Table of contents for 27 March 2020 in Farmer's Weekly

Following two consecutive years of negative growth, good news about the economic prospects for the farming sector in 2020 started to trickle through at the end of February and beginning of March. However, this brief moment of recovery was soon engulfed in uncertainty due to the worldwide market shock caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Agbiz released the latest results of the Agbiz/ IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) earlier this month, reporting that after remaining at levels below the neutral 50-point mark for six consecutive quarters, the index improved six points to 50 in the first quarter of 2020. There was also some recovery in the number of combine harvesters sold year-on-year in February, and from January to February this year, tractor sales, although still down…

When the Do More Foundation broke a world record by making 107 418 peanut butter sandwiches in an hour on World Food Day in October 2019, it was just the beginning of a plan to ensure that young children across South Africa get the right nutrition every day. With March being Nutrition Month, the Do More Foundation has initiated an innovative follow-up campaign, which teaches children and their caregivers how to make healthier nutritional choices, without spending more. Currently, 27% of South African children under the age of five are stunted due to inadequate nutrition. Stunting can have serious long-term consequences, including poor cognitive development and long-term health issues. While lack of access to healthy food is an obvious contributing factor, so is a lack of knowledge about what healthy…

The Northern Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has set aside Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s report into President Cyril Ramaphosa and his 2017 ANC presidential campaign in a scathing judgment. According to the judges, Mkhwebane did not have the jurisdiction to investigate the campaign. She further displayed a lack of basic understanding of the law and was reckless in reaching serious conclusions against Ramaphosa. ‘WE HOPE THIS COURT RULING BRINGS TO AN END HER DISASTROUS CHAPTER IN OFFICE’ When this news became public, various people called on Mkhwebane to resign. One of these was the Free State head of the Public Protector’s Office, Sphelo Samuel. Samuel was served with a notice of precautionary suspension shortly after arriving at work the following morning, and found that his email account had been blocked.…

The prospect of exporting South African pears to China after 15 years of negotiations has all but evaporated due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Moreover, the virus also posed potential export challenges for the pome fruit industry to countries such as the US, Thailand and Mexico. This was according to Jacques du Preez, Hortgro’s general manager for trade and markets. Du Preez said a group of inspectors from China had visited South Africa’s pear orchards, packaging facilities and other related business organisations to finalise the details of the protocol that would enable South African pears to enter China. “At the end of last year, the protocol was technically accepted by both countries. The South African delegation would have travelled to China in March to sign the protocol. We would…

With Italy being the worst-hit European country in the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Italian wine farmers fear that the country’s latest wines will not be received positively by foreign buyers. Marco Ferretti, producer of Chianti Colli Fiorentini wine in Tuscany, told Reuters that on a recent promotional tour in the US, he had heard concern expressed about Italian products. “Many [of my foreign clients] are worried that the virus could be found in the wine, which is impossible given the presence of alcohol.” Italian farmers’ association Coldiretti said that exports of food products such as wine, olives and cheese were worth €44,6 billion (about R824 billion) a year to the economy, with wine the most lucrative product at an export value of €6,4 billion (R118 billion) in 2019. The head…

South Africa is forecast to increase raisin exports by 8% to 64 600t in the 2019/2020 marketing year, up from 59 000t in 2018/2019, based on the increase in production and improved global demand, according to Ferdie Botha, general manager at Raisins South Africa. The organisation represented about 1 000 growers in the Orange River region in the Northern Cape, which accounted for at least 90% of total annual production, while the Olifants River region in the Western Cape accounted for the remaining 10%. Botha said a study initiated in 2019 to investigate the market potential for South African raisin exports had found that the UK dried fruit market offered a good opportunity. “South Africa expects to increase its raisin production to 100 000t within the next five years as…

Investment in research and marketing for the dragon fruit industry is needed for this sector to realise its potential in terms of job creation and offering a feasible investment for small-scale farmers. ‘HALF OF CONSUMERS DON’T KNOW WHAT DRAGON FRUIT IS’ With dragon fruit being a relatively new crop in South Africa, very little information was available on local growing conditions. Greater effort was also needed to market it to consumers, who were unfamiliar with the fruit. CT van der Merwe, a dragon fruit farmer near Dendron in Limpopo, said at this stage, each farmer was doing what he or she could, but a collective effort was needed. “We’d like to get a dragon fruit industry association off the ground so that we can raise funds and do the research…

Dr Konanani Liphadzi, CEO of Fruit South Africa (Fruit SA), has announced that she is stepping down from the position to pursue other interests. Liphadzi held the position at Fruit SA, an umbrella organisation of South Africa’s fruit industries, for six years. Justin Chadwick, chairperson of Fruit SA, praised Liphadzi for her dedication in putting Fruit SA on the map. “It’s incredibly difficult to step into a vacuum, with no reference point or example to follow in your new job. [Liphadzi] took on the challenge and has raised the profile of Fruit SA to a point where the organisation is well-known in government circles and among Fruit SA stakeholders.” Liphadzi said she was grateful to the Fruit SA board for allowing her the space and resources to bring Fruit SA…

South Africa’s red meat production sector would benefit from its own formal compartmental system for animal health management, even though it would be more challenging to achieve than with conventional intensive livestock production, such as pigs and poultry. This was according to Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the national Red Meat Producers’ Organisation. Schutte said the national livestock identification and traceability system that his organisation, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, had started rolling out was a cornerstone for establishing formal compartmentalisation of the red meat sector. Schutte said the country’s provinces, which generally managed their own animal health procedures, already formed the basis of an informal compartmental system. China, for example, had agreed to accept animal products from South African provinces where it had…

Any investment decision essentially hinges on future growth. Growth generates a positive income stream and the ability to pay off borrowed capital, pay the accumulated interest, and meet the opportunity cost of one’s own capital invested in a venture. RISK APPETITE Few people have large funds for investing. Where people are currently invested in a particular asset class or business, the question becomes: should I stay where I am, or should I sell and reinvest the capital, and if so, in what? The answer is not as simple as it seems. Various factors come into play, typically centring around the risk appetite and profile of the investor. To recap the previous article’s discussion (FW, 21 February), there are three ‘risk personalities’: • Conservative and risk-averse These people are typically interested in…

Farm manager. Environmental manager. Agricultural consultant. Agricultural scientist. Winemaker. Agricultural engineer. These are all agricultural jobs that featured in the Highest Demand division of the National List of Occupations in High Demand: 2018. Based on the experience of Marianne van der Laarse, managing director of Agrijob Recruitment Specialists, there is also a shortage of qualified horticulturists, agronomists, entomologists and soil scientists in the fruit, vegetable and grain industries, particularly in the 30-to 40-year-old age category, which she labels as the “golden age”. IT IS EASIER TO WORK YOUR WAY UP IN AGRICULTURE THAN IN OTHER SECTORS “Thirty- to 40-year-olds are in high demand, because many agricultural businesses look for people they can nurture to replace their ageing board of directors and managers,” she says. Van der Laarse blames negative perceptions…

SAVOURY Tasty chicken wings This quick-and-easy recipe for saucy chicken wings will be a hit with your diners and is ideal for when you’re short on time. Makes four portions 16 chicken wings 80ml olive oil 5ml (1 tsp) garlic, chopped 125ml (½ cup) soy sauce 80ml chutney Pinch of red pepper Pinch of ground cinnamon 30ml (2 Tbsp) honey 15ml (1 Tbsp) white vinegar Pinch of salt and pepper 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Set the chicken wings aside, and mix together all the ingredients. 3. Arrange the chicken wings in a shallow oven dish, and pour the sauce over. 4. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes or until the chicken wings are cooked. 5. Turn on the grill, remove the foil and place the…

Essential oils are natural products that have a pleasant, invigorating fragrance. They can also be used to add to natural cleaning products or for healing. (The healing power of lavender essential oil was discovered by the French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé, who was a pioneer in the concept of aromatherapy. After burning his hand in his laboratory, he rinsed it with cold lavender essential oil; not only was the pain relieved, but there was no scar from burning.) TRUE OR FALSE? Lavender is one of the most popular oils because of its sweet, comforting fragrance. Unfortunately, lavender essential oil is also reportedly one of the most adulterated oils on the market. True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) oil is obtained by steam distillation of the flowers. A burgeoning demand for lavender oil has…

“More than two years ago, Parliament passed a motion to establish the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) to look into amending the Constitution to allow for land expropriation without compensation. Public input was invited, and over 600 000 written submissions were received, with two-thirds being against any constitutional amendment. But the tone of engagements at the hearings was very different, with the vast majority of participants, mostly black South Africans, being strongly in favour of it. The debate came down to a proxy debate about the legitimacy of our economic system and the existing property rights dispensation. POLITICAL THEATRE I first used the term ‘political theatre’ in 2013 to illustrate how these events unfolded. Then, during the centenary of the Natives Land Act, the ANC pushed for reopening land claims, in…

Following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 15 March that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was a national disaster, the management of the Bloem Show announced the cancellation of the annual event. The show was scheduled to be held from 24 April to 2 May. “We trust that all stakeholders and members of the public will have understanding for the situation,” said Elmarie Prinsloo, CEO of the Bloem Show. Another highlight on the South African agricultural calendar, the annual Royal Agricultural Show held in Pietermaritzburg, was also recently cancelled. This followed government’s directive that any organised mass gathering of more than 100 persons was prohibited. The show would have taken place from 25 to 31 May. At the time of going to print, Grain SA was still deliberating the…

Good rainfall in the catchment areas of the Hardap Dam near Mariental in Namibia have brought relief to that country’s irrigated crop producers and consequently the dairy industry. The dam’s water level increased to 43% during February after it dried up in January, resulting in all irrigation being halted. “Due to the drought, irrigation from the dam was so severely affected that production of animal feed came to a standstill. The increased level meant that about 50% of the crops planted before the dam ran dry could be saved,” said Kokkie Adriaanse, chairperson of the Namibian Dairy Producers’ Organisation. The Hardap Dam, 22km north-west of Mariental, is Namibia’s largest dam; it has a capacity of 320 million cubic metres and a surface area of 25km2 . The Fish River north-west…

KAZAKHSTAN More than 560t of illegal agricultural imports were intercepted by state phytosanitary control inspectors from the agriculture ministry in Kazakhstan during the last week of February. About 54t of carrots, 10t of cabbage, 40t of potatoes and beetroot, 20t of wheat, 19,5t of fruit, 2 000 flowers from Russia, and 174t of apples and 249t of dried fruit from Iran were denied entry. VIETNAM A state of emergency has been declared in five provinces in Vietnam’s so-called rice bowl due to prolonged drought, coupled with an extensive build-up of soil salinity. “This year’s drought and salinity have been way more devastating than what we saw four years ago,” said Nguyen Thien Phap, head of the water resources department in Tien Giang, one of the provinces affected. Approximately 80 000ha…

Eskom’s latest schedule for rolling blackouts around the country places tremendous pressure on South Africa’s irrigation farmers, according to various role players interviewed by Farmer’s Weekly. Cuts in water supply to grain and fruit crops, as well as other industries, negatively affected their sustainability and profitability. Kempen Nel, chairperson of Free State Agriculture’s Water Affairs Committee, said that if power cuts were not planned better in future, they could have a serious impact on food security. “Eskom needs to understand the specific challenges the irrigation industry faces. Communication between Eskom and the agricultural industry needs to be improved as a matter of urgency.” The way in which the power cuts were implemented at the moment made it virtually impossible for farmers in the Orange-Riet River Irrigation Scheme to supply enough…

The theft of avocados by organised crime syndicates in South Africa amounted to about R68 million or 1 700t per annum, according to Bram Snijder, spokesperson of the South African Avocado Growers’ Association. He said the theft occurred mainly in production areas such as Tzaneen and Levubu, but was prevalent across the country. “Measures were put in place to police fruit maturity better, which has seen a degree of decrease [in theft] over time.” He added, however, that the theft did not always occur on large farms, therefore the figures could be much higher. Snijder added that farmers not only suffered direct losses, but the cost of introducing additional security was increasing. Most of the stolen fruit ended up on the hawker market, and as a result of lower volumes…

With the 2020/2021 budget, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni faced the unenviable task of trying to balance expected lower revenues and higher expenses, while keeping debt from increasing to still higher levels. He either had to increase government income (taxes) or decrease government expenditure (specifically the government payroll). Treasury estimates that total government income for the 2020/2021 budget period will be R1,58 trillion (29% of GDP), while expenses will be R1,95 trillion (36%), leaving a budget deficit (the difference between income and expenditure) of R370 billion, or 6,8% of GDP. Gross national debt will increase to 65,6% of the GDP by the end of 2020/2021. Surprisingly, the minister did not increase personal income tax or VAT, but actually lowered the personal income tax rates slightly. He also announced an increase in…

South African graduates and farmworkers are in high demand in the US and other English-speaking countries, because most South Africans are fluent in English. The type of visa required depends on the destination and the work to be done. Riana Erasmus, a recruiter at World Wide Exchange South Africa (WAXSA), says that employers may pay for the visa and travel expenses when the job is for ordinary short-term or permanent work, as is the case with an H2A visa for the US. WAXSA, however, specialises in exchanges where applicants are carefully selected and matched with employers who are committed to the growth of the applicants. “The main aim is to expose young people to different cultures and overseas agricultural activities. They gain valuable life and work experience, and employers spend…

Branding is both a complex and exciting subject. Regardless of a farmer’s size or status, decisions about branding should be taken with great care. Branding plays a major role in making a product easily recognisable. When scores of farmers are all sending the same product to market, making one’s brand stand out from the rest can make all the difference. It can also be quite a challenge to end up with distinctive, professional-looking branding. Fortunately, numerous resources are available on the Internet and elsewhere to help with planning and designing your brand. FINDING MONEY With so many demands on your finances, finding money in the budget to establish a brand can be difficult, but even if you are a small-scale farmer, you should seriously consider branding your product. It can…

Dear Jonno, I wish to inquire about the building restrictions for a site in the Valley Estate, as you are said to be the appointed architect. I’m a first-time buyer, so am doing my research. I am looking at a container or wooden home, and am not sure whether either would be allowed. I have a budget, and know that building prices are around R8 000/m2 in KwaZulu-Natal, which is why I am considering a container home. A company in Cape Town charges around R200 000/unit, including delivery and solar panels. I am looking for something affordable, big enough for two people to live in, yet still simple and rustic. Please make some suggestions. Kind regards, Alexander Dear Alexander, Yes, I am the appointed architect for the private Valley Estate.…

CATCHING TADPOLES by Ronnie Kasrils (Jacana, R280) Kasrils subtitles this volume of early memoirs ‘The shaping of a young rebel’. But although it is impassioned, it is no didactic tract. His lively storytelling has you sailing through the roller coaster of his growing up in Yeoville and Durban. It is clear that his impish sense of humour and fervent sense of injustice made him one of life’s natural rebels. It is Sharpeville in 1960 that makes everything come into focus for him, sharpens his resolve and commitment, and directs him to devote his passionate energy for justice and equality to the struggle. It is unusual for such a book to be both illuminating and enjoyable, but Kasrils’s touch achieves this. SWEAT, SCALE, SELL by Pavlo Phitidis (Macmillan, R290) Phitidis is…

Due to the novel coronavirus outbreak in South Africa, and the subsequent announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that gatherings of 100 or more people are prohibited, many events in the Farmer’s Diary have henceforth been cancelled or postponed. At the time of going to print, Farmer’s Weekly could not confirm whether some of the listed events had been officially cancelled. However, most of the organisations hosting these events are due to make announcements in this regard within the next week. Readers will be kept up to date. Farmer’s Weekly urges its readers to contact the relevant organising body before attending any course or event to confirm whether the event has been cancelled or postponed. CANCELLED OR POSTPONED EVENTS 26 MARCH Qualité Awards Dinner, Stellenbosch Town Hall. Email Yolandi de Wet…

Fears about potential disruptions to global supply chains due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak have raised questions about whether South Africa could experience food shortages in the short to medium terms. I doubt this would be the case, at least for most food products. South Africa is an agriculturally endowed country, and generally a net exporter of agricultural and food products. What’s more, there are prospects for an abundant harvest of staple grains and fruit this year, which will increase local supplies. There are, nonetheless, essential imported food products that South Africa is dependent on, such as rice, wheat, and palm oil. Key palm oil suppliers are Indonesia and Malaysia, and typical suppliers of rice are Thailand, India, Pakistan, China and Vietnam, some of which have been hard hit…

The second crop estimate for cotton production in South Africa has indicated that volumes are expected to decline by 30% from those of the previous season to about 146 740 bales in the coming season. This was according to Mario Botha, an agricultural economist at Cotton South Africa, who added that this would be the first decrease in cotton production since the 2014/2015 season. “The main reasons for the decline [are] unfavourable weather conditions that prevailed before and after planting, as well as insufficient seed availability at planting time, and the relatively higher prices of maize,” he said. Botha added that global ending stocks were projected to decrease 1% to 18 million tons by the end of the 2019/2020 season, the fifth consecutive decline in global ending stocks since the…

South African meat importers and exporters have expressed concern about the recently announced increases in tariffs for imported frozen chicken. According to an announcement in the Government Gazette by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, the import tariff on frozen bone-in chicken portions increased from 37% to 62%, and for frozen boneless chicken cuts it increased from 12% to 42%. Izaak Breitenbach, general manager of the South African Poultry Association’s Broiler Organisation, said the poultry industry had applied for import tariffs of 82% on both these categories. This was an attempt to deter or reduce the dumping of imported low-cost chicken on the South African market, and allow for the rejuvenation of the country’s struggling poultry sector, he said. “Local [chicken] producers supply about 70% of consumption;…

French poultry farmers are putting pressure on President Emmanuel Macron to prevent the EU from entering into any trade agreements with the UK that would allow that country to ease food safety rules. While the UK government has undertaken not to relax food and environmental standards, it may come under pressure to do so if it entered into a post-Brexit trade deal with the US. According to Reuters, the US wanted the UK to allow chicken carcasses to be disinfected with chemicals such as chlorine. The EU required washing with water, which the farmers said meant they had to maintain stricter standards, which increased their costs. French poultry farmer Isabelle Leballeur told Reuters: “You can’t have a different way of doing things when it comes to regulatory standards.” According to…

Tens of thousand of hectares of maize have been lost to drought in Mpumalanga and the eastern Free State so far in the 2019/2020 summer grain production season. Ryk Pretorius, a farmer near Ermelo, said areas to the west of the town, near Davel and Charl Cilliers, among others, had been virtually destroyed by lack of rain. “The maize plants that did reach maturity suffer from stunted growth, and some were wiped out before pollination. It can be safely assumed that tens of thousands of hectares of maize were lost.” Soya bean lands in the same area had also been subjected to drought stress, and according to Pretorius, at least 40% of the harvest had been lost by mid-February. The soya bean crops had flowered during the drought, resulting in…

Dr Mogale Sebopetsa will assume the position of new head of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture on 1 April. He takes over from Joyene Isaacs. According to Dr Ivan Meyer, MEC for Agriculture in the Western Cape, Sebopetsa had extensive public sector management skills, and as an agricultural scientist, would bring relevant knowledge to the department. He had also established good working relationships with agricultural stakeholders. Sebopetsa currently held the post of chief director for farmer support and development at the department. He started working at the department in 2006 and had been employed in the agriculture sector for more than 20 years. He previously worked for the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, the former Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and had also lectured at the University of Limpopo.…

While the international Brent crude oil price dropped substantially earlier this month, there is uncertainty about whether the resultant lowering of the diesel price will benefit South African farmers. Agricultural economists agreed that a variety of local and international factors could potentially undermine any reduced production and harvesting costs achieved due to cheaper diesel. Corné Louw, senior economist at Grain SA, said the wholesale diesel price was expected to drop R1,11/l from 1 April. However, on the same day, the General Fuel Levy would increase 16c to R3,55/l and the Road Accident Fund levy would increase 9c to R2,07/l. According to Louw, the sudden drop in Brent crude prices from US$50,11/barrel (about R831/barrel) on 5 March to US$35/barrel (R580/barrel) on 6 March, and trading in the mid-US$30/barrel (R497/barrel) range since…

The Rhodes Food Group has signed a contract to export canned pears to Walmart in the US, according to Massmart communication manager Refilwe Boikanyo. This followed discussions at the 2019 World Economic Forum in Davos between South African Minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel and the president and CEO of Walmart International, Judith McKenna. “The initiative also represents an extension of the Massmart supplier development mandate to assist local suppliers to access Walmart’s global markets,” Boikanyo added. He said that in September 2019, the Walmart global sourcing team had met with 18 South African suppliers. Following these meetings, a total of seven suppliers had been identified as having export potential to Walmart markets, due to their ability to meet particular demand requirements. These suppliers’ products included I&J’s abalone and…

Every farming operation is made up of several parts. If any part is neglected, the entire operation may suffer, even if you look after the other parts well. For example, if your grazing is not properly managed, your animals may not have enough grass to eat and could end up with nutritional deficiencies. This will compromise their immune systems, enabling diseases and parasites to enter their bodies more easily. So even if you use the best antibiotics and deworming medications in an effort to control the parasites, your animals may still get sick. Quarantining of recently dewormed animals is an aspect that is sometimes neglected, and can lead to problems later on. In short, recently dewormed animals should always be quarantined before they are allowed back into grazing areas. Some…

• First identify what it is you want to achieve and how technology can amplify the effect you are already seeing. Technology helps you to scale up, stay consistent and be efficient, but if you are using it simply for the sake of having the technology, the results may be disappointing. • Partner with a technology company that understands the pitfalls and advantages of the various devices and computer programs. It is important that all aspects be considered, from the technology itself to its use and support. • Make sure you undertand your business cost drivers and market, and then set up the technology to optimise the cost drivers and provide market insights. • Remember to keep data security in mind. Much digital technology depends on a real-time connection to…

After first calving, a heifer becomes a cow. Thereafter, her age is indicated by the number of times she has calved down. In other words, she is referred to as a first-, second- or third-lactation (or parity) cow. The daily milk yield of a cow follows a distinct pattern throughout the lactation period. After calving, it increases quickly and reaches a peak at six to eight weeks after calving. Thereafter, milk yield slowly declines at about 0,3% to 0,6% per week. The rate at which milk yield drops after peak is an indication of the persistency of milk production. This trait varies among cows, and is also affected by the feeding programme. The total amount of milk produced during the lactation is therefore a combined effect of peak milk yield…

The MiBlackBox app (miblackbox. africa) was released last year. “In a country where more than two million crimes were recorded in 2019, it has become increasingly important that those in an emergency can contact someone they trust,” says managing director Brent Thomson. “MiBlackBox offers reassurance that victims are not alone if they’re caught in a dangerous situation.” LOCATION AND DETAILS The app has a 48-hour location history, so friends and family can monitor your movements, check the level of your mobile phone battery, and even see what speed you were travelling at in a vehicle. You can capture pictures, send audio messages and videos, and share your location with other users. In case of an emergency, or if you feel unsafe or threatened, you can simply push a panic button…