The regulation further adds that this provision will be reviewed after the stated date. Francois Knowles, registrar of APAC, says that the council will inform all livestock agents of the outcome if it is different to the current interpretation. He says that all livestock auctions are to remain closed until the 11th of July 2021. Knowles’s statement comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday evening that the country will be moving to an adjusted lockdown level 4. This decision was made after the country saw a surge in the number of new daily positive Covid-19 cases, with Gauteng being the hardest hit by the current third wave of infections.

The international spike in vegetable oil prices has affected South African olive oil producers negatively. Denene Erasmus, editor of Farmer’s Weekly, says that according to Vittoria Jooste, manager of the South African Olive Industry Association (SA Olive), there had only been marginal increases in international olive oil prices.

The North West Agricultural Department is today conducting their food systems dialogue that is focusing on food security and the possible contingency methods to curb the rapid increase of poverty and food insecurity. North West Agricultural MEC, Desbo Mohono, says that the department has embarked on a number of projects and initiatives directed at addressing food insecurity. She says that the department is planning to intensify food security programmes so as to provide nutritious food across the province.

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In May, South Africa’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) headline inflation reached the highest level since November 2018 and food price inflation rose to its highest point since July 2017. This was according to Statistics South Africa’s latest consumer inflation figures that was released last week. It showed that the CPI climbed to 5,2% in May, up from 4,4% in April.

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