The CEO Forum Steering Committee of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) met on the 4th of April 2018 to engage on critical matters affecting the broader industry. Dr John Purchase, CEO of Agbiz, presented to the Committee on critical issues impacting on the agriculture and agribusiness sectors, including key policy and legislation matters (with specific reference to 'Expropriation without Compensation'), climate change and drought, and departmental regulatory matters that are of concern to industry. On another matter, Dr Julian Jaftha of DAFF provided an important update on the current biosecurity situation in South Africa, with specific reference to
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza: H5N8
, Listeriosis outbreak, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Fall Army Worm, Oriental Fruit Fly and the newly detected polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), Euwallacea fornicates, and its fungal symbiont, Fusarium euwallaceae. Please click on Biosecurity situation to peruse presentation. Pro-active and collaborative management of the biosecurity risks in South Africa is critical and essential to ensure a healthy and competitive agricultural sector that works for the benefit of the country and all its people.
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The National Minimum Wage Bill and the Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Bill jointly seek to transition South Africa from sectoral wage determinations towards a single minimum wage applicable on all industries in South Africa. These Bills are currently under discussion at the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour. As per the agreement reached between Labour, Government and Business at Nedlac, the National Minimum Wage was due to come into effect on the 1st of May 2018. Theo Boshoff, Agbiz Head: Legal Intelligence provides more information in the
linked article»
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| AGBIZ TRANSFORMATION DESK |
Last week Friday, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, published amendments to Code 000 as well as Code 300 for public comment. The amendments regulate the Generic Principles and the Generic Scorecard as well as the calculation of Skills Development respectively. Members of the public have been afforded 60 days to submit commentary on the proposed changes. Melcus Nel from SIGNA unpacks these changes in the linked article»
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Estimates by Fischer and Shah (2010) suggest that the world has 446 million hectares of potentially available uncultivated land. Of this, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 202 million hectares or 45 percent. Further qualifying estimates by Chamberlin et al. (2014) reflect that 47 percent of the 202 million hectares of potentially available uncultivated land in sub-Saharan Africa is less than 6 hours from the nearest market. Under a set of more relaxed assumptions, estimates of potentially available uncultivated land in the sub-Saharan African range from 52 percent (Deininger et al., 2011) to as high as 60 percent of the world's remaining arable land - Dr Tinashe Kapuya and Mr Wandile Sihlobo
provides more information in the linked article»
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Click here to read the daily market view on commodities and the weekly wrap.
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2018 Agbiz Congress | 61 Days to go!
With the agribusiness environment changing constantly, the congress theme "Uncertainty creates Opportunity" will pay attention to the key issues of transformation confronting South Africa and its agriculture system, and the impact technology will have on the competitiveness of South Africa's industries.
This year, we will be adding to our fantastic repertoire of speakers, as well as inviting back some of your favourites, the people that impressed you most over the years - Draft programme»
Click here to see the list of companies and organisations already registered to attend this event.
Accommodation at the Boardwalk Hotel in Port Elizabeth where the congress is taking place, is selling out fast but a few rooms are still available. Please use the block code to book a room: AGBIZGRP18 -
More information»
IMPORTANT DATES
Closing date for registration: 4 May 2018
Congress: 7-8 June 2018
Welcome Function: 6 June 2018
Gala Dinner: 7 June 2018
Agbiz AGM: 8 June 2018
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Interactive agricultural workshop for traders and market participants
12-13 April 2018
FERTASA Annual Congress
19 April 2018
Premier Hotel OR Tambo | Johannesburg
6-11 May 2018
NAMPO
15-18 May 2017 | NAMPO Park | Bothaville
More information
21 to 25 May 2018 | South Africa
The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), The World Academy of Sciences Regional Office for sub-Saharan Africa (TWAS-ROSSA) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) are seeking candidates to participate in the inaugural regional training workshop on science diplomacy to be held in South Africa.
More information
World Potato Congress
27-31 May 2018 | Peru | South America
Potatoes SA Transformation Symposium
7 June 2018 | Pretoria
More information
Vision 2030 Summit
20-21 June 2018 | Emperors Palace | Gauteng
More information
IFAMA World Conference
23-27 June 2018 | Buenos Aires | Argentina
More information
Regional Trade Facilitation Forum for grain stakeholders in the Eastern & Southern Africa region
28 June 2018 | Lusaka | Zambia
The Forum is expected to convene sellers and buyers of grain commodities from the Southern and Eastern Africa regions to network and execute trade deals.
Invitation letter
Programme
Registration form
FW Agribusiness Africa Conference
18-19 July 2018 | Emperors Palace
Enquiries: Marianna du Plessis, e-mail
africa@caxton.co.za
PMA Fresh Connections Southern Africa Conference and Tradeshow
15-16 August, 2018 |
CSIR | Pretoria
Agbiz Grain Symposium
22 August 2018 | Pretoria
AGRI 5 Commodities Workshop & Expo
Date: 20th -21st September 2018
Venue: East London Show Grounds
Contact info: 011 056 6856
56th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA)
25-27 September 2018 | Lord Charles Hotel | Somerset-West
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Being a member of Agbiz provides various benefits and opportunities
- Agbiz is the only organisation that serves the broader and common over-arching business interests of agribusinesses in South Africa.
- Agbiz addresses the legislative and policy environment on the many fronts that it impacts on the agribusiness environment.
- Agbiz facilitates considerable top-level networking opportunities so that South African agribusinesses can play an active and creative role within the local and international organised business environment.
- Agbiz research provides sector specific information for informed decision making.
- Agbiz newsletter publishes members' press releases and member product announcements.
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Third-party website links to this newsletter
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The Agbiz Newsletter may contain a few links to websites that belong to third parties unrelated to us. By making these links available, we are not endorsing third-party websites, their content, products, services or their events. Agbiz seeks to protect the integrity of its newsletter and links placed upon it, and therefore welcomes any feedback.
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