Mzansi Agriculture Talk reports that last week saw another weakness in the vegetable market as the recovery in supplies kept prices on the downside across most markets. After weeks of sharp increases due to shortages across markets, tomato prices posted the biggest fall last week at R12.71/kg which is down by 34.9% week-on-week but almost 101% higher year-on-year. Production volumes have started to normalise, and expectations are that prices will return to normal seasonal trends in the short to medium term, which will provide the much-needed relief for consumers.

Three suspects, linked with more cases of fraud and corruption uncovered during the Estina investigations in the Free State, want the Provincial Department of Agriculture to pay their legal fees. This as seven suspects and one company appeared in the High Court in Bloemfontein on Wednesday during the pre-trial stage where they stand accused of fraud, corruption, and money laundering amounting to over R244 million at Rekgonne Community Projects. Accused number 3, Seipati Sylvia Dlamini, accused 6, Mokemane Ndumo, and accused 7, Mahlomola Mofokeng, want the department to pay their legal bills. It's alleged money intended for the department’s projects was unlawfully paid into Rekgonne’s business accounts and the bank accounts of the accused. Meanwhile, Judge President Craig Musi has postponed the case to November 1 to 26 for a four-week trial.

AND

More than 6 000 smallholder farmers in the North West have been registered for the Smallholder Empowerment and Promotion programme, also known as SHEP. This was revealed by the province's MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Desbo Mohono, during a webinar this week. Mohono said that this initiative is an approach that is geared to assist smallholder producers in the province to increase their income through improving their productivity, amongst others. This programme, which is in partnership with the national department of agriculture as well as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), also seeks to help farmers with embracing the concept of farming as a business, as well as to help them first start to identify a market and not start with production and seek markets thereafter.

OFM News