South Africa’s agricultural machinery sales data confirms the Crop Estimates Committee’s view of increased summer grain and oilseed plantings between January and February 2019 in the western parts of the country.

South Africa has opened its 2019/19 avocado season, one that will not repeat what has been called the “astronomical increase” (or “an inundation of avocados”) of last year.

Florida grapefruit, which is considered the best of its kind in many countries, is still available. Globally, however, traders lament that the total production volume is gradually falling each year, mostly as a result of citrus greening and the weather conditions. Most of the grapefruit currently on the market comes from Israel, Turkey and Spain, where the acreage is expanding.

The 2018 South African macadamia crop ended on a positive note with a record crop of 56 550 tonnes of in-shell macadamias.This is approximately 4 000 tonnes higher than the previous estimate.

The first South African pomegranates have left for Europe, where Southern Hemisphere fruit fills a good gap in the market.

outh Africa’s wine industry is centered around Cape Town. But pioneers far to the northeast are forging a new frontier in unlikely surroundings as changing weather patterns test long-held conventions.