by Wandile Sihlobo | Mar 18, 2020 | Agricultural Production
The data released this morning by Statistics South Africa shows that the country’s food price inflation accelerated to 4.2% y/y in February 2020, from 3.7% y/y in the previous month. This uptick was mainly underpinned by relative price rises of meat; milk, eggs and...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Feb 6, 2020 | Agricultural Production
A version of this column was published on Business Day on 05 February 2020 My last column two weeks ago painted a bleak picture of SA’s 2019/2020 agricultural outlook, highlighting prospects of drought in some regions of the country. Lately, conditions have improved...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Nov 21, 2019 | Food Security
Since the news that South Africa could be hit by yet another drought, a frequent topic of discussion has been its possible implications on South Africa’s food price inflation. This comes at a time when South Africa’s food price inflation has generally been subdued,...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Oct 23, 2019 | Agricultural Production
South Africa’s food price inflation is relatively contained and I am beginning to think that the 3.6% y/y average we expected for 2019 might be an overestimate. The average for the nine months data we have thus far is about 2.9% y/y, which means to average at 3.6% y/y...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Sep 18, 2019 | Food Security
I didn’t get to write a note on South Africa’s food price inflation data, which accelerated to 3.8% y/y in August 2019, from 3.0% y/y in July. I was in Lichtenburg, North West sharing thoughts with farmers and agribusiness there. The mood was generally positive, but...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Aug 21, 2019 | Food Security
Since the start of the year, South Africa’s agricultural commodity prices have increased notably from levels seen over the same time in 2018, specifically grains and oilseeds. Under normal circumstances, one would expect the price increases in agricultural commodities...