New funding deal for emerging farmers

Fin24 reports the Land Bank and the African Development Bank have set up a R1-billion fund to help emerging and commercial farmers who need access to finance. The loans will carry a two-year moratorium on repayments, which will be payable over 15 years. 5 Jul 2012 16:22

DA, ANC at loggerhead on land-audit delays

A Democratic Alliance (DA) statement on Allafrica.com says that, in reply to a parliamentary question at the beginning of March, the minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Gugile Nkwinti undertook to complete its comprehensive land audit by the end of June. Yet, the DA's Tina Joemat-Pettersson now said "that this would now only be done by the end of the year." 5 Jul 2012 14:22

Ostrich cull grows as flu virus spread

SA's beleaguered ostrich industry, already collapsing under a European Union (EU) export ban as it waits for at least three months for bird flu tests to prove negative, has suffered a blow after the virus was found in the Breede River to Great Brak River area last week. 5 Jul 2012 13:34

Maize‚ wheat higher on weaker rand

South African maize and wheat prices ended higher on Wednesday on the back of a weaker rand‚ which results in international buyers paying less for local produce. 5 Jul 2012 10:36

Lion Encounter and ALERT partner with Greenpop

Through their "Trees for Zambia" project, Cape Town-based social enterprise Greenpop aims to fight the deforestation in the Livingstone area. The goals of this project are to plant indigenous trees in protected national parks and concessions, plant fruit trees at schools, educate the local community about the importance of trees, and develop micro tree-nurseries that will give local community members an additional revenue - and that will give trees a direct value. 5 Jul 2012 10:27

SA farmers to benefit from US agency fund

[Hopewell Radebe] South African agribusinesses struggling to raise funds to expand into neighbouring states should get a boost following the establishment of the Strategic Partnership Grant Fund by a US aid agency. 4 Jul 2012 15:50

SA land issue is about economy, not emotions or politics, TAU SA

According to farmer union TAU SA, a summit should be held to decide how to best allocate land in order to accommodate food, infrastructure, and housing needs for the next 100 years, iAfrica.com reports. 4 Jul 2012 12:23

Brazil challenges SA's anti-dumping duties on poultry

Tax-news.com reports that the Brazilian government requested the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to intervene in its dispute with South Africa who - Brazil says - imposed unfair anti-dumping duties on Brazilian poultry meat. 3 Jul 2012 13:46

A chirp too soon

Brazil's challenge against SA's antidumping tariffs on poultry imports at the World Trade Organisation is "premature", says the SA Poultry Association. 3 Jul 2012 08:06

Maize surplus forecast cut sharply

[Hopewell Radebe] Poor rains have lowered the crop forecast for this year‚ with Grain SA predicting that a significantly reduced maize surplus of just 1-million tons - a quarter of what farmers produced last year - could affect food prices‚ Business Day reported Friday. 3 Jul 2012 08:00

No land reform pandemonium: Joemat-Pettersson

The ANC must not create "pandemonium" among business and the public over land reform, Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson said on Thursday. 3 Jul 2012 07:54

The Undercover Farming industry's 2013 Expo is announced

Fresh Plaza portal reports that exhibitors were invited to book exhibition space at the Undercover Farming Expo and Conference, taking place from 5 to 7 March 2013. The exhibition follows the successful inaugural Undercover Farming Expo held in Gauteng earlier this year. 2 Jul 2012 14:44

Minister: 'willing buyer-willing seller' principle must go

iAfrica.com reports that SA's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries advocated the expropriation of white farmers, arguing that the ruling party's land reform had failed 18 years on from the end of apartheid. "The content for us on land reform is absolutely clear: the willing buyer-willing seller principle of land reform must go," minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson told SAfm radio. 29 Jun 2012 13:54

ANC: no 'sensitive' land for foreigners, review 'willing buyer, willing seller' policy

In its discussion paper on rural development and land reform, the ANC proposes that new land acquisitions by foreigners should be subjected to leaseholds rather than outright ownership, Sowetan Live reports. New legislation - the ANC says - should enable the government to acquire "sensitive and controlled" land on the market before foreigners are able to acquire it. 28 Jun 2012 13:17