Sommaire pour 26 March 2021 de Farmer's Weekly

Construction of the much-anticipated road-to-rail sugar cane transloading facility at Mkhuze, in northern Zululand, has begun. According to various sources, this facility will save the approximately 1 900 small-scale sugar cane growers in the Makhathini Flats area, about 50km away, up to R6,8 million annually on costs for farm-to-mill transport. According to Nondumiso Mlondo, media and communications practitioner at the South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA), procurement for the R30 million transloading facility was at an advanced stage. Construction of the platform for the railway siding, the refurbishment of existing buildings, and the installation of weighbridges and the spiller to speedily offload sugar cane from road haulage trucks commenced in late March. A statement issued by SAFDA said that the often financially constrained small-scale sugar cane growers of Makhathini Flats…

Steven Versfeld, a pome fruit producer near Ceres, has become the first South African farmer to receive platinum status without any non-compliances from the Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA). This means that his next audit is due only in three years and he will be allowed to approach more exclusive markets that use only ‘platinum’ producers as part of their supply chain. According to Versveld, he prepared for the audit by reading through previous audit findings. He made sure to address all the recommendations made, and also ensured that the auditors had access to all the information they might need during the auditing process. “No producer likes audits, and I only do them because I have to. They are expensive, require a lot of paperwork and are incredibly time-consuming.…

Most people tend to underestimate the vital role that soil biodiversity plays in the ecosystem services on which all life on Earth depends. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature’s ‘Living Planet Report 2020’, up to 90% of living organisms in terrestrial ecosystems, including some pollinators, spend part of their life cycle in soil habitats. In addition, the report says, aside from food production, soil biodiversity provides a vast range of ecosystem functions and services, including soil formation, the retention and purification of water, nutrient cycling and the regulation of greenhouse gases, as well as sustaining plant, animal and human health. “Without soil biodiversity, terrestrial ecosystems may collapse. Recent research shows that loss of soil biodiversity is considered one of the major soil threats in many regions of the…

A soil test is undertaken to estimate the concentrations of nutrients available to the plant in order to determine fertiliser recommendations. The acidity or pH level is also tested. Laboratory tests generally check for plant nutrients in three categories: • Major nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; • Secondary nutrients: sulphur, calcium and magnesium; • Minor nutrients: iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum and chlorine. Samples should represent the area being tested. If there are colour or texture differences, subdivide the land and take samples from the different parts using a spade. Take soil samples up to 300mm below the soil surface and subsoil samples from 300mm to 500mm below the surface. A sample should consist of no less than 10 sub-samples and the area represented by the sample should not…

The implementation of precision farming techniques has become more common in South Africa as farmers try to increase production efficiencies. Grain producers in particular, who operate with very tight margins, are using precision technology to make optimal use of their soils and inputs such as seed and fertiliser. While the success of precision farming in grain production depends largely on getting planting ratios just right, much of the information that farmers need to make planting decisions must be gathered during harvesting, which is why the use of precision farming solutions at this stage is so important. John Deere is amongst the agricultural machinery manufacturers that now offer precision agriculture technology as a turnkey solution on many of their machines. This, the company says, makes it easier for farmers to tap…

MAKES ONE LARGE LOAF 2 cups cake flour 2 cups nutty wheat flour (or brown bread flour) 1 tsp salt 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp instant dry yeast 475ml lukewarm water 1 tbsp olive oil • In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. • Add the water and olive oil to the bowl and mix well until combined. • Leave the dough in the mixing bowl, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight (don’t be alarmed at its consistency; it’s supposed to be wet). • The next day, remove the dough from the fridge one hour prior to baking. • Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper, and generously dust with flour. • Scrape the dough onto the baking sheet and mould…

Eastern Cape Albany • Farm 456 (101ha) sold by Kim van Wyk to Anyasize for R3 million. East London • Farm 986 (2,2ha) sold by Caroline Garden to Nico Venter for R2 million. • Farm 206 (13ha) sold by Roy Sparg to Mudondo Partners for R1 million. Humansdorp • Klipfontein (240ha) sold by David Broer to Johannes Venter for R2 million. • Ongegunde Vryheid (21ha) sold by Bettie Jones to Shankar Canela for R300 000. Joubertina • Farm 322 (37ha) sold by Silwy Trust to Kloof Plase Krakeelrivier for R400 000. Komga • Farm 437 (9ha) sold by Woodstock Family Trust to Browns Airfield for R400 000. Free State Boshof • Gannahoek (428ha) and Buitenfontein (257ha) sold by Lodie Wessels Trust to André Malherbe Trust for R9 million. • Biesjesdam…

Mielieboere Bonsmara Production Sale HIGHEST: (BULL) R260 000 Viljoenskroon – The Mielieboere Bonsmara Production Sale was held at Hopefield on 25 February. The highest price of the day was paid for the bull ABB 18 256, which was sold by Laurence Allem of Allem Brothers in Viljoenskroon to Herman Wilkens of Wilbonei Bonsmaras in Klerksdorp for R260 000. Bulls achieved an average price of R85 571. In-calf cows were sold for an average price of R32 157, while in-calf heifers achieved an average price of R23 466. Cows with calves were sold for an average price of R24 268, while open heifers achieved an average price of R16 882. The sale was held by GWK, with Mike Killassy as the auctioneer. – Staff reporter SA Kalahari Red Club Auction HIGHEST:…

“South Africa’s poultry industry has dominated the news for some time, mainly on sensitive matters pertaining to trade policy. The industry was even mentioned in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address in February, when he said that through the implementation of the Poultry Master Plan, the industry had invested R800 million to upgrade production. As a result, South Africa had been able to produce an additional one million chickens every week. POULTRY IMPORTS The poultry industry is vital for food security, as it provides one of the more affordable sources of animal proteins to households. It is also important for job creation and is a crucial industry for rural upliftment, in particular for woman-headed households. As a result, trade policy, which is also dealt with in the Poultry…

While insects have long been an important part of many diets in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a trend of transitioning away from eating insects. However, two new cookbooks are trying to curb this trend by showing how a diet that includes insects is fit for modern, healthy and climate-smart households. Secrets of African Edible Insect Cookery by Zimbabwean authors and Les Délices de Mikese by authors from the Democratic Republic of Congo showcase how traditional knowledge of cooking with insects, often held by women chefs, can be combined with innovative gastronomic concepts and contemporary palates to produce tasty recipes. The cookbooks, with recipes created by chefs, local communities and scientists, also form part of a larger effort to develop the edible insect value chain. Worldwide, the taste for meat, and…

During a webinar hosted by the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), Michael Clark, head of research and advocacy at Ndifuna Ukwazi, pointed out that South Africa was the most unequal country in the world. “A large part of this is because of the skewed system and patterns of ownership that exist in South Africa and our exclusionary housing markets. Of course, a lot of this has its origin in apartheid and colonial spatial planning,” he said. The webinar explored the significance of the Expropriation Bill and its effectiveness as a tool for spatial transformation. In October 2020, government gazetted a draft Expropriation Bill. Its purpose was to repeal the existing Expropriation Act (No. 63 of 1975). It also seeks to provide a common framework in line with…

Even though the La Niña weather phenomenon is weakening, its effect is likely to continue towards spring. The latest Seasonal Climate Watch prepared by the South African Weather Service has revealed that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently in a La Niña state, and forecasts have indicated that it will most likely weaken and possibly return to a neutral state by winter. According to Johan van den Berg, an independent agricultural meteorologist, the current La Niña phenomenon reached a peak in December/ January and was currently at 60% to 70% of initial intensity. He pointed out that although ENSO could remain in a neutral phase towards the end of winter or spring, it was possible that a new La Niña could develop. The probability of an El Niño developing,…

The global luxury leather market has taken a severe knock due to the COVID-19 pandemic decimating the tourist markets where crocodile and ostrich leather products are sold. Francois de Wet, managing director of ostrich goods manufacturer Cape Karoo International, said demand on the local market for ostrich leather had declined dramatically. “This is directly related to weak tourist activity. The bootwear market in the US and Mexico went down dramatically as well, and demand is about half of what it was before COVID-19. But there are signs that this segment is slowly picking up again.” He added that demand from fashion houses in Europe for high-quality ostrich leather was still strong. “The main markets for ostrich leather are still the US, Mexico and Europe. Demand in the Far East has…

High water salinity is one of the greatest constraints in crop production. It causes a build-up of salts in the root zone which, in turn, can reduce yield and even result in crop failure, depending on the plants’ sensitivity. Chris Malan, agronomy manager at Netafim, explains that excess salinity in the root zone negatively affects water uptake of a plant by increasing the osmotic strength of the soil solution. Plants, in effect, have to work harder to absorb water, leaving them with less energy to grow and produce fruit. Sodium and chlorine are two elements commonly associated with salinity. A high chloride level may cause toxicity, scorching the roots and leaves, whereas excessive sodium damages the soil structure by binding with clay particles. Sodium not only inhibits uptake of other…

Before planting litchi trees, examine the soil for depth, drainage and compacted layers. It should be between 1m and 2m deep. Next, take a representative soil sample for analysis. The results will guide you on the type and quantity of fertilisation you need to apply before planting. Till the soil as deeply and thoroughly as possible so that it will not be necessary to make the planting holes too large. If the soil is very acidic, heavy applications of calcium (lime) may be necessary. Scatter two-thirds of the recommended quantity of lime (according to the soil analysis) over the planting area, mix it in with the topsoil, and plough it in as deeply as possible. Do this at least nine to 12 months before planting. Calcium moves very slowly downwards…

Two leaf miners belonging to the fly family Diptera are of economic importance in South Africa: Liriomyza trifolii and L. huidobrensis. Both do considerable damage. The adult flies have a yellow marking on the thorax and are similar to the vinegar flies often seen around rotting fruit. The female lays many eggs, piercing the leaf each time with her ovipositor and depositing the egg into the wound. She also pierces the leaf to expose plant sap for feeding (the male, unable to puncture the leaf itself, also feeds at these tiny wounds). This activity leaves a large number of pinprick lesions on the leaves. L. trifolii was the first to arrive in South Africa. It is highly active on tomatoes in warm areas. It used to do considerable damage, and…

Pinworms (Oxyuris equi) are very common this time of year and cause your horses to rub off their tails. They are not easily picked up by routine faecal examinations, as the female worms crawl through the horse’s anus at night and lay their eggs on the skin surface under the tail. This irritates the infested horse and it tends to rub its rump against paddock fences, trees and stable doors. As this intestinal parasite has now become fairly resistant to ivermectin and moxidectin, it can remain a problem even after you have dewormed all the horses in your stable yard and there are no helminth eggs in the faecal counts. PARASITE AND LIFE CYCLE Pinworm is classified as a roundworm. The female pinworm is larger than the male at 5cm…

Dear Jonno, I’ve been following your articles in Farmer’s Weekly for many years and admire the beautiful country homes you design. I need your help! I would like to develop a small estate of eight compact family homes that would appeal to as many people as possible. I have earmarked a vacant plot in the central Pinetown area, near Durban. It was previously a nursery, so the site is rated commercial. The area enables the eight units to be subdivided into four separate sites, with two units per site. It is surrounded by three established roads, which allows for easy access to each of the four subdivisions. I would like the units to be double-storey structures, each with a living area on the ground level and two en-suite bedrooms on…

The Essentials of Import Export Documentation Procedures course will provide delegates with the fundamental knowledge needed to plan and understand the exporting and importing of goods and the international trade cycle. Aspects covered include documentary requirements, factors influencing costs, risks involved and types of shipping equipment. Email Webster Chinyani at webster@oracle7.co.za. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND EXPOS 30 TO 31 MARCH Sustainable Innovative Producers and Emerging Farmers Agribusiness Conference, Capital Park, Sandton. Email Connie Mamabolo at connie@crossknowledge.co.za. 10 TO 12 MAY IPPS Annual Conference, Strand Beach Resort, Port Edward. Email› secretary.ippssa@gmail.com or treasurer.ippssa@gmail.com, or phone 021 982 2872. COURSES AND TRAINING 23 TO 25 MARCH Conservation Agriculture Training Course, Vredefort. Phone Henru Pieters on 081 351 3138, or email henru@rmbio-solutions.com. 12 TO 16 APRIL Beef Cattle Production, AgriSkills Transfer Campus, Groenkloof. Phone AgriSkills…

Weekly quotes ‘OTHERWISE, IT’S SIMPLY A PIPE DREAM’ – Head of research and advocacy at Ndifuna Ukwazi, Michael Clark, lamenting the state’s capacity to fulfil its obligations in terms of the Expropriation Bill (pg 20). ‘[…] they wake each day expecting to find that hundreds of their [animals] have been stolen’ – DA MP and member of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Annette Steyn, highlighting the effect of stock theft on South Africa’s farmers (pg 18). ‘While the market was initially able to absorb the extra supply, this is no longer the case’ – Managing director of Le Croc crocodile farm, Stefan van As, explaining that a sudden boom in demand for crocodile skins before 2016 resulted in the current oversupply (pg 25). ‘[…] instead…

People in Africa who are looking for greater diversity and affordability of plant-based manufactured foods are set to benefit from a recently approved joint venture. The Competition Commission of South Africa gave RCL Foods and the US-based LIVEKINDLY Collective unconditional approval to jointly establish the LIVEKINDLY Collective Africa (LCA) business. A statement by RCL Foods, which produces ingredients for and manufactures and distributes a range of food and feed products across South Africa and increasingly into Africa, said that the LCA would be marketing, selling and distributing all of Vermeulen and Dr Marlene Louw, consumer analysts at South Africa’s Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy, said that the bureau’s late-2020 survey of middle- and higher-income South Africans found that about 50% of surveyees anticipated consuming less meat in future. Reasons…

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in China has announced that it will crack down further on the illegal production and sale of African swine fever (ASF) vaccines. The ministry said in a statement that tougher measures were needed to “prevent hidden risks caused by fake African swine fever vaccines”, bring about the recovery of the largest pig industry in the world, and ensure the stable development of the industry. China’s pig herd was still recovering from a devastating outbreak of the disease that wiped out about half of that country’s herd. Reuters reported earlier that, according to industry insiders, the use of illicit vaccines had resulted in a new and chronic form of ASF. This caused a debilitating condition that could lower the output of pigs, but was…

South African farmers who may find themselves in need of urgent guidance on dealing promptly with different forms of illegal land invasion can now take advantage of smart signs on sale by the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI). Each sign is printed with a different warning and bears QR codes that the farmer can scan with a smartphone or tablet to immediately access guidelines on how to respond to a land invasion. A statement by SAAI said the development of the smart signs had been motivated partly by “the increased prevalence of [illegal] land occupations in North West, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, and the police’s inability or unwillingness to act against these”. One of the functions of the smart signs’ QR codes was to provide a farmer with comprehensive…

Dr Anja Steinberg, a full-time veterinarian, has always had an eye for opportunity. Taking note of increasing talk about the sought-after meat qualities of the Wagyu beef breed, she and her husband bought their first Wagyu cow in 2015. Steinberg began doing embryo flushing, combining it with bought-in semen and using surrogate dams from the commercial herd of various breeds on her family farm in Hendrina, Mpumalanga. She focuses on seedstock production and producing purebred, top-quality Wagyu stud animals. Her clients consist of commercial beef farmers who want to increase marbling in their meat by crossbreeding their animals with the Wagyu. While her husband runs a commercial Beefmaster herd and stud, a commercial sheep flock, and a maize and soya bean enterprise, the Mooiplaats stud is Steinberg’s business. “I have…

Set against the lower slopes of the Drakenstein mountains in Franschhoek in the Western Cape is a hotel voted one of the world’s best by the readers of the most prestigious global travel magazines. It is also a working farm that produces olive oil and wine for sale, as well as fruit such as plums, citrus, kumquat, quince and pomegranate for use in the hotel’s kitchen. With 650 plum trees, the sweet scent of the fruit perfumes the air. Cabernet and Shiraz grapes hang heavily on the 4,8ha of vines, which produce about 42t of grapes annually. The farm harvests one ton of olives a year, which are used to produce 250l of extra virgin olive oil, and roses also abound. The planted areas of La Residence, an exclusive and…

I’m looking for late-night heart-to-hearts with an authentic, mature Boer and the occasional glass of red wine. I prefer to take things slowly, but if it feels right, it feels right. Please respond in writing. Vrou Soek ’n Boer, 101 My quest continues for a cheerful white woman companion with a warm heart, a good sense of humour and a view to a long-term commitment. I’m an honest and secure widower in my 70s. Hopeful, 4180 I’m a 38-year-old single mother who’s pretty, petite and very classy, with a beautiful Marilyn Monroe-type figure. I’m confident, bubbly and down to earth, and love animals and nature. My favourite pastimes include cooking, dancing and cuddling, and my ideal man loves life as much as I do. He should be a well-established, affluent…

I knew Chris McGregor from our two years together at the South African Nautical College General Botha, at Gordons Bay, during the 1952/1953 intake. Music was his life. During inspection one Saturday morning, an officer caught McGregor playing a tune, ever so quietly, on the piano in the recreation room. McGregor jumped to attention and awaited his fate. The officer asked him what he thought he was doing. McGregor said he was just dusting the keys! The officer was impressed and, with a knowing smile, instructed him to make sure that all the keys were dusted, not just those he had been using. After his two years of naval training, he qualified to enrol in the South African College of Music in Cape Town, where he spent four years. McGregor…