Sommaire pour 30 August 2019 de Farmer's Weekly

The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) recently released its annual Baseline Agricultural Outlook for 2019 to 2028. It is important to remember that the baseline, as BFAP explains in the report, does not constitute a forecast, but instead a benchmark of what could happen under a particular set of assumptions. The report is valuable when used as a tool to determine the major trends that could shape the future profitability of a certain commodity or product. It can also be used to determine how the future might pan out if worse comes to worst, or how much better the future might look if positive changes are made. For example, the report gives a very good indication of how volumes of certain citrus products, such as lemons and mandarins,…

The agricultural journalism and farming communities are mourning the loss of Alita van der Walt, former editor of Farmer’s Weekly, who passed away on 12 August in Tzaneen, Limpopo. Alita (42) grew up in a farming community, and held a degree in business communication from Potchefstroom (now North-West) University. She began her career as a designer at Caxton Community Newspapers in 2000, and joined the Farmer’s Weekly design team in 2003. She served as the managing editor, and later as commercial manager and deputy editor, of the magazine, before being promoted to editor in June 2011, becoming the first female editor of South Africa’s oldest agricultural magazine. Her appointment as editor ushered in a new era for Farmer’s Weekly on many levels, says Denene Erasmus, who became editor after Alita…

There is a small, yet highly vocal minority in South Africa with extreme anti-foreigner sentiments. This is according to research conducted by Citizen Surveys. Reza Omar, the strategic research director at Citizen Surveys, says that between March 2017 and February 2018, xenophobic sentiments were shared by between 3% and 6% of the adult population, influenced by the high level of unemployment and anti-immigrant political agitation. Omar adds that according to the South African Citizens Survey data, xenophobia was one of the least important problems facing South Africa in the second quarter of 2019. At number 13, only 6% of South Africans (2,3 million people) viewed it as a priority issue. The South African Human Rights Commission has meanwhile condemned the recent looting of shops owned by foreign nationals. THE ANC…

The objective of a new primary co-operative recently established in Bloemfontein is to unlock opportunities for members, bring farmers and consumers closer together, and address poverty. One of the founding members of the Livestock Owners’ Agricultural Primary Co-operative, Dr Jaco de Villiers, said the new co-op had been established according to the regulations of the Co-operatives Act of 2005. The Act allowed for agricultural, housing, worker, social and consumer co-operatives, among others. De Villiers said it also catered for ‘multi-level’ co-operatives, namely primary, secondary and tertiary co-operatives. “Our point of departure in agriculture is that a primary co-operative would serve at the primary production level, with a secondary co-op then established with the purpose of processing or adding value along the value chain.” The seven founding members of the newly…

AfriForum has laid a charge of fraud at the Komatipoort police station against Singo Consulting. According to a statement by AfriForum, this was done in a bid to halt the development of a planned coal mine in close proximity to the Kruger National Park, which the organisation said could have dire consequences for the immediate environment, and threaten jobs in the area. The statement said that the company had allegedly committed fraud in the form of plagiarism in its environmental impact assessment (EIA), which AfriForum claimed matched another EIA word for word. The proposed 18 000ha mining operation could have “enormous destructive consequences” for the immediate environment, the Crocodile River, other water sources, nature reserves, wildlife, and the road network in Mpumalanga. The statement also said that AfriForum had received…

According to the Kenyan government, the recently gazetted Crops (Irish Potato) Regulations of 2019 were intended to standardise the country’s potato value chain and protect local potato growers against unscrupulous buyers and other role players. Potato farmers were now required to pack their produce in bags weighing a maximum of 50kg each, instead of the previously permitted 110kg maximum, to allow for better control over the grading, quality and price negotiations with packhouses and buyers. Kenya’s media reported that these new regulations had been welcomed by the country’s potato growers, especially by the more vulnerable small-scale farmers. All participants in Kenya’s potato value chain now had to register on a national database that would be monitored by government inspectors to ensure compliance. The selling and buying of potatoes for commercial…

Food inflation is set to increase in the short term due to various macroeconomic indicators, which means that South African consumers can expect further food price increases. This was according to the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy’s (BFAP) baseline report for the period 2019 to 2028, which was launched in Pretoria recently. The report showed that the average ‘thrifty, healthy food basket’ for April 2019 cost R2 524/month for a family of four, and R814/month for a single adult male household. The same basket for a family of four cost R1 843/month in 2013. The basket included starch-rich staple foods, animal protein, dairy, fruit, vegetables, fats and oils, and legumes. The increase in food inflation from 2018 to 2019 was projected to be 5%, while a further 6% was…

Phytosanitary measures to mitigate the risk of fruit fly infestations in citrus fruit exports to the EU will come into effect on 1 September. The regulations will require that citrus fruit exported to the EU need either to be sourced from a fruit fly-free area, or subjected to an effective treatment to ensure the fruit is free of non-European fruit flies. Two citrus fruit flies have been flagged for South Africa: the first for lemons and limes (FF-SAL), and the second for other citrus types (FF-SAO). Since the beginning of August, fruit fly checks have been included in all packhouse delivery inspections. Compliance with the citrus fruit fly management system will become compulsory from September, before a phytosanitary certificate for exporting to the EU can be issued. DETECTION OF ANY…

What can we do about the serious flow of people and capital away from South Africa? To try and stop it with legal statutes would, in my view, be akin to standing at the bottom of the Augrabies Falls with a bucket and trying to return the water to the source of the Orange River. It’s just not possible. So, what do I suggest should be done about the brain drain? Firstly, because South Africa is in need of capital, anyone with an offshore business should be encouraged to run it as tax-effectively as possible, and earn hard currency offshore. In effect, a return to a source-based tax system could be a boon for business. Someone living here and bringing in money from offshore is, in fact, helping the economy.…

I regularly get requests from readers of this column asking for advice on a wide range of topics involving the production and marketing of vegetables, and sometimes fruit. Note the emphasis on vegetables, because that’s the route followed by most new, small-scale farmers. My column is about marketing, but I do my best when readers want answers to production-related issues. My fellow columnist, Bill Kerr, is an excellent source of knowledge and practical experience in this regard. CASH FLOW New farmers want to get the cash flow going. Because planting trees is too long term, they opt for veggies, which are quick and often ‘easier’ to produce. However, a wise farmer will seek a balance between current and future income by planting fruit trees that can start generating income after…

To make slow-cooked shredded beef for six diners, you will need: FOR THE BEEF: 1,5kg brisket or chuck 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil 6 cloves of garlic 1 large onion 1 can of tomatoes 500ml chicken or beef stock 200ml freshly squeezed orange juice 2 tablespoons of lime juice FOR THE SPICES: 1 tablespoon ground paprika 1 tablespoon dried origanum 1 teaspoon each of: – Salt and pepper – Onion powder – Garlic powder – Coriander powder – Allspice powder 1 Cut the beef into four roughly equal pieces. Measure all the ingredients on the spice list and combine them in a mixing bowl. Arrange the sliced raw beef of your choice on a work surface and sprinkle four teaspoons of the mixed spices over the meat. Massage or…

Tumaini is a new app developed by Africa’s Bioversity International (bioversityinternational.org) that allows banana farmers to identify and combat outbreaks of pests and diseases. The app has an incredible 90% success rate. With more than 113 million tons harvested each year, bananas are one of the world’s most important crops. Bananas are essentially clones where every plant is almost genetically identical to the one next to it. This means they’re affected by pests and diseases in the same way. The Tumaini app is based on recent improvements in image-recognition technology and deep learning, notes newatlas.com. It uses 20 000 uploaded images of banana diseases and pests to learn how to identify specific signs of infection or infestation, as well as which steps to take to counter the problem. As it…

With no rain for many weeks, Wifey Dear has been trying to keep our garden alive. Fortunately, we can irrigate from the dam, as the water level remains high. We have a frequent visitor taking advantage of this, a female duiker grazing away on young shoots in full view of us watching her. Even Jacky Vicky is a spectator, not quite sure whether to chase her off or let her share our garden. It’s becoming a regular activity now, watching nature come so close. “Duikers are good eating,” neighbour Jan commented over morning coffee on my stoep, offering to bring his rifle next time he visited. “Don’t you dare,” I said, as my blood pressure rose. We’ve had snakes, porcupines, anteaters and leguaans visit our garden, but never a buck…

The objective of this award is to recognise the province with the highest number of participants in the Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) Scheme. The KyD farmers must be registered on the INTERGIS national database, and must have loaded data onto the database between March 2018 and April 2019. The three provinces with the highest number of participating farmers will receive a platinum, gold and silver award respectively. The recipients will be announced during the awards event on 29 August. THIS YEAR’S FINALISTS FOR THE KyD PROVINCE OF THE YEAR ARE KWAZULU-NATAL, LIMPOPO AND MPUMALANGA.…

“There is no single, generic solution to farmer support. The type and scope of support needed differs from one country to the next and depends to some degree on the socio-economic dynamics in each country. It also stands to reason that high-income countries are generally in a better position to provide support to farmers, compared with lower-income countries, where government spending might focus on social support. According to the classification system used by the UN and the World Bank, which classifies countries into high-, middle-, and lower-income segments, Africa is the only continent without a high-income country. South Africa is rated the most industrialised economy on the continent, and holds the most potential for moving out of the middle-income segment into the high-income segment. GROWTH AS PER THE STATE’S PLAN…

Adverse climatic conditions, such as widespread drought, have resulted in many farmers falling behind in their payments or defaulting on debt and credit, which negatively affected their credit profiles. This was according to Chris van Rensburg, CEO of Kudough Credit Solutions, who told Farmer’s Weekly that it was vital for producers who were falling behind with payments as a result of environmental factors to approach lenders and inform them of the situation. Creditors were usually prepared to explore alternative repayment avenues and to negotiate revised payment plans, he said. Many financial institutions would look at restructuring loan terms for a specific period to lighten the pressure on producers who were unable to meet their repayments due to environmental challenges. “There are multiple factors that need to be considered, such as…

AUSTRALIA Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stepped up efforts to convince the governments of Pacific Islands to abandon calls for tougher climate change goals. These low-lying islands were on the frontline of rising sea levels due to climate change, and some residents had been forced to move to higher ground. Australia would not agree to any demands for tougher climate goals, as Morrison was a firm supporter of the country’s coal industry. SPAIN Biological insecticides currently only represent 2% of all insecticides used worldwide. Scientists participating in two international meetings on pest control in Valencia, Spain, said biological insecticides had limitations because “unfortunately they are more specific, they can kill your pest but not others”, but fortunately they were more beneficial for the environment. Pests would never be completely…

Moving forward with the uptake of regenerative or conservation agriculture will require investment in farmers to manage the change. This was according to Prof James Blignaut, an environmental and resource economist at Stellenbosch University, speaking at the 6th Agbiz Grain Symposium in Pretoria recently. Blignaut said a change from conventional farming to conservation agriculture was necessitated by various factors, including climate change and cost pressures on conventional farming, especially grains. Some farmers had acknowledged that they needed to make these changes, as they realised that conventional agriculture was coming under increasing pressure due to escalating costs, exposure to climate variations and a decline in soil fertility. Introducing conservation agriculture would reduce these challenges and increase profitability. However, the difficulty was switching to this farming system, as research had indicated that…

South African wool buyers say they are still awaiting feedback on the protocols required by Chinese authorities for exports before they will participate in the new season sales, which got underway in August. The South African Wool and Mohair Buyers’ Association (SAWAMBA) said earlier this month it would not be participating in the new season’s sales until the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) could provide clarity on the procedures required by the Chinese General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC). Paul Lynch, director of Standard Wool, vice-chairperson of Cape Wools, and a member of SAWAMBA, told Farmer’s Weekly that “buyers were hoping to make a decision to go back to the auctions, but we have still not received any feedback from…

Africa is still a significant market for South African wines and presents numerous opportunities for growth and premiumisation, according to Wines of South Africa (WoSA). Matome Mbatha, WoSA marketing manager for Africa, said that Angola, in particular, was a high-potential market. “The decline [in the demand for wine] witnessed in recent years has been due to the economic downturn that oil-based economies experienced during the drop in oil prices. However, Angola’s economy is expected to grow 3,4% over the forecast period 2019 to 2023, mainly because of improved oil prices.” He said that part of this growth had also been due to the exploration of the Kaombo oil field, combined with an increase in public spending, as well as household and corporate consumption. “With Angola’s total retail sales estimated to…

Know the correct season for the planting of pasture crops; know too there are parts of South Africa that could be exceptions to the rule. For example, rye grass is hardy when it comes to frost, but does not do well in regions where temperatures get very high. Obtain expert advice when buying seed. • Seeding depth and density There are quite a few factors to consider when planting seed, but, on average, seed should be planted about 5mm under the soil surface. Most pasture seeds can be planted with maize or wheat planters (just ensure the seed exit settings are set correctly), but I’ve found a hand-held seed spreader works very well with fine seeds, such as lucerne and clover, particularly on smaller lands. • Planting Hand spreaders have a bag…

The common mulberry and coral bush, among other problem plants, will be discussed. • Common mulberry (Morus alba) This species has been widely cultivated in gardens for its fruit, and its leaves are used to feed silkworms. On young, vigorous shoots, the leaves may be up to 30cm long; on older trees, the leaves are generally 5cm to 15cm long. M. alba outcompetes and displaces native plants because of its fast growth rate and great adaptability to adverse environments. Invasive status: NEMBA Category 3; a problem in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. • Common pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana [Poaceae]) This vigorous tussock grass has flowering stalks that grow up to 4m high. It has greyish-or bluish-green leaves with rough margins. Silvery-white to pink or mauve, feathery inflorescences appear from February to April.…

This was a fittingly delicious way to wrap up my wine columns for FW, a dish of layered spice and flavour without the bite of chilli, and perfect to be had on a game day in pita bread or a fresh panini with coleslaw, or just relaxing with friends and loved ones. The pairing for this went in two directions, the first to a red blend with Shiraz as the lead bringing the peppery spice, followed by Grenache, Cinsault, Tannat and Mourvèdre. Rickety Bridge Foundation Stone Red is complex, soft and juicy, with wild red fruit and black cherries marrying seamlessly with the rich and tasty dish. Poison City Brewing from Durban was the alternative pairing. The Punk Rocker English Pale Ale is smooth and malty, with relatively low bitterness…

Parkinson’s disease occurs when an area of the brain, the substantia nigra, stops producing dopamine, an important neurotransmitter that is vital for controlling body movement and emotions. The main symptoms are tremors, slurred speech, shaking, and trouble walking. Sadly, the main medication available to keep them at bay, L-dopa, gradually stops having an effect. There are also unpleasant side effects. New research from Thomas Jefferson University in the US found that replenishing the powerful antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), led to a significant lessening of symptoms like tremors, as well as dementia, depression, anxiety and hallucinations. NAC counteracts the effect of free radicals caused by oxidative stress while increasing dopamine in the brain. Available from compounding pharmacies, it is safe and affordable, and has no side effects. It is available in capsule…

The Agricultural Research Council’s National Beef Recording and Improvement Scheme has been instrumental in enhancing the capacity and level of performance of South Africa’s beef production industry, and is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Recent studies have shown that the scheme is significant, and has contributed immensely to food security, as well as the profitability and sustainability of the industry. The scheme’s main focus is to assist producers in recording performance data and using associated technologies that will improve the genetic potential of the national herd. This is of particular importance considering the country’s limited resources and climate change, which brings about new challenges. Many farmers have been implementing performance recording over several decades, and the objective of the National Beef Performers Awards is thus to recognise and honour…

19 TO 29 SEPTEMBER Urban Agri World URBAN AGRI WORLD 2019 WILL DISCUSS THE PRESSING ISSUES THAT PERTAIN TO PROGRESSIVE FARMING DEVELOPMENTS FOR THE INDOOR AND VERTICAL FARMING INDUSTRIES. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 29 TO 30 AUGUST Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication Symposium, Pretoria. Visit abbcsymposium.org. 3 TO 5 SEPTEMBER No-Till Conference, Bergville. Email Sandra Findlay at ntcsandra@gmail.com. 17 TO 19 SEPTEMBER Urban Agri World, Durban International Convention Centre. Email enquiry@magenta-global. com.sg. 1 TO 3 OCTOBER Africa Fertilizer Agribusiness Conference, Cape Town International Convention Centre.Visit events.crugroup.com/ astafrica/home. 8 TO 10 OCTOBER The Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa Conference, Ilanga Estate, Bloemfontein. Email aeasa2019@ ufs.ac.za. COURSES & TRAINING 27 TO 29 AUGUST Sheep and Goats: Artificial Insemination, Muldersdrift. Visit rltsafrica.com/product/ artificial-insemination-3. 27 TO 29 AUGUST Water Governance Training, Stellenbosch. Visit wisa.org.za/event/…

Droughts or floods always have a devastating impact on agriculture. But the second-round effects on people’s livelihoods are manageable in countries that are economically stable, depending of course on the magnitude of the impact. However, for countries with economic instability and low capability for mitigation, the disaster continues months after the extreme weather events. FARMERS ARE WITHHOLDING MAIZE INSTEAD OF DELIVERING IT This is precisely what we are witnessing in Zimbabwe at the moment. To give some context, it is important to mention that Zimbabwe’s maize prospects, the country’s staple crop, are not in good shape because of a drought that delayed plantings at the start of the 2018/2019 production season. And when it finally rained, the downpour was excessive, as was witnessed during Cyclone Idai at the start of…

According to a statement by the Competition Tribunal of South Africa, the conditions attached to its recent approval of a merger between local ostrich products companies Klein Karoo International (KKI) and Mosstrich were primarily intended to keep ostrich products readily available to consumers at competitive prices. The Competition Commission previously prohibited the proposed merger on the grounds that it would reduce competition in the ostrich products industry, and therefore prejudice consumers. KKI and Mosstrich, which exported most of their products, approached the tribunal to challenge the commission’s decision. The two companies argued that the merger was necessary to help stabilise the ostrich industry, which had been in decline in recent years due to the negative financial impact of avian influenza on ostrich exports, among other factors. KKI’s acting managing director,…

South African canned fruit producers have lost R200 million in terms of production over the past year. This alarming figure was announced by Wiehahn Victor, CEO of the Canning Fruit Producers’ Association, during the organisation’s recent annual general meeting and information day held in Worcester in the Western Cape. Victor attributed the loss largely to a decrease in volume produced as a result of the prevailing drought in many areas, along with instability in the industry. He said the industry was seeking stability in terms of price and volume. “To ensure this, long-term contracts for producers are essential.” Victor told farmers that, following negotiations, Langeberg Foods and Ashton Foods would now offer them a long-term contract with a two-year notice period. However, the agreement would still include a pricing formula…

South Africa’s citrus industry is in crucial need of new markets to accommodate the expected growth in citrus production over the next decade. This was according to Dr Tracy Davids, manager of the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy’s (BFAP) commodity markets, who spoke at the recent release of the annual BFAP South African Baseline report in Somerset West. The report projected growth of 50% for oranges, 60% for lemons and limes, and 100% for soft citrus over the next decade. “Lots of products are entering the market and we need to ensure there’s competitive access for these products internationally,” Davids said. She added that if market access was not expanded and diversified, oversupply on a crowded market could be harmful to the price of produce in the long run.…

In the past, beef was a mere commodity in South Africa. This all changed with the advent of Wagyu beef production in the country a decade ago, according to Brian Angus, Wagyu breeder and processor near Arlington in the Free State. Speaking at the 2019 Wagyu South Africa Congress held recently near Bothaville in the Free State, Angus said that before production of the highly marbled high-end Wagyu beef, all beef in South Africa had come from the same weaner pool, and were all fed similarly, while all producers had used the same inputs and supplements. All beef had therefore “tasted the same”. The South African red meat classification system did not differentiate beef, and farmers did not get paid for marbling. As a result, they did not breed for…

Do It Again has done it again after being named South Africa’s Horse of the Year in not one, but two Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry award events held this month. The back-to-back winner of the Grade 1 stakes Vodacom Durban July, Do It Again was named Horse of the Year at the Cape Breeders and Racing Awards in Cape Town, as well as at the Equus Awards in Johannesburg recently. According to Sarah Whitelaw, spokesperson for the Cape Breeders’ Club, the gelding made a clean sweep this season, taking home every award for which he was nominated. “Do It Again is definitely one of the best horses South Africa has seen in at least the last decade.” The gelding was bred by Robin Bruss of Johnnesburg, who runs the…

Two of the best-known plant-based imitation meat products available are the Beyond Burger and the Impossible Burger, manufactured in the US. The ingredients make for interesting reading. The Impossible Burger contains water, soya protein concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil, natural flavours, potato protein, methylcellulose, cultured dextrose, food starch, soya leghaemoglobin, salt, soya protein isolate, zinc glutamate, thiamine hydrochloride, niacin, pyridoxine, and Vitamin B12, amongst others. The aptly named Beyond Burger contains pea protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, cellulose from bamboo, methylcellulose, potato starch, maltodextrin, yeast extract, salt, sunflower oil, and vegetable glycerine, amongst others. These are industrial products manufactured in high-tech factories. Soya beans are a healthy product containing valuable vitamins. However, the process of extracting protein concentrate from soya beans effectively kills the vitamins, which is…

Farmers and other stakeholders in the food value chain should not look at traceability as something that needs to be adhered to merely for the sake of avoiding risk. Proper traceability of a product also holds commercial value. If a product or commodity can be traced back to its primary source and be proven to ‘do exactly what it says on the tin’, you have credibility and a ready market. The European General Food Law Regulation defines traceability as “the ability to track any food, feed, food-producing animal or substance that will be used for consumption, through all stages of production, processing and distribution”. THE VALUE OF TRACEABILITY Traceability is the key to buyer confidence and transparent relationships between producers, participants in the value chain and the end consumer. There…

Rural development is increasingly being accepted as a key channel for promoting economic development in South Africa. Profitable farming at any level of commercialisation is an essential requirement for sustainable economic development, and is vital for promoting food security. Migration from rural areas must urgently be reversed in order to attract youngsters to these areas. Improved infrastructure, technology and better jobs could play a vital role. The number of youngsters who choose agriculture as a career, and who live and work in rural areas, has sharply declined in recent years due to promising individuals choosing to rather pursue opportunities in cities, where there are more jobs offering better employment benefits. Trusted, valued staff members, whether skilled or unskilled, are worth their weight in gold. The more we are able to…

Pius, who has bought a wedding facility that can cater for 200 or more guests, has requested me to design a chapel to seat about 120 guests. In the sketch, the steeple is one of light-weight construction, with copper-plating roof cladding that will weather the storms and probably turn a greenish-brown (the traditional colour) over time. I’ve added a side veranda on the north-east side, which can be a further extension for larger numbers attending a wedding. The windows shown can be designed to be fold-back, so that the veranda/deck guests can be part of the celebration. Benches and chairs placed in here should be movable so these guests can be part of the celebrations. The veranda can also be covered above and on the sides with a removable canvas…

ENDGAME by Wilna Adriaanse (Tafelberg, R300) Detective Ellie McKenna is holed up in a small platteland town, finally working through her father’s murder at a roadblock, and her later severe injuries while working undercover in Cape Town’s gangland. She’s relishing the quiet life, until she hears two men are looking for her and asking questions. Ellie is pitchforked back into unfinished gangland business, more uncertain than ever before whom she can trust and even whether she can trust her own instincts. A sequel to Adriaanse’s Blindside, though working as a standalone cop thriller, this swings between warm camaraderie and life-or-death choices, with its unpredictable plot making it a good brainteaser. THE GLOVEMAKER by Ann Weisgarber (Mantle, R290) The harsh winter of 1888 grips Junction, a tiny…

To become the National Mentor of the year, a person must exhibit exceptional qualities when it comes to leadership, show his/her commitment to be involved with the industry, and be recognised for his/her contributions by the formal structures of the industry. Farmers who demonstrate their commitment to other breeders and who may be prominent breeders themselves, as well as those who have a track record of sharing their experience and knowledge with other breeders, are eligible to participate. The farmer’s involvement in training and mentoring other farmers, as well as the leadership he/she provides to ensure capacity building and information dissemination, are also considered. A track record that reflects the entrant’s ability to build capacity among other farmers is also an adjudication criterion. The winner of this category will be…