The Xchange Platform Agricultural Market Viewpoint with Wandile Sihlobo

Government and industry's efforts to control animal disease spread must be lauded

Loading player...
The past three years have been challenging for South Africa's livestock and poultry industry because of the spread of animal diseases. Throughout this period, we have had various cases of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle, African swine fever in pigs, and avian influenza in poultry. While animal disease outbreaks are not unique to South Africa and indeed common across the world, South Africa's challenges have intensified in the recent past.

The cost of diseases in the livestock industry is felt through the loss of livestock and reduced exports to the world market in times of outbreaks.

However, the county is now taking significant steps to control the spread of the disease.

On October 25, 2024, the Department of Agriculture released even more positive news, which we believe will further support the recovery path of the industry. The Department announced that the "foot and mouth disease outbreak, which occurred during 2021-2022, has been successfully resolved in the North West, Free State, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga Provinces. These provinces, initially impacted by the outbreak, have now completed comprehensive testing of animals on quarantined farms. The results indicate that the foot and mouth disease virus is no longer present."

My writing on agricultural economic matters is available on my blog: https://wandilesihlobo.com/

This podcast is produced by Richard Humphries, Sam Mkokeli and Amanda Murimba.
3 Nov 2024 English South Africa Investing · Food

Other recent episodes

South Africans can take a few more tonnes of Brazilian coffee

Brazil is a major producer of coffee, accounting for nearly 40% of global coffee production. Other major producers are Vietnam 17%, Colombia 8%, Indonesia 6% and Ethiopia 6%, amongst others. Brazil is also a major coffee exporter to the U.S. Consequently, the 50% tariffs that will take effect on August…
18 Jul 10 min

South Africa lifts the ban on Brazil’s poultry imports

The close observers of this letter will recall that when I first argued for South Africa to place temporary restrictions on the imports of poultry products from Brazil, the idea wasn’t for us to be protectionists. Instead, we wanted to ensure that Brazil controls the avian influenza outbreak before we…
15 Jul 6 min

It's time for BRICS countries to deepen agricultural trade

In the current world of trade fragmentation, one area the BRICS countries should consider focusing on more in their deliberations this year is deepening intra-BRICS trade. For South Africa's agriculture, this has been a central input in various discussions for some time, reflecting our desire to expand export markets to…
11 Jul 11 min

SA’s ample grain and oilseed harvest bodes well for food price inflation

There are some glimpses of positivity that often arise from the agricultural data, which are worth highlighting. Indeed, these do not suggest that all is well with South Africa's agriculture; we continue to struggle with animal disease challenges in cattle farming and the poultry industry. However, if one is in…
4 Jul 12 min

Zimbabwe will remain a net importer of maize in 2025-26

Maize demand in the Southern African region is expected to remain strong in the 2025-26 marketing year, which commenced in May (this marketing year corresponds with the 2024-25 production season). One of the countries that imported most maize in Southern Africa in the 2024-25 marketing year was Zimbabwe. The country…
27 Jun 10 min
All episodes