The 2018/19 summer crop production season started on a positive footing with forecast showers in most parts of the country in the week of 20 October 2018. This will help improve soil moisture which will be beneficial for the planting activity.

A large share of the 2017/18 maize crop has already been delivered to commercial silos, hence the weekly producer deliveries have slowed in the recent weeks. Evidently, in the week of 28 September 2018, maize producer deliveries amounted to 48 991 tonnes, down by 24 percent from the previous week. About 51 percent of this was white maize, with 49 percent being yellow maize.

The spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) potentially is the biggest global animal health story that no one is talking about much. But agriculture industry analysts believe it’s a story that should receive a fair hearing from industry stakeholders as China, the world’s largest producer and consumer of pork, battles outbreaks of ASF within its borders.

My good friend, Michael McDougall, at EDF Man Capital Markets, raised an important point in his daily newsletter – malnutrition.

With South Africahaving the most advanced and refined food and beverage market on the African continent, Frost & Sullivan believes in a 4%-7% estimated growth in the sector by 2020. The agricultural, agro-processing and food and beverage industries provide an abundance of opportunity for investors as well as key domestic and new players.

A craft brewery backed by two prominent CEOs of JSE-listed companies says it has launched the country’s first beer made with cannabis.