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Agriculture

Biosecurity is vital for SA’s successful agricultural growth and export strategy
Thought Leader
/ 3 June 2025

Biosecurity is vital for SA’s successful agricultural growth and export strategy

Frequent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza and African swine fever suggest weakness in biosecurity controls and the effect of climate change

By Wandile Sihlobo
South Africa expects an ample grain harvest this year
Thought Leader
/ 5 May 2025

South Africa expects an ample grain harvest this year

The recovery of crops bodes well for consumers as prices should come down

By Wandile Sihlobo
Banana wars in Southern Africa a fruitless endeavour
Thought Leader
/ 22 April 2025

Banana wars in Southern Africa a fruitless endeavour

It appears that the Tanzanian minister of agriculture has overreacted to the rumoured South African ban on imports.

By Wandile Sihlobo
The proposed Transformation Fund aims to work with and for black women
Thought Leader
/ 19 April 2025

The proposed Transformation Fund aims to work with and for black women

It advocates for SMMEs owned by women, addresses problems women have with financing and targets sectors such as agriculture, where women labourers are concentrated

By Sarah Mokwebo
Brazilian and Argentinian farmers are winning in the trade war
Thought Leader
/ 14 April 2025

Brazilian and Argentinian farmers are winning in the trade war

Given China’s efforts to diversify its agricultural suppliers, South Africa must strengthen agricultural trade between the two countries.

By Wandile Sihlobo
Agricultural sector can overcome effect of an Agoa exit
Thought Leader
/ 8 April 2025

Agricultural sector can overcome effect of an Agoa exit

Forging ties with other markets as they navigate trade wars with the US is a wise strategy.

By Meluleki Nzimande & Megan Jarvis
South African agriculture on sound footing, despite Trump tariffs
Thought Leader
/ 8 April 2025

South African agriculture on sound footing, despite Trump tariffs

We do need to focus on the tariffs but we should not ignore other essential interventions for the long-term growth of local agriculture

By Wandile Sihlobo
Illegal mining a profitable but harmful way to address unemployment
Thought Leader
/ 1 April 2025

Illegal mining a profitable but harmful way to address unemployment

Out of poverty people have turned to illegal mining, destroying not only the forests but also farmlands and waterways

By Mellissa Mlambo
Crop data reaffirms South African agriculture’s recovery path
Thought Leader
/ 31 March 2025

Crop data reaffirms South African agriculture’s recovery path

This could be good for consumers as prices drop.

By Wandile Sihlobo
Trump’s tariffs fuel economic pain for US consumers, businesses and farmers
Opinion
/ 24 March 2025

Trump’s tariffs fuel economic pain for US consumers, businesses and farmers

For an agricultural sector that depends on international markets, short-term protectionist measures offer little benefit and erode long-term competitiveness

By Imran Khalid
South Africa’s agricultural machinery sales show signs of recovery
Opinion
/ 17 March 2025

South Africa’s agricultural machinery sales show signs of recovery

Better operating conditions and relatively lower interest rates are essentially the supporting factors for machinery sales

By Wandile Sihlobo
Ramaphosa plans to pitch trade deal to Trump
Politics
/ 11 March 2025

Ramaphosa plans to pitch trade deal to Trump

The president is taking a transactional approach to resolving a diplomatic tempest

By Emsie Ferreira
China presents enormous opportunity for South Africa’s agriculture sector
Thought Leader
/ 10 March 2025

China presents enormous opportunity for South Africa’s agriculture sector

China accounts for 11% of all global agricultural imports but South Africa made up only 0.4% of Chinese imports in 2023

By Wandile Sihlobo
South Africa’s economy expands by 0.6% in fourth quarter of 2024
Business
/ 4 March 2025

South Africa’s economy expands by 0.6% in fourth quarter of 2024

The agriculture sector was up 17.2% and was the largest contributor to GDP growth during the period

By Aarti Bhana
Reasons for optimism about farm harvest prospects In South Africa
Thought Leader
/ 3 March 2025

Reasons for optimism about farm harvest prospects In South Africa

Estimates for maize and oilseeds are up, boosting predictions of a recovery year in agriculture

By Wandile Sihlobo
Recent rains boost for summer grains, oil seeds and livestock
Thought Leader
/ 24 February 2025

Recent rains boost for summer grains, oil seeds and livestock

While the recent rains caused damage to infrastructure and in communities, it does more good than bad in agriculture

By Wandile Sihlobo
Wandile Sihlobo is too bullish on the Expropriation Act
Thought Leader
/ 18 February 2025

Wandile Sihlobo is too bullish on the Expropriation Act

If the ANC is unwilling to respect the formal safeguards of the Constitution, why would it respect the supposed formal safeguards of the Act? 

By Martin van Staden
What farmers and agribusinesses can harvest from Sona
Thought Leader
/ 11 February 2025

What farmers and agribusinesses can harvest from Sona

The aspect of opening new export markets is vital in the current environment of heightened trade friction

By Wandile Sihlobo
Can South Africa deepen agricultural exports to China?
Opinion
/ 27 January 2025

Can South Africa deepen agricultural exports to China?

The Chinese agricultural market is enormous, with more than $200 billion in imports annually.

By Wandile Sihlobo
SA avocado supplies should recover soon
Opinion
/ 20 January 2025

SA avocado supplies should recover soon

The shortage is temporary, brought on mainly by increased exports as a result of good prices

By Wandile Sihlobo
Premier, traditional leaders must unlock agricultural potential in Eastern Cape
Thought Leader
/ 9 January 2025

Premier, traditional leaders must unlock agricultural potential in Eastern Cape

Such efforts must not leave the former homelands region behind, as has been the case in the first three decades of democracy

By Wandile Sihlobo
A thriving agricultural sector requires stability in Southern Africa
Opinion
/ 6 January 2025

A thriving agricultural sector requires stability in Southern Africa

The unrest in Mozambique plus restrictions on trade need to be resolved for South Africa and other countries in the region to boost agricultural production

By Wandile Sihlobo
South Africa’s agriculture to recover in 2025
Columns
/ 6 January 2025

South Africa’s agriculture to recover in 2025

Better dam levels and a stable electricity supply for irrigation will continue to benefit the horticulture sub-sector and floriculture

By Wandile Sihlobo
South Africa’s beef exports up 25% in first three quarters of 2024
Opinion
/ 9 December 2024

South Africa’s beef exports up 25% in first three quarters of 2024

Livestock disease such as foot-and-mouth has been brought under control in most provinces through strengthened farm biosecurity controls and surveillance

By Wandile Sihlobo
Does South Africa really need to import maize from the US?
Opinion
/ 2 December 2024

Does South Africa really need to import maize from the US?

A report by the US agriculture department raised this possibility, but South Africa’s maize harvest is well above the annual needs

By Wandile Sihlobo
Employment prospects in SA agriculture look promising
Opinion
/ 19 November 2024

Employment prospects in SA agriculture look promising

Improvements in the livestock and horticulture sectors may have boosted job prospects in the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, North West, Gauteng and Limpopo

By Wandile Sihlobo
South Africa needs to focus on growth through agricultural exports
Opinion
/ 11 November 2024

South Africa needs to focus on growth through agricultural exports

The government and private sector’s efforts in boosting agriculture in various regions of South Africa must be matched with the same drive to expand export market

By Wandile Sihlobo
Farmers likely to plant more grain and oilseed in 2024-25 season
Opinion
/ 5 November 2024

Farmers likely to plant more grain and oilseed in 2024-25 season

Slightly high prices and lower input costs, as well as the prospect of good rain will probably driving this

By Wandile Sihlobo
Big Agriculture is watching critics, pesticides and GMO food
Article
/ 4 November 2024

Big Agriculture is watching critics, pesticides and GMO food

A new investigation details a covert campaign that companies such as Monsanto, now Bayer, and Syngenta waged against critics who threatened its profit

By Lydia Namubiru, The Continent, Elena DeBre and Margot Gibbs
South Africa must grow agricultural exports within Brics
Opinion
/ 28 October 2024

South Africa must grow agricultural exports within Brics

As well as finding new markets, the country should focus on nurturing existing ones

By Wandile Sihlobo
La Niña may bring favourable weather, boosting optimism about food security in Southern Africa
Opinion
/ 7 October 2024

La Niña may bring favourable weather, boosting optimism about food security in Southern Africa

The weather event is predicted to bring above-normal rainfall in January before easing up, but the northeast may remain dry

By Wandile Sihlobo
South Africa’s maize production prospects lowered again
Opinion
/ 30 September 2024

South Africa’s maize production prospects lowered again

The effects of the mid-summer drought are being felt but the country’s needs should be met with some over for export

By Wandile Sihlobo
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