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North West farmer to sue Eskom for R2m after 40 000 broiler chickens die

An extraordinary low-voltage power supply in the Coligny area caused the deaths of Herman du Preez’ broiler chickens from suffocation

South Africa is not an insignificant player in global agriculture. The country ranked 32nd among the world’s top agricultural exporters in 2023 and the only African country in the top 40.

South Africa could help to fill agricultural-commodity gap arising from the Russia-Ukraine war

Africa imported $4-billion worth of agricultural products from Russia in 2020. Of the total, 90% was wheat and 6% sunflower oil

A ‘cancer causing’ herbicide has been found in South Africa’s bread and flour. (Photo by Fani Mahuntsi/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

A ‘cancer causing’ herbicide has been found in South Africa’s bread and flour

About half of South Africa’s maize crop and 100% of the soya crop is genetically modified — it’s grown with the use of glyphosate. But Bayer South Africa disagrees that it causes…

More than 250 000 tonnes of wheat have been lying in containers at the Durban and Richards Bay ports for about a month after the South African Revenue Services (Sars) withdrew the European Union free duty quota for local millers.

Millers pay for duty-free wheat quota

The South African Revenue Services didn’t gazette the EU quota rates for about month, with no reasons given – and then suddenly published them

Grain SA’s NAMPO Harvest Day enables role players in the agricultural industry to experience the latest technology and products on offer in the farming industry first-hand

Watch A Nation in Conversation: NAMPO Harvest Day

The Nation in Conversation platform brings leaders together to discuss issues that influence agriculture, food security and rural development

The first month of the year is critical because the seedlings must survive both heat and low rainfall. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Maize vs time: The race to feed SA

The planting season started with predictions of a record crop but the weather had other plans

“I’ve tried commercial banks but, because of my credit score, it is so difficult to get a loan, and the Land Bank uses the same scale,” Ramodisa Monaisa said.

A black farmer pleads with parliament to leave the constitution alone

Land ever after: ​Ramodisa Monaisa pleaded for the Constitution to remain as it is

Agriculture also faces a future in which the climate that it relies on is changing. More extremes, from floods to droughts, are already happening. (Sean Gallup/Getty)

When duty calls the state must separate the wheat from the chaff

In calculating the risk involved in crop planting, farmers need a predictable trade policy that will be implemented.

The data released by Statistics South Africa showed that agricultural gross value added expanded by 15,8% quarter-on-quarter (seasonally adjusted) in the first quarter of 2025.

Wheat import tariffs – the best thing since sliced bread?

Bread prices are not necessarily linked to increases in the payments to wheat farmers and wheat import tariffs.

The increase in, for example, white and yellow maize, us now at 7.75 million tonnes and 6.91 million tonnes, 16% higher than the 2023-24 season.

SA to export maize to China

Talks between the South African and Chinese governments have concluded and the plan awaits political signing before first exports to China can begin.

Weather forecasts paint a promising picture of a return of a La Niña in the 2024-25 summer-crop production season.

SA imports yellow maize for first time in two years

South Africa, Africa’s biggest maize producer, has had to import yellow maize for the first time since April 2012 as stocks remain tight.

The government will likely need to reallocate funds to repair damage caused by the extreme weather.

Torrential rains knock SA economy

Weeks of rain in the north and east of the country will have an impact on infrastructure spend, construction revenues and even maize harvesting.

Inventories slid to 1.84-million tonnes for white maize and dropped to 1.33-million tonnes for the yellow variety.

White maize reaches a record high as stocks shrink

Fears over supply shortages has seen white maize prices climb to the highest levels since it had begun trading on the futures excahnge in 1996.

South Africa’s Crop Estimates Committee lowered the 2023-24 maize harvest to 12,8 million tonnes, down 2% from last month and 22% from the previous season.

SA white maize rises to 17-year high on supply concern

Tight supply aggravated by drought in the North West is causing local maize prices to rise to import parity.

Biofuel and its local spin-offs on the agenda again

The debate about biofuel has largely been silent since the advent of the recession but as the economy slowly recovers the talk has begun again.

Inside the mealie economy

”No farmers, no future.” So says the bumper sticker on farmer Bully Botma’s white bakkie, parked in Bothaville, South Africa’s mealie capital.

Mind-boggling rise in grain cost

The rise in production cost of grains such as wheat and maize was ”mind boggling”, Grain SA said on Thursday. The latest cost budgets for the production of wheat due to be…

Farmers warn of damage to summer grain crop

Summer grain crops have been badly affected by the limited rainfall and hot weather during February, said Grain SA on Thursday. Moisture deficiency would have an ”immensely…

‘Govt must reconsider using maize for biofuels’

The Cabinet must re-examine its recent decision on maize use in South Africa, said specialist chemical services company Omnia on Friday. ”There is a strong global consensus…

Price-fixing in bread industry ‘was exploitation’

The outcome of the Competition Commission’s report on collusion in the bread and milling industry did not come as a surprise, Grain SA said on Thursday. The commission ordered…