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Agbiz appoints Manager: International Trade and Investment Intelligence
 Agbiz is pleased to announce that Mr Tinashe Kapuya has joined Agbiz as Manager: International Trade and Investment Intelligence, as from 1 September 2013. Mr Kapuya previously worked in the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) Team, as well as collaborated with TIPS, the Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies NGO. Mr Kapuya has extensive knowledge of especially the Africa business environment and Agbiz and its members look forward to his valuable contribution to South African Agribusiness. |
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Well-known farmer and agri leader passed away
 Gert Pretorius of Lichtenburg, a well-known farmer and agri leader, died on 31 August. In 2004, Pretorius was named the Agricultural Writers SA national Farmer of the Year.
According to Magda du Toit, chairperson of Agricultural Writers SA, Pretorius will be remembered for his involvement in agriculture and in his community. "Gert Pretorius was very committed to the sunflower and dry bean industries and served Grain SA, NWK as well as Sensako and Monsanto, where he was chairperson of the board for more than a decade."
When he was named Farmer of the Year, Pretorius farmed with about 800 hectares of maize, 650 hectares of sunflower and 350 hectares of dry beans on rainfed lands as well as 55 hectares of maize and dry beans under irrigation. His livestock consisted of 120 Simmentaler cows on pasture and 250 Simmentaler X Brahman cows on veld.
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Agbiz / IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index drops
The Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz), with the support of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), constructs the Agbiz / IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index on a quarterly basis. The Confidence in the agribusiness sector indicated a gradual recovery trend since the all-time low in the third quarter of 2009. Over the past year, this trend has flattened out, until the downward trend commenced early 2013. The Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index reached a level of 50.16 index level in the third quarter of 2013, indicating that only half of agribusiness decision-makers and executives are positive about the agribusiness environment. This is 20% lower than the third quarter of 2012 and 11% lower than the preceding quarter. More information»
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Apply now for the Agribusiness Centenary Bursary
 Agbiz is making an annual bursary of R25 000 available to a South African student registered for a Masters or PhD degree in either agricultural economics or agribusiness management, at any recognised South African university. Closing date for applications: 10 December 2013. More information»
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The South African supply and demand projections for grains and oilseeds for August 2013
 In view of the importance of food security and against the background of uncertain maize stock positions and highly fluctuating maize prices over the past few years, the grain industry expressed the need for much improved information on intended imports or exports of grains and oilseeds. In addition, there is also a need for official supply and demand figures for the major grain and oilseed crops, as is common practice in many countries. As result the first supply and demand estimates was published in June 2013 by the S&DEC under the auspices of the NAMC. The purpose of this publication is to provide a sound basis of market (trade) expectations and to produce a collective view of what the market (trade) movements are most likely to be. Click to peruse the Supply and demand estimates report, 29 Aug 2013» Also linked is and explanation of calculations and definitions of the Supply and Demand Estimates»
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NWK Enters Stock Industry
 NWK Limited, which has historically been mainly involved in the grain industry through the provision of farming inputs to grain producers and the storing and marketing of their grain products in the North West, recently decided to enlarge its presence in the stock industry.
The intention is to operate a slaughtering agency in the company Kalahari Beef, focusing on the purchase of market-ready grass-produced cattle from primary cattle producers who are willing to produce these animals within a prescribed protocol. The animals are then slaughtered and sold to preselected buyers for processing and sale to consumers who have a preference for this naturally produced product. More»
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