• Adequate maize supplies for 2018/19 marketing season • Positive for food inflation • Could impact positively on interest rate outcomes Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural Economist at FNB Agri-Business The latest production estimate showed a further upward adjustment to the crop estimates with ...

South Africa :The recent cut in interest rates, coupled with a reduction in petrol prices and a stronger Rand, while marginal, will go a long way to provide relief to farmers who are currently struggling considering the tough economic environment. Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural Economist at ...

As expected, the latest Crop Estimates Committee’s (CEC) production estimate report showed an upward revision to the February estimate for maize to 10.56 million tons. This follows good rains since early January that stimulated farmers to increase the pace of planting. Although the current ...

Comment by Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural economist at FNB Agri-Business South Africa : Following a stellar performance in 2017, South Africa’s agriculture output shrank by massive 29.2% in the 2nd quarter of 2018 and contributed -0.8 of a percentage point to GDP growth. This follows a ...

Commentary from Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural Economist at FNB AgriBusiness South Africa, 2 July 2018– As expected, another fuel hike is scheduled for midnight Wednesday 4th which is going to hit the consumers hard. According to the Department of Energy, Petrol (95 ULP & LRP) will ...

Comment by Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural economist at FNB Agri-Business The South African consumer faces another hefty hike in fuel costs effective Wednesday June 6 according to the recent announcement by the Department of Energy. Petrol (95 ULP & LRP) and diesel prices will increase by 82 ...

Comment by Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural economist at FNB Agri-Business From an agriculture perspective, unchanged rates bode well for the sector as it is grappling with a national agriculture debt in excess of R160 million. Producers, particularly in the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape and ...

Rate cut is a welcome relief for the agricultural sector – Commentary by Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural Economist at FNB Business  Agriculture is a capital intensive industry with a national agriculture debt in access of R 160 million, the reduction of the interest rate by 25 basis points is ...

Comment by Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural Economist at FNB Business On the back of a devastating drought in South Africa’s biggest agriculture region, the Western Cape (WC), the sector has managed to pull off an impressive 37.5% q/q and contributed 0.8 percentage points to GDP growth. The WC ...