Land Bank buys GroCapital debtors' book

The Land Bank has taken over the debtors' book of GroCapital Financial Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AFGRI in a deal that is worth R1,4-billion, according to a report published by Business Live. 26 Oct 2011 10:17

Agricultural, commodity prices to remain high in 2012

IOL reports that agricultural and commodity prices are expected to stay high during 2012, due to increased food prices volatility. Grain and meat prices increased considerably last year and, according to Grain SA, food inflation was at 32.7 percent year on year. 9 Jan 2012 15:01

Amandla Marine: Fishy patrol fleet tender

Times Live reports that the company in charge of South Africa's research and patrol fleet crashed a government ship - and is now refusing to pay for repairs estimated at up to R15m. 30 Dec 2011 09:27

AgriSA's 'confusion' over minimum wage calculation

Freshfruitportal.com reports that South African farmers body AgriSA has called on the government to "correct an apparent error" in a recent weekly minimum wage announcement. AgriSA president Johannes Möller pointed out inconsistencies in Minister of Labour Mildrid Oliphant's announcement, outlining minimum wages for farm workers for the next year. 9 Feb 2012 12:51

Food inflation will hurt consumers

Food price inflation is one of the main reasons that contributed to the Reserve Bank Governor, Gill Marcus' decision not to hike interest rates. Food inflation is currently 11.6%, considerably more than the overall inflation rate of 6.1%. 23 Jan 2012 10:20

Africa a priority for new FAO chief

Allafrica.com reports that the new director general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the world's flagship agency for food policy, has indicated that Africa will be his priority at a time of limited resources. In his first press conference, José Graziano da Silva said he wanted to see "one FAO" acting at country-level on the continent. 11 Jan 2012 12:05

Coming pomegranate season: SA industry optimistic

Freshfruitportal.com reports that South African pomegranate growers are forecasting a 25% year-on-year rise of exports for the coming season. Export and import company Sapex chief operating officer Kobus Louw says the sector is relatively new, having started just four years ago, adding that the industry had been growing exponentially but was still small compared to the US. 6 Jan 2012 15:31

'Axing' time for ASA?

Industry bodies are withdrawing levies and the CPA is putting added pressure on the industry... and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the regulatory body that protects consumers from unethical and misleading marketing and referees disputes between advertisers, is facing a funding crisis that could cripple its activities. Acts that are relevant to the ASA include, but are not restricted to: health, gambling, communciations, liquor, roads, and even lotteries. 28 Dec 2011 11:36

South Africa buys wheat

According to Bloomberg, The Moscow Times reports that South Africa is importing wheat from Russia for the first time in at least a decade. This happens as the price of grain from Russia - the world's third-biggest wheat exporter - undercuts Argentina, the biggest source of South African imports for the last four years. 21 Dec 2011 10:08

Department of Agriculture issues RVF warning

Rift Valley fever (RVf) is a viral disease that causes abortions and deaths mainly in sheep, goats and cattle. If animals are not vaccinated against RVf during these extensive periods of absence of RVf outbreaks the herds are totally susceptible to the disease. 12 Dec 2011 14:53

Who will feed the 7-billionth person, IFAD president asks

As the world's population has now reached seven billion, the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Kanayo F Nwanze, has raised the critical question of who will feed the planet's rapidly expanding population. 31 Oct 2011 14:31

SA leader for world gardening body

[Wilma den Hartigh] South Africa's reputation as a top performer and trend-setter in the global gardening industry was recently confirmed when the International Garden Centre Association (IGCA) appointed a South African as its president, for the first time. 30 Sep 2011 12:57

Botswana horticulture is over-dependant on government

The 23rd biannual conference in Botswana's horticultural sector was held in Gaborone recently under the theme, "Horticulture for Health for All By 2016". Speaking at the conference, the coordinator of the National Master Plan for the Arable Agriculture and Dairy Development (NAMPAADD) Fred Modise, said that over-involvement of the government in the running of the Botswana Horticultural Council (BHC) is delaying the growth of the horticulture sub-sector. 22 Sep 2011 13:11