FarmersWeekly.co.za reports that Grain SA has defended farmers’ role in South Africa’s food system to the South African

FarmersWeekly.co.za reports that Grain SA has defended farmers’ role in South Africa’s food system to the South African Human Rights Commission, arguing that affordable food depends on a sustainable production base and an efficient value chain. Grain SA has urged the SAHRC not to hold farmers solely responsible for rising food prices, arguing that producers are only one part of a complex food system in which costs accumulate throughout the value chain. On 7 July, the organisation presented its case during the second leg of the SAHRC’s National Investigative Hearing into South Africa’s food system.
An unusually early-developing El Niño has sparked concerns that South Africa could face a hotter- and drier-than-normal 2026/27 summer. However, experts say it is still too early to predict the full extent of the climate phenomenon’s impact on the country’s agriculture sector. Independent agricultural meteorologist Johan van den Berg said that over the past 70 to 80 years, climatic conditions have been fairly evenly divided between El Niño, La Niña, and neutral years, with each occurring roughly one-third of the time.
And… As international demand for rooibos continues to grow and new export opportunities emerge, industry leaders say protecting the product’s geographical origin will be critical to ensuring its long-term value and supporting South African producers. According to Dawie de Villiers, director of the South African Rooibos Council (SARC), access to new international markets is an important milestone for the industry because sustainable growth depends on strong consumer demand. De Villiers said planting additional rooibos without established markets would expose producers to unnecessary risk, making strong international demand essential for future industry expansion.
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