High maize prices and a downward spiral of beef prices are putting pressure on cattle farmers and could see many in the beef industry going out of business.

Increased demand and optimism surrounding the beef industry is driving beef futures prices higher. China is one of the largest beef importers in the world, however the US only has approximately 1% of that market.

The European Union, the largest consumer of South African ostrich meat, has lifted its ban on imports.

The profitability of pork production will be under pressure from April to June due to increased animal feed prices.

The South African government is continuing with a number of interventions to support the domestic poultry industry, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

One of our less discussed and yet more important commodities is wool. But it has now surfaced as a key concern following the suspension of South Africa’s greasy wool imports by the Chinese authorities due to the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak earlier in the year.