Some industry roleplayers expected a positive reading on the back of the improvement in some horticultural subsectors, as well as the country's winter crop harvest. This is according to chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz), Wandile Sihlobo, who is, however, of the opinion that the contraction is in line with the numbers coming out of key horticultural subsectors that harvested in the first quarter of the year. This includes wine grapes, whose harvest is down by 2% from 2018. He says although the citrus industry has been a source of positive news with exports set to reach a record level of 137 million boxes of fruit this year, its harvest activities only started in the second quarter.

Farm attacks

North West is among the provinces in South Africa with the highest number of farm attacks from January until May this year. According to AfriForum's latest statistics released in Centurion on Tuesday, a total of 51 attacks, including three murders, occurred in Gauteng followed by North West with 28 attacks. Four of these resulted in murders. A total of 184 farm attacks, including 20 farm murders, took place in the country. In Limpopo, there were 27 attacks of which four ended as murders, while 21 attacks took place in Mpumalanga followed by 17 attacks in KwaZulu-Natal.  

There were 16 farm attacks in the Western Cape, including three murders.  Ian Cameron, AfriForum’s Head of Community Safety, said it is alarming that attacks in the Western Cape have increased drastically, with more than double the number of attacks reported if compared to the same period last year. In the Free State, 13 attacks took place, followed by 11 in the Eastern Cape. No attacks were reported in the Northern Cape thus far this year.

Nation-building

The role and contribution of agriculture to promote nation-building will come under the spotlight during a panel discussion at the University of the Free State. The discussion is presented by VKB and Food For Mzansi. Dawn Noemdoe, editor of FoodForMzansi.co.za, says agriculture has the power to promote nation-building and that is why a discussion of this nature is important.  Dr Frikkie Maré, Head of Agricultural Economics at the UFS, is also part of the panel and will be shedding light on the new generation of farmers. The discussion starts at 19:00 on Wednesday in the Equitas Auditorium on the Kovsie Campus. Entrance is free.

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