by Wandile Sihlobo | Apr 23, 2020 | Agricultural Trade
We have previously warned of the restrictions placed by countries on agricultural commodity exports, specifically rice and wheat. The concern was that restrictions in the world’s larger supplier markets would inevitably result in drastic price increases of the...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Mar 6, 2020 | Agricultural Trade
Written for and first published in Business Day on 03 March 2020 There is a strong sense of unease in the world right now. The coronavirus outbreak in China is fast spreading across Asia and other regions, and the health implications present risks for global value...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Feb 16, 2020 | Agricultural Trade
After reaching a record level of US10.6 billion in 2018, South Africa’s agricultural exports fell by 8% year-on-year (y/y) in 2019 to US$9.8 billion. This, however, was unsurprising as agricultural production data for 2019 showed a notable decline in a number of...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Feb 10, 2020 | Agricultural Trade
South Africa’s wool industry experienced a tough year in 2019. China, which accounts for an average of 71% of South Africa’s wool exports in value terms, placed a ban following the outbreak of the foot-and-mouth disease in Limpopo. This lasted for months and weighed...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Dec 9, 2019 | Agricultural Trade
The week got off to a fairly slow start with no key data releases in the domestic agricultural calendar. This offered us an opportunity to briefly look back at key developments this year. If there is anything that has shaped agricultural permeance it is the drought in...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Nov 11, 2019 | Agricultural Trade
Essay by Wandile Sihlobo and Tinashe Kapuya[1] South Africa’s trade policy is underpinned by an export-led growth strategy. This means that the country essentially looks to grow its economy by deepening and expanding its export markets. Such efforts can be seen...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Jul 21, 2019 | Agricultural Trade
The Business Times newspaper ran a piece today warning that the growing strikes in South African ports could weigh on agricultural exports, particularly the Citrus industry. But this is not where the story ends. There are also infrastructure challenges in the South...