The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says an outbreak has been reported in Wilgeboom at Potchefstroom. The department says in a statement the diagnosis was confirmed from tissue samples that were collected from a post mortem that was conducted on the farm by a private veterinarian. State vet, Dr Andries Nel, tells OFM News that the outbreak started early last month and that no new outbreaks have been reported. He adds that a group of expert vets has been established to monitor the situation. Nel adds that pig farmers must practise good biosecurity methods in order to prevent an outbreak of African Swine Fever on their farm. Meanwhile, the department is maintaining quarantine at the farm as a control measure.

Growth in South Africa's agricultural fortunes benefited allied industries. Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, Agbiz, says this is true in agricultural machinery sales, which have been on a positive footing for a while. He says that sales have been supported by improved farmers' finances on the back of a large harvest in 2019/20, with prospects for yet another good season in 2020/21. Figures released by the South African Agricultural Machinery Association last week, show that tractors' and combined harvesters' sales were up by 30% year-on-year and 4% year-on-year in March 2021, with 601 and 27 units sold respectively.

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AND...The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has stepped in to support South Africa’s citrus industry ahead of the export season between May and October. Following an appeal, MSC has agreed to divert a vessel carrying nearly 2000 empty reefer containers to the Port of Nqgura to assist citrus exports amid a global shortage of containers. Transnet National Ports Authority says the Ngqura Container Terminal has geared up to off-load the containers within 47-hours. The authority says the vessel was en-route from the Far East to West Africa, but will be diverted to the Eastern Cape port to assist the country’s citrus industry following record exports last year.

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