AGRICULTURAL NEWS - The expansion in South Africa’s agricultural sector during the third quarter of 2017, the second consecutive quarter of growth, contributed significantly to the 2% growth which the country’s economy showed during the period under review.
This was according to a statement issued by Statistics SA (Stats SA), which indicated that agriculture’s contributions grew 44,2% quarter-on-quarter.
This followed the 38,7% increase the sector showed in the second quarter.
“Agriculture, mining and manufacturing were the main drivers of the expansion, while there was a contraction in general government services resulting from low employment numbers in the public sector,” the statement said.
This increase was the largest quarterly jump in agricultural production since the second quarter of 1996, and can primarily be attributed to an increase in the production of field crops and horticultural products around the country, according to the statement.
