The fourth publication of the South Africa Food Cost Review provides a specific overview of trends in food price inflation and food prices at retail level during 2007. This publication serves as a useful tool for the state to monitor food price trends, food processing costs and farm-to-retail price spreads. Current factors that have an effect on the agricultural sector (directly or indirectly) are also reported in this issue and include factors such as domestic economic developments, consumer dynamics, climate change, the oil market, biofuels, transport, input costs and agricultural trade. Findings on the causes of agflation are also shown in this publication.

The NAMC published a report which contains information on the input cost trends for selected fertilisers, trends for the Baltic Freight Index, fuel prices and the cost for electricity and gas.

The NAMC released a document on the most recent trend in various selected input prices. Input prices are considered one of the most constraining factors for many industry’s competitiveness. Being informed on the trend will allow agribusinesses to manage their costs better.

The Story of Potatoes reports on broad trends in input costs for table potatoes with detailed graphs and findings. The contribution of different variable input costs to total production cost of table potatoes and trends in individual input cost items are also covered in this issue, published in March 2009.

NAMC published a detailed report in October 2008 on broad trends in input costs for fruit, especially the deciduous fruit industry. This report, the Story of Fruit, investigates broad trends in input cost movements for the fruit industry, the contribution of different variable input costs to the total variable input cost of deciduous fruit and trends in individual input cost items.

The NAMC’s published a report in July 2008 namely the Story of Wheat and Maize which contains information on broad trends in input costs for grains. Although these trends relate specifically to the maize and wheat industry, it is also applicable to other grains. Issues that are covered in this report are broad trends in input cost movements for the grain industry, the contribution of different variable input costs to total variable input cost of maize and wheat and trends in individual input cost items.