Table of contents for 15 July 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

Over the past two decades, commercial farmers in South Africa have made significant strides in improving the working and living conditions of farmworkers. Unfortunately, farmworkers remain extremely vulnerable to HIV infection. According to a study published in 2012 by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), it is estimated that HIV/AIDS prevalence among farmworkers and their families was easily twice that of the general population. The main contributing factors were limited access to health services due to the considerable distance between farms and clinics, low education levels, lack of funds for transportation and treatment, inflexible working hours, and lack of benefits such as paid sick leave. At the turn of the century, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) predicted that by 2020 South Africa could lose up to 20% of…

I salute South African farmers and their families. Without them we would have no crops, no meat … nothing. They are up every morning regardless of the weather while it’s still pitch dark and they work into the night without fail and without complaining. If we all had a work ethic, sense of family, sense of community, and an unshakeable belief in God such as the average South African farmer, this world would be a much better place. I look at them and see much to admire and aspire to. They deal with being marginalised, their subsidies cut, their profits shrinking, unpredictable weather, crop blights and animal diseases – yet they stand tall and carry the load. If you don’t meet many farmers, try to visit the annual Nampo Harvest…

14 JULY 1976 The Border Collie 40 YEARS AGO The Border Collie has been valued for centuries. This is an abridged version of a useful introductory article to the border collie breed by Enid Rhodes, which appeared in our issue of the above date. “The Border-collie is a working dog in the truest sense, and can render valuable service to farmers in these days of labour shortages. Yet there is a great deal of ignorance among farmers on the use of these dogs, and they are, thus, missing out on a lot of inexpensive labour they could have if they knew how to use these intelligent animals. “Border-collies are renowned for their work with sheep. In fact ‘collie’ is an obsolete name for “such sheep as have black faces and…

Winter grains are showing a promising start in the Western Cape, although it is still too early to make any forecasts. “It’s a long way to go until the crops will be ready for harvest and we still need a lot of follow-up rains,” said regional representative of Grain SA, Toit Wessels. He said wheat stand in the Swartland looked promising with the cold weather supporting steady growth. Grain crops in the southern Cape are also performing well. “Cattle in these areas, however, are struggling since grazing has become scant due to the cold weather,” he said. “In the Overberg, grain plantings are developing much slower and later this year compared with other years. The region experienced good rainfall, but more is still needed.” According to Wessels, canola plantings are…

With factors such as climate change, sustainability, and difficult access to markets putting pressure on Africa’s millions of smallholder farmers, efforts were needed to help increase the resilience of such farmers. This was the view of a panel of experts at Nestlé’s CSV Forum. Prof Robert Thompson, an expert on agricultural policy at the University of Illinois, pointed out that agriculture across the globe had been using up to 70% of accessible freshwater in its food and fibre production. However, with the impact of climate change and increased competition from growing nonagricultural sectors of the human population, the world’s farmers would need to learn to make do with decreased freshwater use. “Extreme climate variations are going to increase the risks associated with farming, leading to unpredictable revenue for farmers everywhere.…

Farm attacks and murders in South Africa are on the increase, according to TAU SA’s (Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa) latest statistics on violent crime on farms. Henry Geldenhuys, TAU vice-president and chairperson of the TAU SA safety committee, said that farm attacks and murders had increased in the first six months of 2016 compared with the corresponding period last year. Thirty-nine murders and 186 attacks were reported for January 2016 to June 2016. For the same period last year, 131 attacks and 27 murders were reported. The total number of murders and attacks reported for 2015 were 64 and 318 respectively. “Government [has] to keep its citizens safe, but is failing to do so,” said Geldenhuys. The Free State and Eastern Cape were the only provinces that experienced…

South Africa experienced 68 wildfires in the first month of its winter wildfire season. According to Linton Rensburg, spokesperson for government’s Working on Fire (WoF) programme, the organisation had fought 305 wildfires in June 2015, 555 in June 2014, 329 in June 2013, and 343 in June 2012. Rensburg said that the reduction in wildfires had been a result of the drought conditions, which led to reduced fuel loads, and landowners working closely with wildfire prevention organisations. Of the 68 wildfires fought this year, 23 were in Mpumalanga, 14 in the Eastern Cape, 10 in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), nine in Gauteng, four in the Free State, three in the Western Cape, and five in Limpopo. Collectively, these fires damaged an estimated 1 172ha of rural land. Rensburg said that rural landowners…

Zimbabwe’s national water authority is facing severe cash flow problems as farmers owe US$42 million (R630 million), about 31% of the authority’s total debt. In all, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) is owed US$133 million (R1,9 billion) by government ministries, councils and farmers. The government parastatal manages all dams in the country and sells bulk water to farmers, towns and cities. ZINWA CEO Jefter Sakupwanya recently told a parliamentary portfolio committee on land that some farmers, many of whom are connected to the ruling elite, were refusing to pay for water. “The main challenges we have as ZINWA is unwillingness to pay for the water we deliver to various customers,” said Sakupwanya. “This has impacted negatively on our ability to maintain infrastructure. “The biggest debtors are, amongst others, local…

FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES AND YOUR BUSINESS, FIGHT AIDS AS HARD AS YOU CAN In the late 1980s, AIDS was a frightening spectre coming at us fast. Everyone was saying: “We’ve got to do something!” Our company doctor warned us about the risk to the labour force and called for action. But what were we to do? All we knew was that it had been discovered amongst males in the US gay community and was soon prevalent amongst heterosexual men and women everywhere. There was no treatment. You got it, and it killed you. And because of its association with sex, it carried a powerful stigma, so that no one would admit to having it. When we tried to engage some of our staff about their HIV/AIDS status,…

THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW MORE WILLING TO LISTEN What should African governments focus on in agriculture? Firstly, there needs to be a vision of converting small-scale farmers into developing farmers. This is the only way that small-scale farmers will start selling, and the only way they will produce quality, build relationships with banks, and become businesses. Governments need to incentivise this process. This entails capacity creation, but also means investing in education and the value chain. Globally, approximately 40% of land that still has potential for agriculture is in Africa. If governments do not work with communities and the private sector, this land cannot be developed. The private sector plays a major role because there must be a business rationale behind changing agriculture. We saw in the 1970s and 1980s…

Faced with climatic uncertainties, dwindling resources and increasing pressure on land, more and more fresh produce farmers worldwide have turned to undercover farming. Its advantages – increased yield, a controlled environment, and efficient water and fertiliser use – have been established for decades, and technologies continually improve. More recently, undercover farming techniques have expanded to include so-called vertical farming, which requires an even smaller footprint and uses water and fertiliser even more efficiently. Many vertical farming operations have adopted controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) technology, which allows control of all environmental factors to improve input efficiency. Clean Air Nurseries South Africa (CAN-SA) has further refined water-use efficiency through the design and development of an advanced water-use system called EGGS (Environmental Green Growth System), which utilises ±2 000l water in a four-week production…

North West Limousin Champions Breedplan Champions Contacts: John and Tracey Devonport: 083 454 3095 | Carl le Roux: 074 465 6451 | Frank Rooth Kilbourn: 079 802 5823 Dorper Champions White Dorper Champions Contacts: Cobus Erasmus: 083 461 0950 | Gideon du Plessis: 083 570 7870 Quinton Scorgie: 083 326 7163 | Henk Greeff: 082 495 2979 Boer Goat Champions Kalahari Red Goat Champions Contacts: Albert van Zyl: 076 489 4949 | Gerald Calitz: 083 502 0227 | Gerald du Plessis: 083 246 5388 Kgosi and Lucy Pilane: 083 660 6569 | Elrizé van der Merwe: 083 494 7354…

Mascor, with its head office in Greytown, has 11 branches, mainly in KwaZulu-Natal, including a strong presence in Pietermaritzburg. Jupidex, based in Pietermaritzburg, is the distributor of Kverneland Equipment and other leading brands. 1 Forage harvester Mascor showed the latest John Deere forage harvester. The JD 8600 self-propelled forage harvester has a 460kW JD Powertech PSS 13,5-litre six-cylinder engine. It has been praised for its optimised crop flow concept and well laid-out cab. 2 Tracks for everything The John Deere 855D Gator’s 4WD ‘go anywhere’ capability is enhanced by the addition of Soucy rubber tracks, tackling the problems of compaction, poor traction, wheel slip and flotation on difficult surfaces. The 855D is powered by a 17kW three-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine with a CVT transmission. A dual A-arm front and rear…

THE LAW STATES THAT POSITIVE MARES SHOULD BE EUTHANASED In May 2016, the department of agriculture (DAFF) relaxed the requirements for testing breeding stallions for the venereal disease, contagious equine metritis (CEM). The new regulations now allow for a single test that will be valid for two years, instead of the annual two tests at seven-day intervals originally required. A test currently costs R200. However, as the swabs must be taken by a vet, breeders in remote areas often have to pay the vet’s travel expenses. The Arab Horse and Boerperd breed societies, which each have a large number of members, have long objected to the fact that the tests are mandatory only for registered breeders. The latter cannot register foals unless the stallion is negative. The dispute has not…

I received a request from Andrew in the Swartberg, KwaZulu-Natal, for a fisherman’s lodge that he and his father had conceptualised. After meeting with Andrew, I designed the layout pictured here. Our interaction and the accuracy of the plan proved once again the value of face-to-face meetings. While I haven’t strayed from Andrew’s requirements, I have made a few adjustments for the sake of functionality. I extended the length of the building by 2m to create more space in the pub and dining room/lounge areas for tables and chairs. The added length also allows for a fifth bedroom, above the pub. The thatch roof has great aesthetic appeal, while the attic bedroom area’s outer walls were raised 1,2m above the normal floor to wall-plate height, allowing for enough head-height in…

SIGH, THE BELOVED COUNTRY by Bongani Madondo (Picador Africa, R299) Madondo is renowned as a writer and social commentator and his 500-page feast includes both new material and repolished earlier articles. Some are predictable – a confrontational stance on racism, nostalgia for the Afropop scene of two or three decades ago. Other themes are more unexpected, such as a meditation on the gap between the religion of his childhood and his adulthood and a sketch of a brave new globalised world in our backyard by the end of the decade. Powerful, playful and provocative. NO NEED FOR GENIUSES by Steve Jones (Little, Brown, R390) Research scientist Jones looks at the ferment of scientific discovery before, during and after the French Revolution, lamenting that one in four…

The carcass of Cape Vulture Tag 148, also known as ‘Sunset’, was found electrocuted under a pylon that was missing a spark gap in the earth line, near Randfontein. “When he died, Sunset was wearing a GPS tracking device attached to a backpack-style harness,” Mandy Schroder, spokesperson for VulPro, said in a statement. “The force of the electrocution was so powerful that the GPS device was found 10m from his body.” The vulture had been released in February 2015 from the VulPro rehabilitation facility near Hartbeespoort Dam, said Schroder. For more than a year, it had roosted at VulPro and foraged only within 8km of the release site. In late June, it had left the property again, venturing further afield. However, this trip ended tragically on 21 June in the…

Although there are many fears that the decision by the UK to leave the European Union (EU) may have a negative effect on South Africa’s agricultural sector, some commodity sectors can breathe a slight sigh of relief. In this regard, the local citrus industry could expect a positive outcome. “Since the UK does not have any citrus, it could mean that an independent UK will in all likelihood introduce its own plant health regulations for citrus imports,” CEO of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA), Justin Chadwick, said in the association’s newsletter. He added that the UK would also no longer have to rely on EU advisory bodies and scientific institutions to make decisions on plant health and food safety regulations. According to Deon Joubert, special envoy for…

Demand for lamb and mutton in China has increased amidst soaring pork prices, with imports in May increasing 18% to achieve a total of 27 000t. David Wolpert, CEO of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE), said that South Africa was finalising the processes of exporting red meat to China. Dirk van der Westhuizen, executive director of the South African Meat Industry Company (SAMIC), said that he did not anticipate any challenges in exporting red meat to China. “We won’t have any problems with exporting meat to China and that [red meat] market should open up in the near future,” he said. “There are already exports to Hong Kong.” Mark Luff, director at Excellent Meat, said that South Africa would not be a significant competitor in China’s burgeoning…

The 2015/2016 year was “the most volatile agricultural cycle in the existence of Senwes”, according to Senwes Group managing director Francois Strydom. Reporting the 2015/2016 financial year results, Strydom said the group’s profit after tax was R156 million, 36,8% down from the previous year. However, turnover had shown a 5,4% increase of R9,2 billion over the same period, despite the drought. According to Strydom, the drought followed an already dry 2014/2015 season and had been largely responsible for the weaker results of Senwes’s operational divisions, subsidiaries and joint ventures. The normalised headline earnings were 79,3c/share. Operating activities generated R164 million cash after the payment of dividends and interest of R89 million and R164 million respectively. The return on equity amounted to 8,5%; as a result, Senwes reserved more capital to…

The Free State recently experienced a sharp increase in stock theft cases. This is according to Tommie Esterhuyse, Free State Agriculture (FSA) safety and security chairperson. “I can confirm that we experienced a considerable spike in stock theft cases [so far this year]. Stock theft compromised the long-term sustainability and profitability of livestock production. The economic realities of livestock farming in South Africa are such that producers simply can’t afford to lose even one animal to stock thieves,” he said. Esterhuyse said that farmers needed to become more involved in the establishment of regional Stock Theft Information Centres (STIC). “I call on all farmers’ associations to either get involved with existing STICs or to establish STICs in their regions. We need teamwork,” he said. There were 11 South African Police…

The majority of lands planted to sunflower in the summer grain production areas have been harvested, according to Grain SA economist Petru Fourie. She said in a statement that between 60% and 90% of sunflower in the North West had been harvested by the last week of June. “The sunflower planted early in the 2015 marketing season yielded very poor harvests. The sunflower planted later realised better yields,” she added. Joseph du Plessis, a grain producer from Schweizer-Reneke, said that most sunflower planted before Christmas 2015 in North West had yielded less than 1t/ha. Sunflower planted shortly after Christmas yielded about 2t/ha, while yields realised on sunflowers planted closer to the end of January 2016 were down to considerably less than 2t/ha. “We had on average no more than 300mm…

The University of the Free State’s meat traceability platform will enable farmers to track the growth and measurements of their animals from birth to slaughter. Glenneis Kriel reports. Meat traceability has become a much-discussed concept in marketing circles. Yet this technology may have an equally important role to play in on-farm production. A world-class meat traceability platform in development at the University of the Free State (UFS) is designed to store information on the growth and measurements of animals from birth to slaughter, and to compare performance. This will assist the farmer with production decisions and enable feedlot operators to identify high-performing animals. Addressing delegates at the recent Red Meat Abattoir Association’s conference in Stellenbosch, Prof Johan Willemse of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science at the UFS said…

Fish farming systems come in a bewildering array of designs, complicated by the fact that aquaculture involves more than pure engineering; the biological aspect is even more important. The design used can be divided into two subtypes: re-circulating or flow-through systems. However, this is a gross over-simplification. EGYPT AND SOUTH AFRICA: CONTRASTING APPROACHES A basic requirement of an aquaculture system is the need to maintain the water within the right temperature range. South Africa and Egypt, both with cool winter water temperatures that are below optimum for tilapia, employ contradictory approaches. In Egypt, with its Mediterranean climate and water temperatures as low as 13°C in winter, the cold is so severe that survival, not growth, is the objective. Here, a low-tech approach is used, with tunnels partially covering earth ponds,…

Meat BEEF PRICES MIXED International: New Zealand steers and cows traded flat at NZ$503/head and NZ$375/head respectively. US prices were mostly lower: topside was 11,27% higher at US$209,33/cwt, rump was 5,54% lower at US$255,13/cwt, strip loin was 2,84% lower at US$552,69/cwt, chuck was 1,90% lower at US$189,60/cwt, and brisket was 1,95% higher at US$301,01/cwt. The carcass price was 0,78% lower at US$298,45/cwt. China’s slowing economy is affecting general beef consumption, but there is still demand for quality beef products from higher- and middle-income earners. Domestic: Local prices increased. Class A prices were 0,58% higher at R38/kg and Class C was 1,83% higher at R29/kg. The weaner price was 2,98% lower at R19,19/kg. The hide price was 0,46% higher at R15,32/kg. Outlook: International prices continue to remain stable due to strong…

Grain farmers Peter and Stephen Steyn have been using wheat rotation systems on their farms near Malmesbury in the Swartland since the 1970s. To make the most of these systems, they incorporate Dohne Merino sheep in their farming operations. The sheep add value to production by using land that is not arable, and by generating income during seasons when wheat is not in production. Peter and Stephen also farm Sussex and Angus cattle respectively. As the region is dry and the water brackish, the choice of alternative crops is limited to medics and oats. The brothers therefore use a wheat-medics rotation on good soil, and an oats-medics rotation on the vlei lands and sandier soils. Medics has numerous benefits as a rotation crop: • It breaks the monoculture of wheat,…

“I’m a great believer in positivity. It’s contagious. If I’m positive, everybody around me becomes positive and this is what has carried my business through difficult times, such as the devastating drought of the past few years’,” DJ van der Linde, 2016 Free State Young Farmer of the Year, explains. DJ, who is 31, is the sixth-generation Van der Linde to farm on St Helena. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Dawie, and grandfather, Toppie, who was voted Grain SA’s Maize Producer of the Year in 1984. DJ’s ambition is to follow in his footsteps. “I never thought I’d do so well in the Free State Young Farmer competition, but my Oupa and my Dad inspired me to do all I could to continue and expand the farming…

WARNING: HOT WATER TREATMENT ON OLD SEED MAY REDUCE GERMINATION It is sometimes advisable to treat seed in order to remove a pathogen, or as a precaution before sowing. For example, capsicums (chillies and peppers) often suffer from bacterial spot, a highly destructive disease that usually appears only on the growing crop well after transplanting. The most effective way to control the disease is to subject the seeds to a hot water treatment of 51°C for 30 minutes. Capsicums are also susceptible to pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV). This also occurs on the seed, and is spread by aphids. If the plants are infected, yet you still wish to keep seed for replanting, the seed must be treated. Do this by soaking in a 10% solution of trisodium phosphate for…

TOWING ADDS STRESS – PULL OFF AND ACCELERATE GENTLY There are a bewildering number of new vehicles to choose from as tow cars, but some are more suitable than others. The following numerical yardsticks are offered as a guide. POWER-TO-MASS RATIO This is the engine’s maximum power in kW divided by the car’s kerb mass in tons. The answer is supplied in kW/t. Power is the result of a force applied, multiplied by the distance travelled, divided by the time taken; accleration therefore depends on this ratio. A towing combination with higher kW/t values will thus be livelier. TORQUE-TO-MASS RATIO This is the maximum torque in N.m divided by the kerb mass to obtain the answer in N.m/t. Torque is a force creating rotation multiplied by the perpendicular distance from…

AS SOON AS WE ARE UNDECIDED, WE BECOME UNRELIABLE AND START TO PANIC If we look at what happened after the Resurrection of Jesus, we see that the disciples became extremely despondent with life. Everything they had dreamt of seemed to have collapsed (not unlike the way some of us feel at the moment). So Peter, the leader, said: “I’m going fishing.” And the others followed him (John 21:3). But there is no going back. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” says Hebrews 11:1. If we are to succeed and continue to farm not only for ourselves, but for our families and indeed the nation, we cannot afford to go backwards. Peter and the disciples returned to the thing they knew…

WhatsApp was launched in 2009 by former Yahoo employees Brian Acton and Jan Koum. In February 2014, Facebook purchased the app for US$19 billion (about R280 billion). As of February this year, WhatsApp had a user base of one billion, making it the most popular messaging app in the world. Together with Facebook messenger, the app processes more than 60 billion messages a day. Here are some guidelines if you’ve finally downloaded this useful free app: • WhatsApp status This is simply a text attached to your WhatsApp contact, informing other users whether you are available, busy or offline. Many users ignore the standard options and post a favourite proverb or quote as their ‘status’. To change your status, click on the three dots (application menu) in the top right-hand corner…

‘WE CAN’T COURT THE EARTH’S GENEROSITY BEYOND 2050’ The article by Prof Martin Rees titled, ‘The ethics of climate change’, (FW, 17 June) refers. Although in possession of an array of stellar qualifications, Rees is out of his league if he must look beyond 2050 to offer an opinion on climate change. If the professor is only expressing an opinion as a citizen and not hard facts as a scientist offering a positive and urgent practical idea or solution to reverse climate change, how can he possibly expect readers to take his ‘ethical’ judgments about climate change seriously? Do we expect the ‘production’ of 75 billion hectares per annum of dead soil not to lead to serious anomalies in the form of periodic and alternating floods and drought, and the…

CONFERENCES & EXPOS 19 TO 20 JULY 4th Annual Africa Women in Agriculture and Agribusiness Summit, Midrand. Email Kelly Siasamba at kelly@amabhubesi.co.za. 21 JULY Intensive Growers' Association's (IGA) Annual Spring-Summer Symposium, Durban Botanical Gardens. Email iga@sai.co.za. 25 TO 27 JULY 1st Annual Agribusiness Forum, Gabarone, Botswana. Phone Kabo Kote on +26 77 334 4001, or email info@fresh-taste.com. COURSES & TRAINING 14 JULY Cattle Feedlot, Bloemfontein. Phone Peter Milton on 083 630 8868. 14 TO 19 JULY Commercial Gourmet Mushroom Cultivation, Cape Town. Phone Adriaan Smit on 082 749 8553, or visit www.mushroomacademy.com. 18 TO 19 JULY Cattle Stockman's Course, Krugersdorp. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208, or visit www.rltsafrica.com. 20 JULY Profitable Boer Goat Farming, Potchefstroom. Phone Johan Steyn on 072 594 4626, or visit www.boergoats.co.za. 20 TO 21…

The local dairy industry’s exposure to foreign competition in 2015 was the highest it has ever been due, in part, to the high volume of dairy imports. Koos Coetzee, Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO) chief economist, said farmers suffered when producer prices declined in 2015 while input costs, especially the price of feed, kept rising. The milk/feed price ratio was currently at a historic low of under 1:1, he said. According to Coetzee, during 2015 there was 6,4% more dairy products produced locally than in 2014. The market was not capable of absorbing the extra volume. Imports were also high and exports declined which contributed to the increase in the total offer. “The producer price for May was R4,60/l – a price of R5/l to R5,20/l would bring relief,” he said.…

The agriculture sector needs to transform at an increasing rate without sacrificing productivity, according to the newly appointed director-general of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mike Mlengana. Mlengana told Farmer’s Weekly that the main purpose of his appointment was to ensure the sector contributed significantly to gross domestic product. Senzeni Zokwana, minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, announced Mlengana’s appointment in parliament on 9 June. Mlengana takes over from Dr Edith Vries. President of the National African Farmers’ Union of South Africa, Motsepe Matlala, said he strongly believed that Mlengana’s practical experience would help to unlock the development and growth potential of all farmers in the country, and assist government to create a conducive environment for all to farm peacefully and workers to work productively on farms. Bennie…

Africa needed to reduce its dependence on imported and value-added food and fibre products, according to experts at Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value (CSV) Forum 2016, held in June in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, said that “despite having unrivalled agricultural potential, which could transform Africa into a surplus exporter, Africa in fact spends around US$35 billion [R543 billion] each year importing food”. Dr Carlos Lopes, executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, concurred. “Integrated regional trade in Africa is very important. Why does Africa import so much processed food every year? We must invest in adding value to Africa’s own agricultural products.” This, he said, would “improve skills, employment, investment and income in Africa – for Africans”. Fatima Haram Acyl, the African Union Commission’s commissioner…

The conditions for the merger of AB Inbev and SABMiller, recently approved by the Competition Tribunal of South Africa, will protect local producers and ensure the growth of emerging and commercial farmers. According to a statement by AB InBev, the conditions related to employment, competition in the supply chain, investment in agriculture and enterprise development, and AB Inbev’s long-term commitment to South Africa and black economic empowerment. The conditions are broadly in line with the commitments previously agreed to with the SA Government. According to the merger agreement, AB InBev would make R1 billion available for investment in various programmes over a five-year period. A total of R610 million would go towards developing the capacity of 800 emerging farmers and 20 commercial farmers to produce 475 000t of barley for…

The level of agricultural chemicals in water resources is below the limits that pose a health threat. This is according to the results of a five-year research study to establish whether human and animal exposure to agricultural chemicals through water resources could cause adverse effects such as cancer, birth deformities, or neurological and immunological effects. The study was conducted under the leadership of Dr James Dabrowski, senior researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Bettina Genthe, research group leader of the Water and Human Health Research Group, and Prof Patricia Forbes, senior chemistry lecturer at the University of Pretoria. Over 200 chemicals applied in agriculture were included in the study, and were evaluated based on the amount applied to crops, toxicity, how mobile chemicals were in the…

Violent protests recently broke out in Beitbridge and Musina over Zimbabwe’s decision to ban the importation of a range of agricultural produce. The ban is aimed at increasing the market for local farmers and agro-processors in that country. Almost 70 people were arrested during the protests. According to reports, Zimbabwean police used tear gas to disperse the protesters. Products listed in the Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, Control of Goods, published in a Zimbabwean government gazette on 17 June by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, include baked beans, potato crisps, cereals, bottled water, mayonnaise, salad cream, peanut butter, jam, mahewu, canned fruit and vegetables, pizza bases, yoghurt, flavoured milk, dairy juice blends, ice-cream, cultured milk and cheese. Woven fabrics containing 85% or more by weight of cotton and weighing…

Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite, which is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. Globally, almost half-a-million people die each year from malaria, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for the majority of these deaths. Artemisinin, isolated from the Artemisia annua herb, is the basis for treatment compounds for the disease. It is derived from artemisinic acid, produced only in the very small hairs on the herb’s leaves. Because of this, the production of artemisinin is very slow and expensive. Researchers at the German-based Max Planck Institute for Plant Molecular Physiology identified the Artemisia annua’s core set of genes, which control enzymes for the synthesis of artemisinic acid in its natural internal pathway. Researchers then transferred these genes to the chloroplast genetic system of a tobacco plant. (A chloroplast is the microscopic…

SA MACADAMIA NUT EXPORTERS FACE HIGH TARIFFS ON THE CHINESE MARKET The first South African Macadamia Nuts Seminar, held in Shanghai, China, on 22 June, provided an overview of the planting, exporting, and trade of SA macadamia nuts to Chinese importers, distributors, e-commerce executives and the media. Initiated by SA Subtropical Growers’ Association (Subtrop) market development manager, Bonnie Buthelezi, the event was presented by Walter Giuricich and Barry Christie, chairperson and operations manager respectively of Southern African Macadamia Growers’ Association (SAMAC). Yu Zhongwu, president of the Lin’an Nuts and Roaster Association, said in his welcoming address that he had visited South Africa’s macadamia plantations and had been amazed at the culture and trade of nuts. “At present, China’s nut market is still primitive, and the price war is fierce, with…

AVOCADOS (SA Avocado Growers’ Association – SAAGA) SAAGA puts substantial effort into promoting the consumption of avocados in South Africa. On the association’s website, a video clip named Suzelle DIY – How to be an Avocado Aficionado is a top-rate example of the association’s continued efforts to correct some common misconceptions about avocados. ETHICAL TRADE The ethical trade programme and workplace mediation procedure are important processes in the subtropical and fresh produce industries, and require further explanation. Fruit South Africa (FSA), of which SAAGA is a member, is the organisation responsible for promoting South African fruit abroad. Some years ago, it recognised that ethical trading would play an increasingly important role in the country’s exports. The outcome was an ethical trade programme called SIZA (Sustainability Initiative of South Africa). Its…

Wheat production is Stephen’s and Peter’s primary source of income. “We basically use sheep to mop up the wheat stubble lands after the harvest in September. The wheat is also sifted to remove screenings before we send it to the market. “This pushes the grade of the wheat up and the screenings are added to the animal feed,” Stephen explains. The majority of the lands planted to medics are grazed between May and September. During this time of the year, the sheep do not receive any additional feed. Medic hay is produced during September, before the medics becomes senescent. During senescence, the crop wilts, and its feeding value and palatability decrease. Supplementation thus becomes necessary, especially during October when sheep are mated for the next breeding cycle. For harvesting, the…

The old control boards in the fresh produce sector did good work in some areas, but ended up with a rather dismal record in other aspects. Because they controlled the product entirely, they held the ace card, giving substance to that old refrain among market agents, “Product is power”. Major buyers of fresh produce disliked the fact that they were forced to procure through the boards and baulked at not being able to determine the price. As the years passed, some boards started losing direction. They began to neglect their core functions and started pursuing other activities – disguised as services for their members. Bureaucracy and incompetence crept in and for some at the top it was blatant ‘empire building.’ This state of affairs was never going to be sustainable.…

THE BEST PIGEONS TEND TO HAVE INTENSELY BLACK PUPILS As mentioned previously, it is difficult to think of an issue that divides the racing pigeon fraternity more than the ‘eye-sign’ theory. In this article, I want to look at the theory as it might apply to a specific bird: Heidi (Belg 6033117-07), imported from Belgium and one of the top racing hens and producers of quality stock. It is bred from a powerful ‘click’ pair descended from the famous Kaasboer lineage of Belgium champion Gaston van de Wouwer. Heidi’s genetic strength as a breeder already dominates three generations. Owner Gerhard van Aswegen of GJT Lofts says that he always looks for balance within the eye, with a strong but not ‘overfilled’ pigmentation. Heidi’s eye colours show an even orange/red pigmentation…

To make Toad in the Hole for four diners, you will need: For the main meal: 8 pork sausages 15ml extra virgin olive oil 2 eggs plus 1 additional yolk 130g white flour 150ml milk 150ml water ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper For the sauce: 30ml canola oil 30g butter 1 or 2 onions 1 tablespoon white flour 1 teaspoon Coleman’s mustard powder 400ml vegetable stock Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste The big deal here is the batter for the Yorkshire pudding. Ideally, you should make it 45 minutes or so before cooking it. Pour the eggs, flour, milk, water, salt and pepper into a food processor and ‘pulse’ until the mixture is smooth. Decant into a large bowl, cover with clingwrap, and leave…

Many people find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Yet poor sleep can result in far more than simply tiredness the next day. It can cause blood sugar imbalance, increased blood pressure, weight gain, mood swings and poor memory. For a good night’s sleep, switch off your cellphone and PC early on in the evening. Avoid watching the news on TV (or anything likely to cause stress) and rather switch to a relaxing, productive and creative activity such handwork, with soothing music in the background. Relaxing exercise such as a slow walk or playing with children or pets can also help to make you unwind. VITAMINS AND MINERALS FOR BODY AND BRAIN You can help your body to produce calming neurotransmitters, such as GABA and serotonin, by taking…

In days gone by, there were three ways to keep a finger on the pulse of what was happening in our district: spend time in the village pub (if you were a farmer), have your hair done at André’s hairdressing salon (if you were a farmer’s wife), or simply use the phone. The latter used a party line system, so the local postmistress could eavesdrop with impunity, and no conversation was truly confidential. The story goes that once, as she was snooping on a call, her name was mentioned in a local scandal. Unable to restrain herself, she indignantly interrupted the callers to defend her innocence! Between pub, salon and party line phones, everyone could stay abreast of the latest skinner: whose marriage was on the rocks, who was pregnant…