The situation in South Africa is worsened by the volatile rand, which has been affected by global economic conditions and local political uncertainty. Additionally, the power crisis has severely affected food security as it has disrupted farming operations and reduced the quality of produce, several reports say. While rising inflation is a global issue, the impact is felt more acutely in emerging markets, particularly in Africa, due to factors unique to their economic and political situations.

Traceability in South Africa’s food system holds a range of benefits for not only food producers but consumers as well. Justin Platt, founder and CEO of Zylem and RegenZ, highlights the importance of implementing end-to-end traceability in agriculture.

Vars beesvleis het 54% van die totale uitvoer uitgemaak terwyl die res bevrore beesvleis was. Binne hierdie totale syfer is 'n beduidende afname in bevrore beesvleisuitvoer aangeteken, wat in 2022 op 12 945 ton was, 24% laer op 'n jaargrondslag. Intussen het vars beesvleisuitvoer met 2% op 'n jaargrondslag toegeneem tot 15 477 ton." Die sleutelmarkte vir Suid-Afrika se vars beesvleis was Koeweit (met 'n markaandeel van 22%), Jordanië (16%), Mosambiek (13%), Verenigde Arabiese Emirate (12%), Katar (9%), Nederland (4%). ), Lesotho (3%), Kanada (3%), Zimbabwe (3%), Mauritius (3%) en Eswatini (2%). Hierdie markte het in 2022 90% van Suid-Afrika se vars beesvleisuitvoer uitgemaak,  In die geval van bevrore beesvleisuitvoer was die top-uitvoermarkte Lesotho (16%), China (14%), Nigerië (14%), Verenigde Arabiese Emirate (9%), Mosambiek (7%), Koeweit (6%) , Egipte (5%), Katar (4%), Verenigde Koninkryk (3%), Nederland (3%) en Jordanië (2%). Hierdie markte het in 2022 82% van Suid-Afrika se bevrore beesvleisuitvoer uitgemaak.

Namibië voer varkvleis uit die Europese Unie in om sy plaaslike aanbod aan te vul, aangesien plaaslike varkvleis-produksie nie daarin slaag om aan die verbruikersvraag te voldoen nie. Gedurende die eerste kwartaal van 2023 het plaaslike produksie slegs 31,5 persent van die land se varkvleisverbruiks-vereistes uitgemaak, volgens die Vleisraad van Namibië.

The record onion prices for the previous six months is a just recompense for South African farmers after a couple of difficult years.Eighteen months ago, onion prices were in the doldrums, jeopardizing the sector in the face of surging input costs plus power cuts.

Verskeie faktore van reg oor die wêreld beïnvloed op die oomblik die landbou industrie se insetkostes drasties. Ons as Suid-Afrika, is 'n piepklein rolspeler in die groter wêreld, wat grootdeels maak dat ons nie 'n invloed het op prysbepalings van ingevoerde goedere nie. Ons is letterlik 'n druppel in die emmer - en daarom verduidelik die engelse woord dit so mooi, ons is "price takers".

Suid-Afrika se sterk kommersiële bande met kernstreke in die wêreld word op die spel geplaas deur ’n twyfelagtige buitelandse beleid wat dui op steun vir Rusland.

Extreme weather in China is threatening to disrupt more commodities, even niche ones like rubber and peanut crops, which may push the world’s biggest consumer to import more. Rubber-tree tapping in Yunnan province, the country’s top grower, has been delayed by severe drought and powdery mildew disease, which can halve production in the worst cases.

The fate of 2,000 white rhinos — about 8% of the world’s rhino population — hangs in the balance after mega-breeder John Hume was unable to attract any bidders for his conservation project. But there are offers outside the bidding process that are being considered, and an announcement is now expected on Friday.

The increase in inclement weather conditions has forced farmers to adapt their farming practices in order to thrive in the face of extreme weather conditions. Kaitlynn Kauerauf of Bramleigh Farm said that they have also been affected by the harsh weather and they have had to find ways to prevent losses.

Die anker van die landbou lê in die veebedryf en die primêre deel van die waardeketting sal ‘n belangrike rol moet speel. Van die besluite wat geneem word, is egter soms nie tot voordeel van die primêre lede nie. Daarom sal al die belanghebbendes bymekaar moet kom, en saam besluit wat die oogmerk van die pad vorentoe moet wees.

A new study presented at the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference proposes that genetically modified rice could potentially serve as a source of food for the first Mars colonists. This discovery could be a game-changer in the quest to establish a human settlement on Mars.

Suid-Afrika mag dalk reeds in 'n fase is van laer voorraad van voedsel op die winkelrakke terwyl daar reeds gevalle aangemeld is van algehele skaarste van sekere kommoditeite. Indien daar nie spoedige ingrypings kom om die landbouers te beskerm nie, gaan die voedsel voorraad sodanig verlaag dat dit 'n krisis word, sê meningsvormers in die landbou sektor.

The amount of chicken the United States (US) is allowed to dump in South Africa has increased once again. The allowance comes in the form of a substantial annual quota free from the anti-dumping duties that would otherwise have applied.

Die departement van landbou is gedurig in verbinding met die graanbedryf om kostekorte te verhoed weens Rusland se oorlog in Oekraïne, sê Thoko Didiza, minister van landbou.

According to the Seychelles News Agency, construction of the 5.8MW photovoltaic solar energy system will start in the fourth quarter of 2023, following a power purchase agreement (PPA) signed between French renewable company, Qair, with the Republic of Seychelles' Public Utilities Corporation.

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Wandile Sihlobo

How to broaden farm ownership for successful inclusion of black farmers in South African agriculture pic.twitter.com/ZRpQgBmqAk

— Wandile Sihlobo (@WandileSihlobo) May 3, 2023

Al die slim manne met hulle idees

Nothing like some water injection to get that sale weight up. https://t.co/4qcpqqZvnT

— Shawn Schill 🇨🇦ftw (@Shawridgefarm) May 1, 2023

A rhino walks straight up to him while he is filming and wants a belly scratch. 💕😂pic.twitter.com/3ff4dTU6jv

— The Figen (@TheFigen_) May 1, 2023

I should do a review of which manufacturer has the most comfortable buddy seat. pic.twitter.com/1TFFFz633K

— Jeff Kerfoot🧢 (@CR9090JK) May 2, 2023

Food Prices - South Africa

Of the eight most popular grocery retailers in South Africa, Makro offers the cheapest basket of essential items as of 26 April 2023.

This is according to The Outlier’s monthly grocery basket comparison, which collects the prices of nine staple foods and products near the end of each month from six major retailers – Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay, Spar, Food Lover’s Market and Woolworths.

However, they have added new additions to their comparison – Boxer and Makro – which brings the total number of retailers compared to eight.

The grocery basket comparison includes the nine necessities:

• 700g loaf of Albany Superior Sliced White Bread, or store brand;
• 2-litre store brand sunflower oil;
• 2.5kg Iwisa maize meal;
• 2.5kg Selati white sugar;
• 2-litre store brand milk;
• 2kg Tastic rice;
• 2.5kg Snowflake cake flour;
• 175g bar of Dettol Herbal Soap; and
• 9-pack of two-ply Baby Soft toilet paper (or store brand).

The Outlier noted that, in some cases, store brand alternatives are used because some stores only keep the store brand versions of those items. Additionally, when some items aren’t available in-store, the online price is considered. The comparison covers the various retailers in several areas within Gauteng.

According to the data, the new addition Makro offers the cheapest basket in April 2023, totalling R393.60. This is R11.27 less than the second cheapest retailer – Food Lover’s Market.

Spar has the most expensive basket at R433.41, which is R39.81 more than Makro. It must be noted that Spar is franchised, meaning prices and items can vary from store to store.

The table below and the infographic gives the breakdown of prices for each item from the eight grocery retailers and who comes out as the cheapest.

Food inflation has remained stubbornly high in South Africa due to heightened fuel prices, relentless load shedding, and a weaker rand.

In April, the latest Household Affordability Index by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group (PMBEJD) shows

the average cost of the Household Food Basket hit over R5,000 for the first time, at R5,023.95.

Month-on-month, the average cost of the basket increased by R57.75 (1.2%) from R4,966.20 in March 2023.

However, year-on-year, the average cost of the basket increased by R481.02 (10.6%).

Inflation for food & non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) continued to accelerate in March, with prices increasing by 14.0%. This represents the largest annual increase since the 14.7% rise in March 2009 (14 years ago).

The PMBEJD basket comprises 44 core food items most frequently purchased by lower-income households, who make up most households in the country.

37 items in the basket all saw a price jump – 22 of which were 10% or more. However, there were 10 items which saw significant price increases of over 20%:

• Onions: +82%
• Green pepper: +43%
• Potatoes: +33%
• Carrots: 27%
• Maize meal: +25%
• Samp: +23%
• Tomatoes: +23%
• Cabbage: +21%
• Cake flour: +20%
• Stock cubes: +20%

The PMBEJD noted that the pressure at the tills will linger for longer due to stubborn inflation, which moved counter to market expectations at the end of March 2023 to 7.1% from 7.0% in February 2023.