Cannabis, hemp will bring opportunities but not as high as expected
There is still room for advancing the cannabis and hemp industries in South Africa. But we cannot position these as major game-changers in our agricultural sector’s... Read more.
Food inflation likely to soften in 2026 though foot and mouth disease remains challenge
On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Statistics South Africa will release the country’s January 2026 inflation data. One of the product categories that some will be... Read more.
Talks on reviewing AGOA will kickstart in US this week
The conversations about the review of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) will resume in the US this week. We hope for an extension of it, with continuous... Read more.
Consumers reap rewards, farmers lose big as wheat prices hit low levels
South Africa’s 2025-2026 winter wheat harvest is at its tail end. This crop was planted in May 2025 and harvested at the end of 2025. In the first 14 weeks of... Read more.
Key policy areas the South African government must prioritise to boost agriculture this year
There are a few critical policy areas that could have significant positive spin-offs on South Africa’s agricultural growth if implemented effectively. We have... Read more.
South Africa should push for Sacu reform to unlock trade flexibility
Some countries may be reluctant to engage deeply with South Africa on trade because of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu). To potential partners, the customs... Read more.
Malawi’s maize industry hit by downy mildew outbreak
We generally talk about animal health in South Africa because of frequent outbreaks of animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease in cattle and African swine... Read more.
‘Regional issues could force SA to reconsider it position in SACU’
2025 was a generally good year for South Africa’s agriculture and the broader Southern Africa farming sector. We emerged from a drought and heatwave in 2024 and... Read more.
Lush green grazing veld benefiting livestock industry big time
On Sunday we drove across the various regions of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), which offered an opportunity to view the agricultural conditions from a distance. Like most... Read more.
Recent weather updates underscore optimistic agriculture outlook in 2026
I remain optimistic about South Africa’s agricultural production in 2026. The weather outlook suggests a rainy summer, which should support crop growth and grazing... Read more.
