The outbreak of animal disease is a concern but there’s good news from the field crops, horticulture and poultry sectors
Frequent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza and African swine fever suggest weakness in biosecurity controls and the effect of climate change
The country could return to being a net exporter of maize and the domestic prices to moderate, easing the general food price inflation
An increase in demand could see a record harvest of the oilseed this year
The country needs to retain existing trade partners, while seeking new ones, and delivering excellent products.
The recovery of crops bodes well for consumers as prices should come down
For South Africa to maintain its current access to red meat, wool and other livestock products, it must continue to strengthen its biosecurity and revive vaccine manufacturing
It appears that the Tanzanian minister of agriculture has overreacted to the rumoured South African ban on imports.
Given China’s efforts to diversify its agricultural suppliers, South Africa must strengthen agricultural trade between the two countries.
We do need to focus on the tariffs but we should not ignore other essential interventions for the long-term growth of local agriculture