PREDICTING the future fortunes of agricultural commodities is no easy task, but that’s exactly what Stock Journal has asked some of SA agriculture’s movers and shakers to do.
We’ve put together a series of panel discussions delving into the performance of major commodities, and tackling often overlooked issues such as succession planning and business management.
Our six-part Farm Forum series will feature on the Stock Journal website from 7:30pm on Thursday, each week throughout August and into September.
We’ve gathered industry leaders and analysts from the beef, sheep and wool, dairy and cropping sectors, and captured their thoughts on their sector’s present performance, future growth opportunities and areas of concern.
Tonight, we are focusing on beef cattle.
No other major agricultural commodity has experienced such as surge in returns in the past 18 months, and producers have been enjoying excellent saleyard prices and strong demand for seedstock.
But, as we all know, agriculture is incredibly cyclical, and analysts have been forecasting some level of market correction by the end of the year.
We’ve even started to see prices ease at SA saleyards in the past couple of months, including a drop of 20 cents a kilogram to 30c/kg across most categories at the Naracoorte store sale on Thursday last week.
What remains to be seen is the magnitude of the predicted longer-term correction, and this will be a key point of discussion for tonight’s panel.
We’ll also focus on the potential gains from new technology, the cost pressures facing processors and how producers can best position themselves in a volatile market.
We hope this video series generates discussion beyond the industry experts taking part in each panel.
We want to know if you agree or disagree with their summations or predictions for your sector and, as always, value your feedback.
So if you’re wanting more from your evening entertainment than watching amateur chefs discussing their ‘food journey’ while making savoury ice-cream, or literally watching paint dry on a home renovation show, why not set aside 15 minutes tonight for our first Farm Forum?
For those who can’t give up their nightly reality television fix, the panel discussions can be viewed on the Stock Journal website and facebook page at any time.
