After rising for much of last year, the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz)/Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) fell by 18 points in the first quarter of this year to 49, the lowest level since the third quarter of 2024. In a media release, Agbiz says the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which continues to impose immense financial pressure on the cattle industry; African swine fever in the pig industry; and pressures from lower global prices in the sugar and wheat industries are among the key constraints highlighted by survey respondents as major risks weighing on sentiment.
