The impact of the recent floods in Durban, which have destroyed the infrastructure and interrupted trade activity, will likely appear in the second quarter trade figures.

There was an important development in global agriculture this past week but it received minimal media coverage.

With pork the most popular protein on Chinese tables, pig breeding can be very profitable with gross margins rising above 30% for some producers when there’s a shortage, driving farmers to expand capacity.

The Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) moderated further by 2 points to 60 in the second quarter following a 12-point decline in Q1, 2022.

The weather is yet again a top-of-mind issue in South Africa's agriculture.

South Africa's agricultural exports lack sufficient diversification.

SA’s agricultural sector has had two consecutive years of strong growth, with expansion in all sub-sectors — livestock, field crops and horticulture.

Land reform is not only politically important: it could be a key catalyst for inclusive growth and employment creation.

SA’s agricultural exports lack sufficient diversification. Outside the African continent, they are heavily concentrated in a few Asian countries and the EU.

The cost of living is rising and everyone is feeling the impact. Some are asking why SA exports food when millions live in poverty and prices are surging.

 Global agriculture faces numerous challenges. The most recent one that requires close monitoring is the heat-wave in various countries in the Northern Hemisphere.

Ukraine has roughly 22 million tonnes of grain (wheat, maize, sunflower seed and other grains) in silos over the past few months, unable to reach the export markets.

 The European Union is one of the regions that have, for some time, resisted the importation and cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) crops.

We are emerging from a policy-oriented weekend, where the governing African National Congress (ANC) gathered to discuss their policy ideas ahead of the December elective conference.

South Africa's 2021/22 summer crop harvest is near completion, as we approach the new season which begins in two months.

Moving away from land expropriation, as outlined in the ANC 2017 policy conference, would be a welcome development and positive for the country, according to Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) chief economist, Wandile Sihlobo.

The EU is among regions that have, for some time, resisted importing and cultivating genetically engineered (GE) crops. But this changed on July 1, when the European Commission approved the importation of GE maize for human and animal consumption. This follows a similar approach with soybeans.

There have been hopes that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) may provide opportunities to expand South Africa's agricultural exports into the African continent

This past week South Africa’s Crop Estimate Committee released its monthly update of the size of the 2021/22 summer crop harvest and its initial area plantings for 2022/23 winter crops.

 As the harvest for the 2021/22 summer crop season draws to a close, the focus is shifting towards the 2022/23 production season, which commences in October.