SOUTH AFRICA 25bps rate cut provides relief for the agricultural sector in tough times[Paul Makube] The South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) cut the benchmark repo rate to 8% and raised its growth outlook, citing increased confidence from stabilizing electricity supply and spending from the new two-pot retirement system... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Food inflation ends 8-month decline, rising 4.1% year-on-year in August[Paul Makube] South Africa’s consumer price inflation slowed in August 2024 to its lowest in 40 months, falling below the Sarb’s target. Monthly inflation rose slightly but remained below the previous month's increase... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Simply Boer at Nampo 2024 offering affordable cover for farm workers - Simply Financial Services[Sam Fleming] Simply launched the Simply Boer campaign at this year’s Nampo Harvest Day, Africa’s premier agricultural expo... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Agriculture dips 2.1% in Q2 2024 after strong Q1[Paul Makube] Agriculture fell 2.1% in Q2 2024 after strong Q1 growth, contributing to South Africa’s 0.4% GDP increase... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Food inflation hits 55-month low of 3.9% in July 2024[Paul Makube] Headline inflation decreased from 5.1% year-on-year in June to a 39-month low of 4.6% year-on-year in July 2024. Monthly, it rose 0.4%, driven by electricity and core inflation pressures... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Downbeat agriculture exports in Q2 of 2024 reflect tough seasonal conditionsPaul MakubeSenior Agricultural Economist, First National Bank | |
SOUTH AFRICA Food inflation eases, but weather-induced production challenges remain[Paul Makube] Headline inflation decelerated to a 2024 low of 5.1% year-on-year in June, while food inflation reached 4.1% year-on-year, the lowest since February 2020... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Agriculture GDP rebounds strongly in Q1 of 2024 despite headwinds[Paul Makube] "In a quarter characterised by a plethora of growth constraints such as the El Nino-induced heat wave the decimated crops, loadshedding, and inefficiencies at ports, agriculture still managed to rebound strongly in Q1, 2024." | |
SOUTH AFRICA 1% upward revision for maize estimates, still down 18.5% year-on-year[Paul Makube] Following an El Nino-induced weather scare in the first two months of 2024 with excessive heat decimating crops, there was a sigh of relief as rains returned across most of the summer crop areas... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Agribusiness confidence for Q1 2024 dimmed by bad weather and a plethora of challenges[Paul Makube] The latest results of the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index survey still showed a subdued mood among agribusiness as widely expected given the negative turn on the weather front that slashed harvest prospects for the 2023/24 summer crop season... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Food inflation decelerates to a 25-month lowImage source: Kampus Production from Pexels | |
SOUTH AFRICA #IFPA: SA's logistics crisis takes precedence over energy issues, says SAFFE director[Aa-isha Hassiem] “Things in the logistics system are broken and in desperate need of fixing," says Mike Walwyn, director of South African Freight Forwarders (SAFFE)... | |
SOUTH AFRICA A big surprise as agriculture GDP plunges in the second half of 2023[Paul Makube] Despite massive challenges, South Africa’s economy managed to expand by 0.6% in 2023... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Adverse weather dampens crops outlook for 2023/24 production season[Paul Makube] Following a relatively good start to the 2023/24 crop season with good rains which saw farmers increasing their planted area for summer crops, the weather turned negative with limited follow-up rains coupled with excessive heat early in 2024.... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Biosecurity in South Africa: A perfect storm?[John Hudson] Commercial agriculture, while essential for ensuring food security for a burgeoning population, poses many challenges... | |
SOUTH AFRICA 30 years into democracy: How has South Africa's agricultural sector performed?[Wandile Sihlobo] There are divergent views about the effectiveness and extent to which South Africa's agricultural policies have been implemented... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Q3 2023 sees stealthy 4% jump in agriculture export earningsSource: onlyyouqj via Freepik | |
SOUTH AFRICA Agriculture sector defies odds with 10% year-on-year job growth in Q3 2023[Paul Makube] The latest update on the Quarterly Labour Force Survey data from Statistics South Africa has confirmed the resilience of agriculture as it defied the odds and made a significant improvement in employment in the sector... | |
SOUTH AFRICA The year that was for agriculture and what to expect in 2024[John Hudson] The year 2023 has been a tricky one that has needed to be carefully navigated. In many ways, it has been a year of consolidation and recovery, particularly for exports... | |
SOUTH AFRICA Renewed optimism as agriculture business confidence rebounds in Q3[Paul Makube] Despite huge challenges stemming from deteriorating logistics infrastructure and cost pressures associated with loadshedding, the agriculture sector again showed further resilience... |