The South African deciduous fruit industry presented its awards for outstanding performance in agriculture at the 43rd annual gala evening on 14 September 2018. Deciduous fruit includes apples, pears, apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums and prunes, cherries, table grapes and dried grapes - grown mainly in the Western Cape. The deciduous fruit industry survived a challenging season which makes the positive commitment and perseverance of agriculturists in this trying time especially worthy.

Roosterkoek, craft beer, skaapstertjies, Wagyu burgers, wine and ice cream . . . all these delicacies and more await visitors to the “Groot Plaasproe” from Thursday 11 to Saturday 13 October 2018 on the farm Sandringham outside Stellenbosch. This farm festival was so popular last year that this year’s festival lasts a full three days.

Good winter rains to date have largely broken the severe drought in the Western Cape. This positive outlook, linked to new plantings and new cultivars, brings the South African table grape industry back onto its positive growth curve. 

Agri SA strongly condemns the continued violence that the farming community and fellow South Africans face daily. The Minister of Police, Bheki Cele announced the latest national crime statistics in parliament this morning. It is worrying that 62 farm murders occurred during 2017/2018. It is 15 murders more than what was announced in parliament earlier this year.  

Volgens die SA Polisiediens was daar 62 moorde op landbou-eiendomme gedurende die afgelope finansiële jaar. Daarteenoor is 70 moorde op TLU SA se databasis geregistreer wat bykans 10% meer is as die amptelike statistiek. Hierdie verskil asook die noodsaaklikheid om uit een mond te praat oor ‘n onderwerp wat toenemende internasionale aandag trek, vereis konsolidasie. In hierdie verband het TLU SA etlike pogings aangewend om ‘n afspraak met die Minister van Polisie te maak ten einde hierdie verskil asook ander verbandhoudende kwessies met hom te bespreek, maar sonder enige konstruktiewe reaksie.