Commodities & Fairtrade in South Africa

Citrus farmers face R600m loss

Sundays River Valley citrus farmers are set to lose up to R600m as half of their navel production has been lost due to abnormal weather patterns...

Western Cape drought holds serious implications for deciduous fruit industry

The current drought, as well as the predicted long-term drying trends in the Western Cape, has serious implications for the farming of deciduous fruit says HORTGRO...

20 minutes ago

New head leads Fairtrade Label SA in achieving 2017 goals

Leán Muller has recently been appointed as the new head to direct Fairtrade Label in accomplishing the vast goals it has set for 2017...

By Cari Coetzee 1 day ago

The pros and cons of commercial farming models in Africa

The search is on for alternatives to big plantations and estates that can bring in private investment without dispossessing local people...

By Ruth Hall, Dzodzi Tsikata and Ian Scoones 1 day ago

GlobalG.A.P. presents new TR4 Biosecurity Add-On for Bananas

TR4 is a plant disease of the roots of banana plants. GLOBALG.A.P. developed a tool whereby banana producers can curb the spread of the disease...

2 days ago

Poultry industry challenges shape Sovereign Foods results

According to Chris Coombes, Sovereign Foods CEO, three unusual events converged to create one of the most difficult trading years in the history of the company...

19 May 2017

Sovereign Foods reports increase in revenue despite difficult trading year

Poultry producer, Sovereign Foods released its annual audited financial results for the 2017 financial year ending 28 February 2017, which showed a revenue increase of 25% to R2,2 billion...

18 May 2017

Partnership as a panacea for enduring woes in agriculture

It is in the interest of agribusinesses to utilise development organisations as an effective channel to establish trust and create successful relationships with rural farmers....

By Justice Novati Rutenge 18 May 2017

Africa must start by treating agriculture as a business

To drive agro-industrialisation, we must be able to finance the sector. Doing so will help unlock the potential of agriculture as a business on the continent...

By Dr Akinwumi Adesina 17 May 2017

Astral Foods still concerned about EU's unfair practices

"We are not concerned about imports from the EU... We are concerned about the dumping of chicken product at a lower price than we can produce at."

By Colleen Goko and Andries Mahlangu 17 May 2017

#NAMPO2017: Fendt introduces high-tech tractors to SA market

"With this market launch, professional South African farmers can now manage their businesses with efficient and powerful Fendt machines.”

17 May 2017

New pork import clauses added

The Directorate Animal Health will no longer allow any products that are not subject to further processing to be imported in the same container as restricted pork import products...

16 May 2017

Study reveals the gender gap in Tanzania, Uganda climate policies

Overlooking gender issues in agriculture also comes at a high cost for the economies. A recent study by the World Bank concluded that closing the gender gap in agriculture would increase Tanzania's GDP...

By Mariola Acosta Francés, Edidah Lubega Ampaire, Lau 16 May 2017

SA making strides in leafroll virus management

The South African wine industry has made great strides to halt the spread of leafroll virus which poses a major threat to wine grape producers...

16 May 2017

International

Introducing the Greenhouse In a Box

In recent years, global warming has lead to a rapidly changing climate in India, temperatures across the country have reached soaring highs, negatively affecting the crops of many farmers. In fact, farmer suicides in India reached over 8,000 in 2015 as a result of this. Now, a farming technology startup named Kheyti is hoping to remedy this with their Greenhouse in a Box (GIB).

16 May 2017

Headway made in bringing Greek kiwifruit to SA stores

Hello Kiwi recently exhibited at the Food and Hospitality Exhibition (HOSTEX) and held a convention for stakeholders and media where the Greek Kiwi Producers Association discussed the importance of the trade relationship with South Africa as well as regulations with the Fresh Produce Imports Association. Thus, the European Unions's Hello Kiwi Programme is further building relationships with key players in the South African market in order to export Europe's kiwifruit to South Africa and have Greek kiwifruit sold in major retail stores.

11 May 2017

John Deere drops merger plan with Monsanto unit

WASHINGTON, US - US farm equipment giant John Deere has dropped plans to acquire a unit of Monsanto amid concerns the merger would be challenged by regulators.

3 May 2017

New FAO satellite tool helps African farmers optimise water productivity

With FAO's new tool, the WaPOR open-access database going live, measuring how efficiently water is used in agriculture, particularly in water-scarce countries, is going high-tech. The new tool taps into satellite data to help farmers achieve reliable agricultural yields and allows for the optimisation of irrigation systems.

24 Apr 2017