Farmer's Weekly

Farmer’s Weekly is an agricultural magazine based in South Africa, targeting the whole of Southern Africa. The magazine is committed to advancing the interests of the region’s farmers and its agricultural industry by serving as a mouthpiece for the industry and by keeping its readers informed of the latest developments in the agricultural sector.

The growing water crisis and lack of action

El Niño drives local maize volatility • A super El Niño could disrupt local weather patterns, risking a decoupling of South African maize prices from global trends, increased market volatility, and greater reliance on early-warning and risk-management systems.

FLOUR & FEED CONFERENCE • The 36th IAOM MEA Flour & Feed Conference & Expo will bring together global experts and industry leaders to examine the technical, digital, and economic developments reshaping the milling and grain processing industries in Africa and the Middle East. The expo will give exhibitors an opportunity to connect with industry professionals, showcase their latest innovations, and engage with key decision-makers.

LETTERS

The secrets to successful asparagus production • Clocolan grower achieves twice the average asparagus yield of contracted Langeberg Co-operative producers, with part of his crop exported to the lucrative German market.

State of food security in the face of geopolitical tensions and the El Niño threat

Global agriculture facing volatile markets and inclement weather • Explore how volatile markets, climate extremes, and shifting trade policies impact global farming, from potato protests in Sri Lanka to New Zealand's apple tariff advantages and shrinking harvests across Asia.

When the unpredictable strikes, your insurance cover can’t be on autopilot • Climate volatility is reshaping risk on South African farms. Reviewing your insurance and insured values regularly to ensure they reflect the cost of recovery is essential to maintaining balance sheet resilience.

Alvi’s Drift: three generations, one family legacy • Alvi’s Drift takes its name from a bridge built across the Breede River in 1930. Nearly a century later, the family is still farming here, with a third generation continuing the work that began on the river’s banks.

Is one enterprise carrying the rest of your farm? – Part 1 • Can a mixed farm be profitable while one enterprise quietly drains its earnings? In Part 1 of this two-part series, Cobus du Plessis demonstrates how enterprise analysis uncovers hidden losses, isolates variable costs, and calculates true gross margins per unit.

SA’s citrus sector leads globally amid market challenges • As South Africa becomes the world’s top citrus exporter, reaching record volumes, severe weather, geopolitical disruptions, and heightened competition demand urgent market diversification and climate resilience to sustain profitability, says Hendus Janse van Rensburg.

Outlook for SA’s cattle farmers • Meat demand remains stagnant, and farmers with marketable animals should probably sell these at current prices and not wait for higher prices to materialise around Christmas, writes Dr Koos Coetzee.

Rental and pre-owned equipment

Renewable energy can cut farm costs and strengthen water security • Rising energy costs and unreliable power threaten agricultural profitability. TerraSol CEO Ruan Barnard explains how tailored solar, battery storage, and smart pumping systems cut operating expenses and safeguard water security.

O-La-La: home of Chianina legends • As the breeder behind South Africa’s first Chianina stud, Christiaan de Jager has spent more than two decades developing genetics aimed at improving beef production efficiency. Henning Naudé spoke to him about O-La-La Chianinas’ breeding philosophy and why he...