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Minister Rob Davies announces MCEP Industrial Financing Loan Facility
 The Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (MCEP) was designed as an instrument to support enterprises in the production sectors of the economy soon after the onset of the global economic recession to weather very adverse market conditions, secure higher levels of investment, raise competitiveness and retain employment. The Production Incentive was temporarily suspended in October 2015.
The dti this week announced the partial reopening of the MCEP, which will enable manufacturers to access working capital loans, as well as start-up capital for black industrialists. Please click on
press statement for
the dti's press release.
The
linked report
appeared in BusinessDay this week on the MCEP announcement.
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Minister Rob Davies chairs NEDLAC TIC Strategic Session
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Agbiz meets with BLSA on Beyond Advocacy Fund
 This week Agbiz met with Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) to explore possible access for agribusinesses to participate in the Beyond Advocacy Fund.
The Beyond Advocacy Fund (BAF) was established in terms of a Memorandum of Collaboration signed between USAID and BLSA in November 2013. The Fund, which is co-financed by matching commitments of US$1.5m each from USAID (in cash) and BLSA (in cash or in-kind contributions), will operate for an initial period of three years, which is extendable depending on the performance of the Fund, the availability of resources and initiatives which reflect the purpose, principles and criteria that underpin its operation. The BAF was conceived as a tool to help address South Africa's major development challenges by catalysing BLSA's members to work with the Government of South Africa on collaborative projects that address SA's most pressing development challenges
. The Fund aims to promote partnership-based approaches between government and business to identify, test and replicate innovative and lasting solutions to major development challenges the country confronts, including youth unemployment. The work of the BAF should be closely aligned to the development and poverty reduction goals and approaches outlined in the National Development Plan.
The BAF has the potential to assist agribusinesses with development projects.
Please click on BAF to peruse full document.
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Public Consultation on Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Policy and Bill (PDALB) extended
 The draft Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Policy and Bill (PDALB) as per Government Gazette Number 40247, Notice Number 984A are now available for the second round of reviews and open for comment until 30 October 2016. The updated document,
Draft PDALB - Version 2, incorporates public comments received from the first phase of public engagement. This Bill is focused exclusively on land use and not land ownership. Three more workshops are still to be held by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) on the PDALB in
Stellenbosch,
East London and
Pietermaritzburg. Mariana Purnell, General Manager at Agbiz Grain provides more information in the
linked document»
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Economic and agribusiness intelligence
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South African food inflation accelerates
 Recent data from Statistics South Africa indicates that in August 2016, headline inflation decelerated in July 2016. Overall food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation remained unchanged from the previous month. However, leaving beverages component aside, food inflation accelerated in July 2016. Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz head of economic and agribusiness research provides more information in the
linked update»
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Agribusiness confidence improves significantly
 The Agbiz/IDC confidence index recovered 13 points to 60 in the third quarter of this year, after remaining below 50 index points for five consecutive quarters.
This is the highest reading since the third quarter of 2014. Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz head of economic and agribusiness research, says this suggests that agribusinesses are holding an optimistic view regarding business conditions in the country.
Find linked the full media release»
In addition, read Wandile Sihlobo's opinion in BusinessDay:
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 Over the years, there have been a number of structural changes in the South African agricultural markets which has had a significant influence on trade and marketing of agricultural commodities, particularly maize. Wandile Sihlobo identifies unexploited potential markets for South African maize industry in the
linked article»
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Daily insight into agri-commodities
Daily commentaries on agricultural commodity markets and macro-economic trends
are available on the Agbiz website
www.agbiz.co.za
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International trade intelligence
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Progress with SADC-EU EPA negotiations and implementation
The Economic Partnership Agreement
(EPA) was signed on 9 June 2016 in Botswana
on behalf of
SADC members and EU representatives. South African Parliament on 30 August 2016 ratified the Agreement, followed by other SADC members.
On 14 September 2016 the Agreement was approved by Members of the European parliament.
The deal will now need to be formally approved by the European Council. All SADC Members have ratified it and have submitted it to the EU, while they members will liberalise 86% of the tariff lines over a period of ten years. SADC-EU EPA will from 1 October be implemented provisionally by EU until all other EU members have ratified it. This process could take
anything from two to five years to be completed.
Michael Mokhoro, Stakeholder Relations Manager of South African Wine and Brandy says
that this
will grant improved access to the EU market and duty-free market access for the South African Wine and Brandy Industry as from 1 October this year
. The South African
Wine and
Brandy
Industry can export 110 million litres duty-free to the EU with an additional 1 million litres duty free annually. The South African
Wine and
Brandy
Industry would be expected to use the duty free quota to its maximum.
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Mycotoxins on grain and grain products
 The Minister of Health,
Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has amended the regulations governing tolerances for fungus-produced toxins in foodstuffs. Read more about the new regulations in
Government Notice No.1145»
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Skills development in agribusiness
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Agbiz congress students attend leadership summit
Agbiz congress students recently attended a Leadership Summit in Bloemfontein, hosted by BathoPele Agri Development Institute in conjunction with John Deere Financial and Absa Agribusiness. The summit focused on empowering students to develop a magnificent career in agriculture by understanding their own strengths and weaknesses, by making positive choices and by setting goals. Read more»
Pascalina Mohlotsane, one of the students who participated in the summit, shared her experience with OFM listeners. Click here to listen»
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Agribusiness Centenary Bursary - Apply now
Agbiz is making available an annual bursary to a South African student registered for a Masters or PhD degree in either agricultural economics or agribusiness management related fields. The application deadline is 9 December 2016. More information»
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GWK building rockets, winning awards and innovating for agriculture
GWK recently scooped a Gold at the 2016 Loerie Awards for their animated TV and online advert, highlighting the important role that farmers play in society. Read more»
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Another successful year for Durban Fresh Produce Market
View the September newsletter
here»
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Presentations to Portfolio Committees in Parliament
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Committee for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries:
The International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) briefed the Portfolio Committee for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Parliament on poultry and grain import tariffs this past week. Please click on
ITAC Briefing
to peruse.
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Launch of the NEPAD PARDEE Zero Hunger Report
 The New Partnership for Africa's Development Planning and Coordination Agency (NEPAD Agency), the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), and the Pardee Center for International Futures launched the NEPAD PARDEE Zero Hunger Report in Pretoria on 13 September 2016. The study report is intended for Governments and regional bodies and policy analysts to stimulate, inform and possibly guide national level critical analysis and determination of national pathways that will work to eliminate hunger and food insecurity by 2025. More information»
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SA Premier Business Awards call for entries
Business enterprises are invited to submit entries for the 4th annual South African Premier Business Awards by 30 September 2016. Entries may be submitted in a range of categories, including technology, manufacturing and women in business. The Minister of Trade and Industry Dr Rob Davies has described this event as South Africa's apex business awards which brings together all single sectored awards into one big, national business awards. Read more»
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$30bn boost for African agriculture
- Let's turn pledges into businesses!
Has Africa's growth run out of steam? This question has been on the minds of many investors, business leaders and policy makers as they observe increasing interest in key industries such as agriculture, energy and technology, with however limited access to financial resources. Companies (African and international) are looking for business-building opportunities and governments are seeking to accelerate growth by diversifying their economies.
Read more»
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AMT Agri-Outlook Conference
28 September 2016 | CSIR Convention Centre | Pretoria
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Maize Trust's Showcase Day
30 September 2016 | Grain Building Auditorium | Willows, Pretoria
The Maize Trust's Showcase Day replaces the trust's traditional Annual General Meeting and promises to be a very interesting and informative event.
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International Conference on Research Infrastructure
3 - 5 October 2016 | Cape Town
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Agri 5 Commodities Workshop
5 - 6 October 2016 | Bloemfontein
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Subtrop Marketing Symposium
9 November 2016 | Emnotweni Arena | Mbombela
The symposium provides an opportunity for players in the South African subtropical fruit and nut industries, including growers, packers, processors, marketers and retailers to network, socialize and gain insight to the industries current trade, marketing and economic affairs.
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Africa Fertilizer Agribusiness Conference
10 - 12 October 2016 | Dar es Salaam | Tanzania
Members of AGBIZ can register for the conference here using the code AGBIZ1 and will save 15% off the final delegate rate.
The brochure with details of all the sessions and the expert speaker panel can now be viewed
here
.
More information»
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Africa Agri Investment Indaba
28 - 30 November 2016 | Cape Town International Convention Centre
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Water & Climate Congress
22 - 24 March 2016
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