Bucking the trend of Africa's Food Trade Deficit

Extract from Panel discussion at IFAMA 2017, Miami Florida

• Africa has the potential to feed itself and even have surplus food to export to other parts of the world. But instead, the continent imports $35 billion worth of food and agricultural products every year, and if the current predictions hold, the import bill will rise to $110 billion annually by 2025. So, the perplexing question is: if the African continent has vast agricultural potential as we have been led to believe, why are we facing an astronomical food import bill?
• This paradox was the main theme for a recent panel discussion on the topic at the IFAMA World Conference in Miami, Florida.

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BFAP and ReNAPRI colleages recently collaborated on a Drought policy brief on Staple Maize Markets in Southern and Eastern Africa

• The impact of the 2015/16 drought on food security in the region has reaffirmed the importance of:

• a. Accurate and regular crop estimates within the region to plan in advance and avoid panic that leads to ad hoc policy interventions like exports bans.
• b. Updated commodity balance sheets to analyse and anticipate the impact of a shift in production of staple food on stock levels, trade and consumption.
• c. Continuous maintenance and upgrading of an infrastructure to ensure the efficient handling of grain trade (imports and exports).
• d. Identify potential sources for staple food imports in time and ensure all protocols for importation are in place.

 Competitivenss of local grain and oilseeds industries on the global market (Dr. Dirk Strydom - Grain SA and Mr. Divan van der Westhuizen - BFAP)

Globalisation is becoming more of a reality, not only in the industrial sector, but also closer to home in the agricultural industry. It can be seen in the consolidation of input suppliers and the effect of international prices on local ones. 

Locally, producers compare crops and regions to determine competitiveness through study groups and several financial aspects. The big question, however is how do we measure up to teh rest of hte world's producers when it comes to globalisation and the free market. Read More

 Measuring the competitive performance of the South African stone fruit industry

The aim of the study is to enquire about the global competitive performance of the South African stone fruit industry for the period 1961 - 2012. Read More

Vooruitsigte vir die komende seisoene: Onbestendige ekonomiese omstandighede sal deurstigtige besluitneming vereis

Die droogte en relatief hoë temperature van 2016 het tot gevolg gehad dat verskeie kommoditeitspryse relatief hoë vlakke gerealiseer het, veral die van aartappels en mielies wat beide rekord pryse behaal het. 

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Press release on Food Inflation Expectations for 2016 and beyond

Recently there has been another wave of media reports on the impacts of the drought and the potential increases in food prices. In January BFAP projected that year-on-year inflation of the staple food basket would reach 29%. Download the full report HERE

BFAP's Tracy Davids and Diana Mawoko formed part of a discussion around the current drought the country is facing which was broadcast on Business day TV, Soweto TV and Kyknet. Prof Ferdi Meyer was also interviewed on the topic, together with Danie Roodt on "Nasie in gesprek".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRJ1UZNSNj8

South Africa is currently facing the most severe drought since 1991; in KwaZulu Natal the worst in 73 years. It is clear that a comprehensive plan to manage this drought and ensure food security is needed.

Prof Ferdi Meyer together with the minister of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Mr. Senzeni Zokwana,  participated in a discussion with Freek Robinson in his show on KykNet: Robinson Regstreeks around the drought South Africa is currently experiencing.