The editor of the agriculture magazine, Janine Ryan, shares that one of the commodities they focused on is red meat, as well as the outlook for the industry.

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In addition to the current political volatility and uncertainty in South Africa, high-interest rates and inflation will put pressure on consumers’ spending, which will affect their spending ability in 2023, explains Ryan.

According to the chairperson of the Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO), James Faber, the impact of the ever-increasing input cost will continue to have an adverse impact on red meat production. He adds that it is therefore vital that producers farm as effectively as possible.

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Productivity on farms needs to be maintained at the highest possible level, which meant that every breeding animal had to be productive. In addition, Ryan says it is essential for primary producers to ensure that the livestock on their farm will adapt to conditions in their particular areas.

Furthermore, in another commodity outlook, Farmer’s Weekly takes a look at the predictions for the South African poultry industry.

The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) plans to expand the sector over the next two years through investments totalling about R900 million. This is according to the General Manager of SAPA’s Broiler Organisation, Izaak Breytenbach.

The investment is planned despite failing infrastructure around the country, threats of disease outbreaks and the ongoing dumping of important poultry products on the domestic market, as well as South Africa’s poor economic situation.

Breytenbach says the funding is part of the R2.4 billion investment that the local poultry industry had vowed to make in accordance with the Poultry Master Plan. He adds that the current production costs have a severely negative impact on producers’ income.

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