• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
Agriculture lifts, but not enough to buoy a weak economy

Agriculture lifts, but not enough to buoy a weak economy

14th Sep 2020
This week on the Farmer’s Inside Track Weekend Edition, we take a closer look at the Master Plan for the Commercial Forestry Sector in South Africa. We’re joined by the executive director of Forestry South Africa, Michael Peter paints an intriguing picture.Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

SA forestry: Dynamite on a small patch of land

3rd Jul 2022
The war on plant-based foods has erupted in South Africa. Photo: LikeMeat/Unsplash

War on veggie meat names ‘to protect consumers’

2nd Jul 2022
What to look for when formulating dairy cow rations

What to look for when formulating dairy cow rations

1st Jul 2022
Leave your comfort zone and make money, says foodie

Leave your comfort zone and start hustling, says foodie

1st Jul 2022
Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

1st Jul 2022
Experts have warned farmers to prepare for another steep fuel price increase this month. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Caught in a price spiral: Farmers brace for major losses

1st Jul 2022
Parts of the Western Cape, such as the Central Karoo, are still experiencing drought. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Drought-burdened farmers receive R48m. in fodder

1st Jul 2022
Through his company, Iboyana agri farming, Mhlengi Ngcobo is changing the lives of youth and women in his community. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Self-taught farmer doing his bit for the greater good

30th Jun 2022
Research has revealed that less than three in 10 farmers in the upper parts of Africa use technology. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Technology not a priority for Africa’s smallholder farmers

30th Jun 2022
The Mamahlola Communal Property Association was among the first to be established in 2000, but due to underinvestment, their land soon turned into a symbol of government’s land restoration failure. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

The poverty-fighting tool that’s not fighting poverty

30th Jun 2022
Langeberg & Ashton Foods provides employment for around 250 permanent and 4 300 seasonal staff. Photo: Supplied

ICYMI: Search for fruit factory buyer continues

30th Jun 2022
Michele Carelse, founder, and CEO of Feelgood Health, Aquaponics horticulturalist, PJ Phiri Gwengo, Dr Didi Claassen, Afrivets executive for technical and marketing support, and Sibusiso Xaba, co-founder and CEO of Africa Cannabis Advisory Group. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Podcast: Learn the basics of growing microgreens

29th Jun 2022
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
11 GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS
Sun, Jul 3, 2022
Food For Mzansi
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
    • All
    • AgriCareers
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Farmers
    • Groundbreakers
    • Innovators
    • Inspiration
    • It Takes a Village
    • Mentors
    • Movers and Shakers
    • Partnerships
    Through his company, Iboyana agri farming, Mhlengi Ngcobo is changing the lives of youth and women in his community. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Self-taught farmer doing his bit for the greater good

    Reggie Kambule from Villiers in the Free State runs a 185 hectare farm where he breeds livestock and cultivates maize. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Engineer-turned farmer takes pride in good results

    Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

    Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

    Real Housewife turns passion for wine into a business

    Real Housewife turns passion for wine into a business

    David Mthombeni is building an agriculture empire for his family.Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Farmer gets his hands dirty while building family empire

    Gauteng farmers give youth a leg-up in agriculture

    Women in farming give youth a leg up in agriculture

    Watch out, these young farmers are on fire!

    Watch out, these young farmers are on fire!

    Unati Speirs has vast experience in agri-business strategy and business funding and was recently appointed as a new board director for Hortgro. Photos: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Youngest Hortgro hotshot takes transformation to heart

    Prof Kennedy Mnisi a dedicated young man who wants to help livestock farmers with animal health education to prevent diseases. Picture. Supplied/ Food For Mzansi.

    Animal scientist works hard to earn top dog status

  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
Food For Mzansi

Agriculture lifts, but not enough to buoy a weak economy

by Sinesipho Tom
14th Sep 2020
in News
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
Agriculture lifts, but not enough to buoy a weak economy

South Africa harvested its second-largest grains harvest on record this season.

Agriculture is the shining light in an economic sky that is otherwise very dark over South Africa, managing growth of 15.1% in the second quarter of 2020. It is the only sector to grow amid the covid-19 lockdown damage that crushed the overall economy down by 16.4% quarter-on-quarter. 

According to GDP figures released by Stats SA on Tuesday (8 September), the economic contraction adds up to a shocking 51%, if viewed on a seasonally adjusted, annualised basis. 

Experts say that agriculture’s shining performance was supported by the sector’s status as an essential service that could mostly continue operating despite the lockdown. This enabled several industries in the sector to capitalise on a recovery from the effects of severe drought and other external factors. 

ADVERTISEMENT

The South African economy was already in a recession before the lockdown was implemented by the government, says Christo van der Rheede, deputy executive director of Agri SA, in a press statement. 

Christo van der Rheede, the deputy executive director at Agri SA. Photo: Supplied

Van der Rheede emphasises that the contraction in GDP in the second quarter of 2020 was not due to the outbreak of the covid-19 virus itself, but rather due to the lockdown regulations that were enforced by government.  

“The lockdown regulations are among the strictest regulations in the world bringing many other industries to their knees,” he said. 

Chief executive officer of Agbiz, Dr John Purchase, says that the sector managed to shine so brightly since it was classified as an essential service.  

Most importantly, however, it is due to the fact that this is a recovery year in agricultural output across all subsectors (field crops, horticulture and livestock) following prolonged periods of drought, and a surge in exports (supported by the weak exchange rate).  

According to Purchase, from a field crops output perspective, South Africa harvested its second-largest grains harvest on record. Within this category, maize, sunflower seed and soybeans produced in the current season (2019/20 production year) are up 38%, 16% and 8% year–on–year respectively. The crops for these three grains are estimated at 15.5 million tonnes, 785 910 tonnes and 1.3 million tonnes respectively.

Dr John Purchase, Agbiz CEO
Dr John Purchase, the CEO of Agbiz. Photo: Supplied

Moreover, South Africa’s sugar cane production is set to increase by 1% year–on–year to 19.4 million tonnes. In the case of horticulture, South Africa has generally had a good fruit harvest this year, with the citrus industry recently noting a 13% year–on–year increase in available supplies for export markets in 2020.  

There is also a broad recovery in the production of deciduous fruit with apple and pear production up by 5% year–on–year and 1% year–on–year respectively in 2020.  

The livestock industry also saw a general recovery, although this particular subsector was not as robust as others. Slaughtering activity softened when the country went into strict lockdown at the end of March. With that said, the livestock sector activity will probably recover in the third quarter, depending on the widespread opening of restaurants and the ability of consumers to afford animal products, says Purchase.  

ADVERTISEMENT

He noted that, “unfortunately, however, this did very little to change the overall GDP picture of South Africa, as primary agriculture is a small share of the economy.” 

Adversity has not stopped Maluleke from reaching for the stars.
Ikageng Maluleke, an agricultural economist with Grain SA. Photo: Supplied

Ikageng Maluleke, agricultural economist at Grain SA said the growth the agricultural sector was expected.  

“It is no surprise that there is growth in the agricultural sector despite the grim picture in the overall economy. Agriculture was classified as an essential industry during the lockdown period and thus most value chains remained operational except for tobacco and wine.” 

“The growth in the industry can mainly be attributed to an increase in maize exports, with about 89% of yellow maize exported as a percentage of exportable maize for the season, with white maize at 20%. Stats SA also reported great demand internationally for citrus fruits and pecan nuts. Exports were also boosted by the weakening rand, which has depreciated by about 25% year on year against the dollar,” she says.  

Tags: AgbizAgri SAChristo van der RheedeDr John PurchaseeconomyGrain SAgross domestic product (GDP)Ikageng Malulekemaize
Previous Post

‘Young people, let the egos go,’ says young street entrepreneur

Next Post

AgriSETA Learner Connect: Meet a mycologist

Sinesipho Tom

Sinesipho Tom

Sinesipho Tom is an audience engagement journalist at Food for Mzansi. Before joining the team, she worked in financial and business news at Media24. She has an appetite for news reporting and has written articles for Business Insider, Fin24 and Parent 24. If you could describe Sinesipho in a sentence you would say that she is a small-town girl with big, big dreams.

Related Posts

Rural safety is in the spotlight at a summit currently underway in the Free State. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Rural Safety Summit ‘will fail without action plan’

by Staff Reporter
28th Jun 2022
0

The long-awaited Rural Safety Summit is currently underway in the Free State. Agri SA says it will only have been...

Farmers attending a ministerial Imbizo held at Loskop where concerns were raised concern about the high levels of crime especially those related to the theft of livestock. Photo: Supplied/SAPS

Rural safety: Is Cele taking it seriously?

by Zolani Sinxo
20th Jun 2022
0

Are the police really serious about the farming community's safety if the police minister makes no mention of it in...

POULTRY: China has become a significant soybean consumer, as the country imports over 60% of globally traded soybeans. Photo: Supplied/JJ Gouin

China okays GM maize and soy: Why it matters for SA

by The Conversation
17th Jun 2022
0

China has removed the last hurdle for its farmers to grow genetically modified crops. Leading agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo writes...

Christo van der Rheede of Agri SA and Patrice Motsepe of the Motsepe Foundation. The two organisations have joined forces in a pioneering new financing venture. Photos: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Motsepe, Agri SA set up R70m boost for black farmers

by Staff Reporter
16th Jun 2022
0

In a bold move to enhance access to finance for new farmers, Agri SA and the Motsepe Foundation unveiled a...

Next Post
Dr Riana Jacobs-Venter mycologist and senior researcher at the Agricultural Research Council.

AgriSETA Learner Connect: Meet a mycologist

Leave your comfort zone and make money, says foodie
Catering Company

Leave your comfort zone and start hustling, says foodie

by Vateka Halile
1st Jul 2022
0

MZANSI FLAVOUR: With a hustle and a bustle, Eastern Cape foodie Vuyelwa Makile found ways to alleviate her financial stress....

Read more
Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

1st Jul 2022
Experts have warned farmers to prepare for another steep fuel price increase this month. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Caught in a price spiral: Farmers brace for major losses

1st Jul 2022
Parts of the Western Cape, such as the Central Karoo, are still experiencing drought. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Drought-burdened farmers receive R48m. in fodder

1st Jul 2022
Through his company, Iboyana agri farming, Mhlengi Ngcobo is changing the lives of youth and women in his community. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Self-taught farmer doing his bit for the greater good

30th Jun 2022

What to look for when formulating dairy cow rations

Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

‘Inhumane farmworker transport must stop’

SAAGA on a mission to speak for exploitable graduates

Leave your comfort zone and start hustling, says foodie

THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

With 11 global awards in the first three years of its existence, Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication. It is a movement, unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

SA forestry: Dynamite on a small patch of land

War on veggie meat names ‘to protect consumers’

What to look for when formulating dairy cow rations

Leave your comfort zone and start hustling, says foodie

Recipe: Make Makile’s crispy chicken wings

Caught in a price spiral: Farmers brace for major losses

  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
WhatsApp line: +27 81 889 9032
Marketing: +27 71 147 0388
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought

Copyright © 2021 Food for Mzansi

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version