An important week for SA agriculture
This week is critical for determining the size of the initially intended 4,3 million hectares for South Africa’s summer crops in the 2021/22 production season farmers are ultimately planted.
Good rains become bad news for farmers
Several farmers have reported patches of crop damage and delays in planting, specifically in regions of North West and Free State, both of which are pillars of SA’s grain and oilseed production.
Agriculture observations on the drive from Pretoria to the Eastern Cape
A drive from Pretoria to the Eastern Cape in December always offers an opportunity to assess the country’s agricultural conditions after the first few months of the summer season.
South Africa’s good news in 2021 is in the agricultural sector
The year 2021 has ended positively for South Africa’s agricultural sector. Farmers experienced a unique season characterized by bumper yields, and higher agricultural commodity prices, particularly in the grains and oilseeds industries.
Agile regulatory system key to South Africa’s agricultural productivity
Agricultural productivity growth – the increase in yield per unit (land/animal) – depends largely on technological innovation and the adoption of new seeds, new equipment, new genetics, as well as effective animal medicine.
SA agriculture economy performance in Q3, 2021
The third quarter agricultural economic performance data surprised many people. Before its release, the prevailing view was that agriculture was a shining light.
SA’s agricultural sector has started the 2021/2022 production season positively
South Africa’s agricultural sector has started the 2021/2022 production season positively. The country is in a full swing La Niña, which is evident from the frequent and above-average rainfalls the country has received since the beginning of October.
My Talking Head on eNCA this morning
The six-minute discussion focused on South Africa’s agricultural conditions, exports activity and jobs in the sector.
Wandile Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and the author of “Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity, and Agriculture.”
Sihlobo is Senior Lecturer Extraordinary at the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University.
He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Fort Hare and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Stellenbosch University.
Sihlobo was appointed as a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Economic Advisory Council in 2019 after serving on the Presidential Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture between 2018 and 2019.
He is also a member of the Council of Statistics of South Africa (Stats SA) and a Commissioner at the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC).
Sihlobo is a columnist for Business Day and Farmers Weekly magazine.