DA leader in the Free State, Roy Jankielsohn, says that stock theft is much higher than reported, as the low arrest and conviction rate serves as deterrents for the reporting of such crimes. He adds stock theft and farm attacks cause billions of rands in annual losses to the agricultural community - which is already struggling to survive due to increased input costs, damage caused by poor roads, and increased electricity prices, coupled with load-shedding.

South Africa's agricultural machinery sales have been robust for over a year now. Last month, tractor sales of 742 units were up by 22% year-on-year (y/y). This, while combine harvester sales of eight units were double the units sold in the same month last year. According to Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, this placed the total tractor sales for the first 11 months of this year at 6 980 units, up by 25% y/y. Furthermore, combine harvester sales increased by 38% y/y over the same period, with 250 units sold.

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The NC Department of Agriculture has joined hands with Veterinary Services in the Northern Cape on a street-to-street vaccination programme that started yesterday. Departmental spokesperson, Zandisile Luphahla, says the vaccination programme saw veterinarians going around the community to vaccinate pets against rabies. According to Luphahla, this is to prevent the possibly fatal disease from spreading to people. He says Agriculture MEC, Mase Manopole, took part in the vaccination programme by offering a hand to the veterinarians. He says they went from home to home vaccinating as many animals as they could.

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