South African News
South African Citrus Gains New Cold-Treatment Option for India
South African citrus exporters have gained greater flexibility in the Indian market after India approved in-transit cold treatment for fresh citrus. The change, gazetted in July, allows fruit to undergo approved treatment during shipment, potentially reducing transport times, costs and delays while maintaining phytosanitary standards. India is a major growth opportunity, with South African citrus exports increasing 85% in 2025 and volumes reaching about 54,000 pallets. Counter-seasonal production also creates opportunities to supply India when domestic citrus availability is lower. However, tariffs and wider logistical constraints remain barriers to further export growth and market diversification.
Read full story: Farmer’s Weekly
Date Published: August 24, 2026
South Africa Urged to Boost Local Tomato Paste Production
South Africa imports large quantities of tomato paste despite having the potential to produce more domestically. Industry experts say high production costs, limited processing capacity, inadequate infrastructure, inconsistent raw material supplies, restricted access to finance and skills shortages are holding the sector back. Proposed solutions include developing export markets, improving import rebate systems, expanding affordable finance, investing in processing infrastructure and using dual-purpose facilities for tomato and fruit concentrates. Researchers also highlighted the importance of suitable processing cultivars with high soluble solids, firm fruit and disease resistance. Greater government support could help strengthen the value chain and reduce reliance on imports.
Read full story: Food For Mzansi
Date Published: August 24, 2026
African News
Kenyan Farmers Turn to Insects as Demand for Organic Alternatives Grows
Kenyan farmers are increasingly using worms and insects to produce organic fertilisers as soil degradation, rising fertiliser prices and growing demand for organic food drive the search for alternatives to synthetic inputs. George Muturi uses redworms to convert food and crop waste into nutrient-rich vermicompost, which he says has improved soil quality and helped sustain crops during dry periods. In Nakuru, Robert Mwangi uses black soldier fly larvae to process around 10 tonnes of food waste each week, producing organic fertiliser and animal feed. Both approaches improve soil fertility while recycling waste, although scaling up remains a challenge.
Read full story: France 24
Date Published: August 24, 2026
Global News
Swiss Farm Succession Laws Help Protect Family Farms
Switzerland uses strict agricultural land laws to protect family farms from fragmentation, speculation and excessive debt, while ensuring farmland remains with active farmers. Introduced in 1991, the rules require buyers or heirs to demonstrate that they can personally farm the land, with qualified successors able to inherit an entire viable farm rather than having it divided among siblings. Price controls limit what agricultural land can be sold for, while restrictions prevent farms from being split into uneconomic parcels. Local farmers and family members also have priority when land is sold. The approach offers potential lessons for managing farm succession and land ownership elsewhere.
Read full story: Farm Progress
Date Published: August 24, 2026
Heavy Brazilian Rains Threaten Premium Arabica Coffee Supplies
Heavy rainfall in Brazil has damaged the quality of the country’s arabica coffee crop, raising concerns over supplies of premium beans despite expectations of a global coffee surplus. Brazil produces around 45% of the world’s arabica, making the disruption significant for roasters and consumers. In the Cerrado Mineiro region, unusually heavy June rains caused around 20% of ripe cherries to fall, while further rainfall disrupted drying in July, increasing the risk of fermentation and flavour defects. The proportion of beans meeting premium quality standards could fall sharply, while arabica futures have risen about 35% since June and certified stocks remain near historic lows.
Read full story: Kursiv Media
Date Published: August 24, 2026
Japan’s Matcha Boom Faces Threat from Shrinking Tea Farms
Japan’s booming matcha exports are highlighting a growing crisis in the country’s tea industry, where ageing farmers and deteriorating plantations are causing farmland to disappear. Major tea-growing areas covered around 25,400 hectares last year, but this could fall to just 5,000 hectares by 2050 if current trends continue. Around 40% of Japan’s tea plants are already more than 30 years old, reducing yields and quality. Rising global demand has pushed up tea prices, while green tea exports reached a 70-year high. The industry is responding by expanding tencha production, encouraging younger farmers, mechanisation and new technologies.
Read full story: The Asia Business Daily
Date Published: August 24, 2026
New Zealand Farmers Face Escalating Pest Crisis
New Zealand’s pest problem is worsening despite increased control efforts, with farmers estimated to be losing $466 million a year through control costs and reduced production. A Federated Farmers survey found two-thirds of farmers have seen pest numbers increase over the past five years, while average control spending has risen to $6.18 per hectare. Nearly one-third are reducing stocking rates because pests are consuming pasture. Deer, wild pigs, wallabies and Canada geese are among the species increasing, while possum numbers are also rising. Farmers are calling for a nationally coordinated strategy covering private, forestry, council and Crown land.
Read full story: Farmers Weekly
Date Published: August 24, 2026
