest - Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz economist
Published: 11/05/2018
MoreSouth African tractor sales grew by 15% y/y in April 2018
After experiencing robust growth of 41% y/y in March 2018, driven by government procurement ahead of the end of its financial year, the South African tractor sales grew at a relatively softer pace of 15% y/y in April, with 459 units sold. On average, 22 tractors were sold a day last month, compared to 35 tractors in March 2018 and 19 tractors a day in April 2017 - Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz eonomist
Published: 09/05/2018
MoreAgbiz announces the passing of its Chairman, Mr Schalk Pienaar
“It is with sadness that Agbiz announces the sudden passing of its chairman, Mr Schalk Pienaar, on Sunday, the 6th of May 2018. Mr Pienaar had been the Chairman of Agbiz since 2010, a role that he fulfilled with true leadership and distinction. He will be sorely missed, not only by Agbiz and its members, but by the whole agriculture and agribusiness fraternity for his wise counsel and constructive contributions over decades of service in various leadership positions in agribusiness”, said Dr John Purchase, CEO of Agbiz, today.
Published: 07/05/2018
MoreSome Upswing in South Africa’s Grain Production Estimates
South Africa is in for a fairly good harvest in 2017/18 production season. This was confirmed by the third production forecasts released by the National Crop Estimate Committee this afternoon. All summer crop production estimates were revised up from previous month’s levels, with the exception of dry beans. In the same vein, winter crop farmers intend to increase the area plantings this upcoming season - Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz economist
Published: 03/05/2018
MoreConsumers will benefit from fewer farming pressures
This year promises to be a fairly good one for South African consumers, particularly from a food cost perspective. The deceleration in food inflation that was observed in 2017 could again prevail this year as large grain stocks and the expected good harvest in the current production season continue to underpin the market - Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz economist *This essay first appeared on Business Day on 26 April 2018.
Published: 03/05/2018
MoreSA agricultural trade sustains a good momentum
In February 2018, the cumulative agricultural exports were valued at R20.89 billion leading to a positive net trade of R3.736 billion. Agricultural exports were dominated by the table grapes, stone-fruit, wine, cuttlefish and tilapia - Sifiso Ntombela, trade economist and Agbiz Head: International Trade and Investment Intelligence
Published: 03/05/2018
MoreSA food price inflation decelerates further to 3.5%
Food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation decelerated to 3.5% in March 2018, from 3.9% in the previous month. This is the lowest levels since December 2013 - thanks to last season’s robust crop output, as well as deceleration in meat price inflation. While there might be a slight uptick in the coming months in anticipation of the VAT and sugar tax effect, we expect the food and non-alcoholic beverages price inflation to remain at fairly low levels this year cushioned by a large grain stock from the current marketing year, as well as the expectation of a fairly good summer grain harvest - Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz economist
Published: 20/04/2018
MoreWestern Cape’s prospects depend on good winter rain
The west coast of South Africa, which is well known for good wines and being the country’ major winter grains producing region, has been saddled with below-normal winter rainfall for the past three years. The impact of this is clear from the Western Cape’s dwindling agricultural output - Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz economist
Published: 13/04/2018
MoreONLY 30 DAYS LEFT to register for the 2018 Agbiz Congress
We are pleased to announce another international keynote speaker, Dr Neal Gutterson, Chief Technical Officer at Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™. Dr Gutterson will bring us valuable insight on research and development, as well as product development in relation to our congress theme of ‘Uncertainty Creates Opportunity’.
Published: 10/04/2018
MoreLand dynamics in Africa: What is the potential for agricultural expansion?
Estimates by Fischer and Shah (2010) suggest that the world has 446 million hectares of potentially available uncultivated land. Of this, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 202 million hectares or 45 percent - Dr Tinashe Kapuya and Mr Wandile Sihlobo
Published: 05/04/2018
More