Speaking at the recent RPO Northern Cape Congress held in Kimberley, Scholtz said sheep and mutton exports could be increased to between 1% and 6%. He added that exports could play an important role in the stabilisation of the market.

LEES OOK: Uitdagings in Suid-Afrika se lewendehawebedryf

The RPO is already in the process of increasing exports from the Northern Cape. However, in order to realise this goal, red meat producers needed the cooperation and support of livestock agents, abattoirs and feedlots.

Janine Ryan, editor of Farmer’s Weekly, added that animal health was also high on the agenda.

Another story looks at the Department of Science and Innovation’s Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) which launched an agriculture project to install 200 localised weather stations across the Western Cape. This is to improve the accuracy of weather data.

Named the Eureka SA Climate Smart Agriculture project, it had been realised thanks to a partnership between the department, which contributed R6 million, and a global consortium which contributed R6.9 million.

During the launch, the head of TIA Sibusiso Manana said the Western Cape had been prioritised due to its complex terrain. This resulted in climate variations in areas only a few kilometres apart.

LEES OOK: Klimaatsverandering kan aansienlike gevolge vir vee- en graanproduksie inhou

Furthermore, the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) continue to show a subdued trend in the second quarter of 2023, which suggests that agricultural businesses remain wary about business conditions in South Africa.

In the first two quarters of the year, the ACI was the lowest since quarter two of 2020 following the Covid-19 lockdown.

OFM News