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The South African farming sector felt the impact of the U.S.’s “Liberation Day” tariffs most acutely in the third and final quarter of 2025.Currently reviewing South Africa’s agricultural export data for 2025, and these quarters, particularly the last quarter of 2025, show a substantial decline in exports.
Suid-Afrika beleef sy ernstigste bek-en-klouseer- (BKS) uitbraak sedert 2019, met die siekte wat na agt van nege provinsies versprei het (Noord-Kaap grootliks onaangeraak). Gauteng is die hardste getref, met 195 aktiewe laboratoriumbevestigde gevalle en meer as 261 000 diere direk geraak teen laat Januarie 2026; die uitbraak het in April 2025 begin deur onwettige vervoer van besmette beeste uit KwaZulu-Natal
African agricultural mechanization and calls for a fundamental shift in approach. Despite Africa possessing over half the world’s remaining uncultivated arable land, most food production relies on smallholder farmers working less than two hectares, often with hand tools.
Die sogenaamde "nuwe" entstof by ARC-OVR deur die Minister van Landbou is nie 'n deurbraak nie. Dit is 'n nasionale skande. Hierdie entstof is nie nuut nie. Dit is vanaf 2010 deur 'n span navorsers, wat ook twee Nederlandse spesialis navorsers ingesluit het, nagevors en ontwikkel by die Landbou Navorsingsraad (Onderstepoort) teen hoë koste (gefinansier deur die belastingbetaler) en toe vier jaar gelede in 2022 volledig geregistreer as 'n entstof in Suid-Afrika, en ook soos gister, in 2023 bekend gestel is as 'n deurbraak.
The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) released its January 27, 2026, Grain and Feed Update for China, forecasting a record total grain production of 715 million metric tons (MMT) for marketing year 2025/26 (MY2025/26), an increase of 8 MMT from the previous year.
Die provinsiale departement van landbou se veterinêre dienste-afdeling het Agri Wes-Kaap en die Rooivleisprodusente-organisasie in die Wes-Kaap ingelig dat gevalle van bek-en-klouseer tans in die Khayelitsha- en Mfuleni-gebiede ondersoek word.
South Africa’s food and hospitality sector faces intense pressures from rising input costs, energy insecurity, logistics bottlenecks, and increasingly value-conscious and values-driven customers.
Die premier van KwaZulu-Natal, Thamsanqa Ntuli, sê die regering en die departement van landbou is daartoe verbind om bek-en-klouseer-gevalle regoor die land onder beheer te bring. Die premier sê 700 000 dosisse van die bek-en-klouseer-entstof word teen die einde van die maand van die Botswana-Entstofinstituut verwag.
As global competition and environmental pressures intensify, South African farmers who do not adopt modern technology risk falling behind competitors who use advanced tools to boost efficiency and profitability, according to agricultural economist Dawie Maree.
Die somergewasproduksie in Suid-Afrika wissel geweldig ná ’n baie nat begin van die 2025/’26-seisoen (Oktober–Desember), maar nou dreig droogte in baie streke, volgens Graan SA se jongste opname.
South African agricultural machinery sales started 2026 on a positive note, building on a strong 2025 where tractor sales reached 7,668 units (up 19% from 2024) and combine harvester sales hit 207 units (up 3%).
Ná meer as 20 jaar se onderhandelinge het Suid-Afrika die Suid-Koreaanse mark amptelik oopgekry vir tafeldruifuitvoere. Die Republiek van Korea het dit op 23 Januarie 2026 bevestig, ná ’n suksesvolle terreinverifikasie verlede jaar.Minister John Steenhuisen het die deurbraak verwelkom as ’n groot dryfveer vir ekonomiese groei en bewys van die landbousektor se uithouvermoë.
Markets remain under pressure across several fronts, but early signs are emerging that conditions may be starting to stabilise. In this week’s update, we unpack the key developments shaping grain, livestock, fresh produce, weather, economic, regional, and political dynamics.
Reaksie word ontvang op die Amerikaanse president, Donald Trump, wat die verlenging van Agoa net tot 31 Desember vanjaar bekragtig het, terugwerkend vanaf 30 September verlede jaar toe dit verval het. Die voorkeurhandels program bied belastingvrye toegang tot die Amerikaanse mark vir begunstigde lande in Afrika suid van die Sahara en dek meer 1 800 produkte.
South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry and Competition stated this morning that: “Minister Parks Tau and China’s Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao, have signed the China–Africa Economic Partnership Agreement (CAEPA), a landmark deal set to grant South African exports duty-free access to the Chinese market while boosting investment into South Africa’s economy.”
South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) framework faces its most significant overhaul in years through a two-phase review by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC).
South African truckers have welcomed the latest drop in the fuel price but say operators are still absorbing losses incurred during the significantly high price hikes that hammered the economy in recent years.The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources announced fuel price drops of between 50c and 65c with effect from Wednesday, February 4.
AgriSA, representing commercial farming interests, has distanced itself from legal action initiated by its Free State affiliate (Free State Agriculture), alongside Sakeliga and SAAI, which seek to allow private procurement and administration of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines. AgriSA warns that litigation could undermine critical disease control efforts at a pivotal moment.
Die Melkprodusente-organisasie (MPO) sê melkboere dringend ’n betekenisvolle styging in die plaashekprys nodig het weens stygende produksiekoste, veral deur bek-en-klouseer- (BKS) uitbrekings, immuniteitsversterking, algemene inflasie, hoë voermeelpryse en ongunstige weer.
The South African grain industry is in a downward price cycle due to a “perfect storm”: massive international summer grain harvests (especially in the United States, Brazil, and Argentina) combined with a stronger rand against the dollar are pushing local prices down to export parity levels (the bottom of the floor price).
Die bek-en-klouseer- (BKS) krisis het Dinsdag verder geëskaleer toe Francois Wilken, president van Vrystaat Landbou (VL), Minister John Steenhuisen se verduideliking oor die verbod op private entstofinvoer as “absolute snert” beskryf het. Wilken sê Steenhuisen se bewering dat entstowwe streng beheer moet word weens bioterrorisme-risiko hou nie steek nie.
Cape Town and the Western Cape are not facing "Day Zero" in early February 2026, but dam levels are dropping faster than ideal and the situation is concerning enough to prompt a national disaster declaration across the Eastern, Western, and Northern Cape provinces.
Hydroponics (plantverbouing sonder grond, met voedingryke water) gebruik 90% minder water en 99% minder grond as tradisionele boerdery. Dit lewer tot tien keer meer opbrengs en is ideaal vir stede met swak grond, beperkte spasie, onbetroubare water of oorstromingsrisiko’s.In Suid-Afrika se lae-inkomste gebiede (soos Langa in Kaapstad) is vars, voedingsryke kos moeilik om by te kom.
This and much more coming up today on www.agrinewsnet.co.za
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AGRI NEWS NET – International Farming and Agriculture Headline News Friday, 6 February 2026 50 Key Headlines Capturing Global Agriculture Trends
- SA Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election as DA Leader – Focuses Full-Time on Ending FMD Crisis
- Steenhuisen Vows Mass Vaccination Drive to Make Current FMD Outbreak the Last Major One in South Africa
- Vrystaat Landbou Labels Minister Steenhuisen’s FMD Vaccine Control Explanation as “Absolute Nonsense”
- Biogénesis Bagó Revokes Authorization for Design Biologix to Import Bioaftogen FMD Vaccine – State Reportedly Negotiating Direct Purchase
- OBP Confirms Talks with Biogénesis Bagó to Finalize Administrative Process for Importing Argentine FMD Vaccine
- Free State Reports 256 FMD Cases Across 18 Outbreak Zones in 12 Municipalities – Viljoenskroon/Vredefort Hardest Hit (51 Cases)
- Agri Noordwes Warns Farmers: Refusing State Vet Access or Hiding FMD Cases Is Unacceptable and Fuels Spread
- Farmers Near Vryburg Say Year-Long FMD Quarantine Would End Their Farms – Income Losses Threaten Survival
- AgriSA Distances Itself from Free State Affiliate’s Legal Challenge on Private FMD Vaccine Access
- Mike Bolhuis (SSS) to Release Full FMD Report Thursday – Calls Outbreak a National Biosecurity Threat from State Failure
- VF Plus Urges Banks to Treat FMD Losses as Natural Disaster – Calls for Lenient Credit to Save Rural Economies
- Johan van den Berg: Summer Rainfall Shifting West – Widespread Showers Possible 8–15 February
- Eastern Cape & Garden Route Remain Critically Dry – Summer Rainfall Season Underway with Minimal Precipitation
- National Disaster Declared for Drought in Eastern, Western & Northern Cape – Potential Water Restrictions Loom
- Western Cape Dam Levels at 59–60.1% – Daily Use Exceeds Targets, Outlook Rated Low Despite La Niña Forecasts
- AmberMacs Macadamia Expo 2026 Continues in White River – Emphasis on Tech, Pest Management & Long-Term Orchard Health
- SA Cherry Industry Grows from 185 ha (2012) to 819 ha (2024) – Low-Chill Cultivars Drive Expansion into Warmer Areas
- Western Cape Dominates Cherry Plantings (61%) – Exports Average 37% of Production, Mainly to UK, EU, Middle East
- Q-cape Starts New Organic Season with Pumpkins for Europe – Butternut from Late February, Sweet Potatoes from April
- Transnet Acquires 8 Hydraulic Shore Tension Mooring Units – Improves Safety & Efficiency at Cape Town, Durban, Ngqura
- Fruit Exports Worth ~R1 Billion Delayed at Cape Town Port – Congestion & High Winds Cause Backlog
- SA Joins Afreximbank as 54th Member – Gains Class A Shareholder Status & US$8 Billion Tailored Country Programme
- Afreximbank President Announces US$8 Billion Support Package for SA – Targets Industrial Development & Intra-Africa Trade
- President Ramaphosa: Afreximbank Partnership Boosts Transformation Fund for Black Businesses & Regional Value Chains
- AgriSA Calls for Urgent Farm-Level Price Increase for Milk – Rising Costs from FMD, Weather & Inflation Squeeze Producers
- MPO: Milk-to-Feed Ratio Favourable in Late 2025 but Failed to Stimulate Production – Cumulative Growth <1%
- SA Retail Dairy Sales Up for 7 of 8 Products (Oct 2024–Sep 2025) – Long-Life Milk +5.2%, Maas +8.4%
- SA Grain in Downward Price Cycle – Large Global Harvests & Stronger Rand Push Prices to Export Parity
- SA Maize Crop Promising but Damage Reported in Northern Mpumalanga, Southern KZN & Southern Free State
- Graan SA: Low Grain Price Cycle to Persist – Farmers Discuss Debt Restructuring with Financiers
- SA Farmers in “Perfect Storm” – International Subsidies & Strong Rand Pressure Local Margins
- B-BBEE Framework Overhaul: Draft Codes Propose Central Transformation Fund & Shift to 100% Black-Owned Procurement
- Proposed BEE Changes: Businesses Can Channel Contributions to Fund for Higher Points – Procurement Targets 100% Black-Owned SMEs
- SA Rand Near Fair Value (R13–R16) but Big Mac Index Shows 28–45% Undervaluation – GDP-Adjusted Fair Rate ~R12.52
- SA Cherry Industry Expansion Driven by Low-Chill Cultivars – Domestic Market Absorbs 60%, Exports 37%
- SA Vegetable Market Mixed – Wholesale Prices Volatile, Exports Up 14% in Some Periods, Regional Bans Disrupt Trade
- Hydroponics Offers Urban Food Security Solution in Water-Scarce Cities like Cape Town – High Startup Costs Remain Barrier
- Regenerative Agriculture Strengthens Commercial Farming in SA – Improves Soil, Water Resilience & Reduces Input Costs
- SA Agritourism Growing – Wine Tourism Contributes R9.3bn to GDP (2022), Supports 40,000 Jobs
- SA Overseas Tourist Arrivals Recovering – 2025 Total Hits 10.5 Million (10-Year High), Regional Visitors Lead
- Transnet Signs MoU with Port of Antwerp-Bruges – Aims to Modernize SA Ports, Boost Efficiency & Sustainability
- USDA Leads Trade Mission to Indonesia (Feb 2–6) – Targets Reciprocal Trade Opportunities
- Pennsylvania Farm Show Opens $10 Million Ag Innovation Grants (Feb 2–Apr 18)
- Trump $12 Billion Farmer Bridge Payments Expected by Feb 28 – Offsets Trade Disruptions
- NCBA Cattle Con 2026 in Nashville – Cattle Inventory & Cold Snap Impacts Dominate
- US Ag Exports Projected at $169 Billion in 2026 – Lowest in 5 Years Due to China Shift
- Global Wheat Production Record High – Pressures Prices Despite Strong US Exports
- Brazil Expects Record Soybean Harvest 2026 – Coamo Reports Strong Yields
- Argentina Heat Wave Stresses Soybeans, Corn & Livestock – Yield Risks Rise
- FAO Emergency Appeal 2026 Seeks $2.5 Billion – Supports 100 Million People in 54 Countries
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‘Load-shedding is over not because of burning of diesel, but because De Ruyter’s exit.. allowed cabinet to support coal station managers at @Eskom_SA’ - Frans Cronje cutting through the noise #Loadshedding via @BizNewsCOM pic.twitter.com/gX8tryylUt
— Jacob Maroga (@jacob_maroga) February 8, 2026
