Table of contents for 25 November 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

Farming as a family business is one of the defining aspects of the SA agricultural landscape. Many of this country’s most successful farming businesses are family-owned, have been passed down for generations and continue to be robust, vigorous and successful. The winner of this year’s Agricultural Writers SA Farmer of the Year award, Allesbeste Boerdery, an integrated avocado nursery and farming business in Tzaneen, is no exception: it is now in its fourth generation. The Ernst family’s professional approach to running this type of business has set them on a course of innovation and growth. Dr André Ernst, who manages the business with his wife, Liezel, and their sons, Zander and Edrean, says that they structure the business according to some of the principles that govern large corporations. “A family…

ALL STAKEHOLDERS SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO MARKET THE PRODUCT The red meat industry needs to establish an export market for high-value red meat cuts. The financial survival of many livestock farmers is under pressure, and exports could greatly benefit the industry. South Africa’s commercial beef and sheep industries are internationally competitive, and the current exchange rate certainly supports export markets. Moreover, South Africa produces high-value red meat that should be commanding a premium price. However, much work must still be done to ensure that the country’s health protocols do not exclude it from premium international markets. We should also invest sufficiently in our own product to ensure that it rises above its commodity value. Improving the product will also increase the domestic value of red meat. PREMIUM INTERNATIONAL MARKETS South…

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ (DAFF) annual report for the 2015/2016 financial year was recently launched in Pretoria. The report highlighted DAFF’s achievements, and addressed its areas of non-performance. In his address, director-general of DAFF, Mike Mlengana, said that he wanted to launch the report publically during International Fraud Awareness Week, which takes place annually, to promote anti-fraud awareness and education. Mlengana said that “rampant fraud and corruption” were significant threats to public administration. “We [DAFF] want to declare our accountability in public of how we have performed. DAFF takes a zero tolerance approach to fraud and corruption and does not victimise those who report it,” he said. Mlengana and other senior officials in the department had signed a commitment charter against fraud and corruption. He said that…

Tanzania wants to revive cotton production to stimulate economic growth in regions that once cultivated the crop. According to AllAfrica.com, cotton was once an important cash crop in the country before production ceased in the 1980s. An additional cash crop is needed as most small-scale farmers rely solely on maize for food security and an income. “Farmers will venture into cotton farming in the next farming season,” said Salum Muya, councillor of Kwaluguru, a ward in the district where cotton production will resume. Cotton is also making a comeback in Haiti. The crop was once that country’s fourth-largest agricultural export, according to the Haiti-based Smallholder Farmers’ Alliance, but production collapsed due to political reasons and agricultural policies. The alliance said feasibility studies had shown that cotton could be a rotational…

Good rains fell in South Africa’s summer grain production region in early November, while farmers in areas such as Schweizer-Reneke were still anxiously waiting for rain. This was according to Chris Schoonwinkel, vice-chairperson of Grain SA’s maize working group. Showers of between 30mm and 90mm were recorded in Bothaville, Wesselsbron and Bultfontein. “Many producers have started planting in earnest, but in some parts very little or no rain fell,” said Schoonwinkel. “In Wesselsbron’s Tierfontein area, for instance, it’s so dry that producers can’t even start with the preparation for planting.” According to Bultfontein farmer Anton Botha, rain was recorded in the eastern part of the Bultfontein district, but hardly any fell between Bultfontein and Hoopstad. “We nevertheless remain positive for this season. It started well and we remain hopeful that…

The 2016/2017 South African table grape season is well underway, with the crop estimated at 61,3 million to 63,2 million 4,5kg-cartons. The industry anticipated the crop volume to be 5,4% higher than the previous season, according to the first estimate for the season released by the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI). “The figures of the first estimate represent a ‘normal’ crop for the industry,” said Clayton Swart, SATI communications manager. According to Swart, the lower limit reflected an expected return to normal berry and bunch development, while the upper limit took into account the increasing hectares of new cultivars yielding better packouts and growth on total surface area. Packing of the first grapes in the early-production regions started a week earlier than the previous season. Swart said that the…

THERE ARE WELL-KNOWN AGRICULTURAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE PROUD OF THEIR ROLE IN REMOVING THE MARKETING CHAINS When I studied agricultural economics many years ago, four pieces of legislation were regarded as the cornerstones of agricultural policy. These were: • The Marketing Act; • The Co-operative Act; • The Agricultural Credit Act; • The Soil Conservation Act. These four acts governed much of the relationship between government and farmers. Since 1994, they have largely been replaced by other legislation. Various interest groups agitated for the old marketing schemes to be scrapped. It has to be said, however, that through their rigidity and arrogance, the control boards played into the hands of those in whose interest it was to remove control from the marketing chains. WAS THE CHANGEOVER TOO RAPID? A major…

A wide range of equipment for vegetable growing was on display at a recent vegetable farmer’s day held by Rebelo Agricultural Machinery, Zuiderwint Mechanization and Joined Specialised Farming (JSF). Last week we looked at some of the specialised implements on display. This week we look at more examples such as imported electronic weeders and locally manufactured tools that form raised seed-beds and cover them with plastic mulch. 1 Automatic weeder The Ferrari Remoweed automatic hoe detects and removes weeds from between the rows as well as between plants in the same row. A series of scanners differentiates between weeds and plants, and the former are then cut by two hydraulically operated blades. The blades can cut weeds as close as 10mm from the plants and the working height can be…

Horses evolved to graze at will, exercise freely and live in herds. Today, most horses are stabled, kept in tiny paddocks with little grazing, fed hard feeds and allowed little social contact. One of the results of all this is gastric ulcers. Amongst the symptoms are a lack of appetite, changes in behaviour, generally poor condition and discomfort. If your horse has ulcers, it might benefit from kefir, a yoghurt-like drink that originated centuries ago in the Caucasus. The practice of fermenting milk is at least 12 000 years old. Originally milk was fermented merely to preserve it; the ‘good’ bacteria, lactococci and lactobacilli, suppress spoilage and pathogenic organisms. People began to realise, however, that fermented milk has a good flavour and digests easily. This led to a variety of…

Dear James and Jill Here is a layout and sketch of your new home additions as discussed and configured on site. I have used gable-ended roofs to match those of your existing home. This will give you the option of creating additional office and storage areas in the attic, as indicated by the dotted line. The wooden stairs that will be affixed to the exterior wall will serve both attic areas. I have included windows in the gable ends, and one other dormer window. You may want to include more of these windows to match those of your existing house. I would welcome any further thoughts. Jonno Jonno Smith is a registered architect. He can be contacted at Hillbilly Homes: tel 036 352 3178, fax 088 036 352 3178, cell…

CONTINENTAL SHIFT by Kevin Bloom & Richard Poplak (Jonathan Ball, R265) Well known for their trenchant journalism, Bloom and Poplak took “a journey into Africa’s changing fortunes” to pin down what works and doesn’t work in the continent and how to put this right. Ideally, they suggest, this means defusing conflict, distributing more wealth and increasing social, economic and geographical mobility for Africa’s citizens. The reality they depict pinpoints the gaps still to be closed. Infusing their politico-economic observations with travelogue elements makes for a highly readable book, offering context to all those wondering about South Africa’s position within Africa. IS YOUR THINKING KEEPING YOU POOR? by Douglas Kruger (Penguin, R210) Kruger knew genteel poverty in childhood, but refuses to feel guilty about money or like…

‘FORWARD PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL IN A COMMERCIAL GOAT FARMING OPERATION’ “South Africa’s goat industry can expect many exciting and interesting future developments. While the establishment of developing farmers in South Africa is a government priority, I believe the manner in which goverment is currently attempting to achieve this objective is not relevant to the challenges facing our goat industry. I have been involved in the industry for 26 years, and currently produce and export goats to several countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. I suspect that the South African goat industry does not appreciate how great the local and international demand for live goats is. This demand is driven partly by cultural practices, but, increasingly, it can be attributed to the health characteristics of goat meat. South Africa’s…

SOUTH AFRICA’S CANOLA SEED AND PRODUCT MARKET IS GROWING, AND BECOMING INTERLINKED WITH THE GLOBAL MARKET Although it is among the least discussed commodities, canola has experienced major growth in South Africa. Just 17 000ha were planted in 1998; this year, the figure is 68 075ha. In turn, canola seed production has increased from 21 000t to 108 860t over the same period. Thanks to technological innovation and an improvement in production practices, yield has also grown – by 29%, from 1,24t/ha in 1998 to 1,60t/ha in 2016. The increasing size of the middle class from the early 2000s has, in part, been one of the driving factors behind the increase in demand for canola oil and related products. Demand for canola seed in South Africa has risen from 16…

The Laborie Dialogue Initiative (LDI), comprising VinPro, Hortgro, the Food Allied Workers’ Union and the Agricultural Workers’ Empowerment Trade Union Council, has condemned the deadlock between workers and Robertson Winery bosses because of the negative impact it has on all stakeholders. VinPro CEO Rico Basson said that the LDI saw constructive workplace engagement involving “ongoing honest and transparent negotiations between employers and employees” as the key to sustainable transformation. Robertson Winery workers have been on strike for 12 weeks due to a deadlock in salary negotiations and unhappiness over working conditions. The Commercial Stevedoring Agricultural and Allied Workers Union is demanding a 150% increase of the entry level wages for its members to R8 500/month. The union has reportedly gone back on all the agreements reached during the previous negotiation…

Agriculture in low-income countries remains the most significant cause of deforestation, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Improving agricultural productivity while using the same or fewer inputs, including land, was essential to reverse this trend, said Financial Times blog, beyondbrics. Inge Kotze, senior manager for sustainable agriculture at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), told Farmer’s Weekly that the rate of deforestation was a major concern. Commercial beef production and the cultivation of crops such as soya beans for animal feed were leading drivers of forest loss globally, she said. The WWF’s Living Planet Report stated that highly specialised industrial agriculture, as well as subsistence farming, could optimise productivity by diversifying farms. Marco Lambertini, director-general of WWF International said landscapes “that integrated crop, livestock and forestry systems…

A new economic partnership agreement (EPA) between the South African Development Cooperation agency (SADC) and the European Union (EU) came into effect in November. This follows both EU and South African submissions of the required notifications with regard to geographic indications (GI) to signify geographical origin. The new SADC-EU EPA, which was officially signed in June, will replace current bilateral trade provisions. Sidwell Medupe, spokesperson for the Department of Trade and Industry, said the EPA gave South Africa the opportunity to rectify imbalances in the previous agreement with the EU, while facilitating better market access for South African products. “The new agreement will result in improved market access for more than 30 South African agricultural products, while also resulting in the phasing out of export subsidies on certain EU products,”…

THE CONJUNCTION ‘OR’ DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN FUEL STORED AND USED South Africa’s farmers are not alone in getting diesel rebates. Ireland, Australia, New Zealand (where petrol too can be claimed for) and many other countries offer some form of fuel price relief for farmers engaged in primary production. So when SARS makes it almost impossible to receive the rebate or conducts multiple audits, it could be said to be advancing the cause of our international competitors! It is clear from Note 6(h)(iv)(aa) of the 6th Schedule to the Customs and Excise Act that the delivery by a contractor on a ‘dry’ basis (the farmer pays for the fuel) to the factory gates is within the scope of the rebate. But does the farmer or the contractor have to fill up on…

In the first part of this series, we looked at the economic advantages, artificial stimulation methods and logistical considerations of twinning in cattle. In this second instalment, the practical implications for the farmer are discussed. GENDER OUTCOMES The gender combination of calves in twins is distributed randomly, but in a specific proportion to one another: in a large sample, 25% of twins will both be heifers, 25% will both be bulls and 50% will be a bull-heifer combination. In mixed-sex twins, the bull calf may be sub-fertile or infertile and is seldom of a desirable quality. About 90% of the heifers will exhibit outwardly visible secondary male characteristics and abnormal genitalia, as well as masculinised ovaries. They are always infertile, while the remaining 10% are almost always sub-fertile. The reasons…

CABLES A cable or chain is constructed in such a way that it can only resist a tensional (pulling) stress distributed uniformly throughout the material. This can accommodate high stress and makes economical use of material. A suspension bridge is a good example of such an economical design. In a car or bakkie, however, very few components are only in tension. They include the cables used for gear-change mechanisms, handbrakes and bonnet-opening levers. COLUMNS Columns are called struts if they are mainly in compression, and ties if they are mainly in tension. For the same dimensions, struts tend to be weaker than ties because overloading causes bending. A short column will fail by the material shearing off at an angle of about 45°, whereas a slender column will buckle somewhere…

‘THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS’ No condemnation Many farmers suffer from remorse as they grow older. They feel sorrow for things done in the past that cannot be rectified by any human being. For example, many started their businesses with very little, and expected their eldest child to help out on the farm. Looking back, they would probably admit that they were much harder on their firstborn than on the children who followed. Under tough business conditions and severe financial pressure, we are so often short with our words and unkind in our attitudes, aren’t we? Later in life, we carry the burden of this and condemn ourselves for what we did. But remorse is like carrying a 50kg bag of cement…

Self-made businessman, Sean Kramer, and his wife, Glynda, are weekend farmers who run commercial Drakensbergers on their 1 300ha farm, Hoëbult, near Vrede in the Free State. Sean is the co-owner of Assign Services, a business support services company. Having grown up on the family farm near Ogies in Mpumalanga, Sean always longed for a farm of his own. But this dream took many years to realise. After matriculating from Eden College in Johannesburg, he completed his national service, and worked for Woolworths for two years. At 23, he started his own business, and the success of this enabled him to pursue his farming ambitions. Before purchasing their farm, Sean and Glynda became friends with Rodney Neuman, a prominent Drakensberger stud breeder in Vrede. Rodney played a prominent role in…

GIs: a different type of intellectual property A recent article published in Farmers’ Weekly, ‘Understanding your intellectual property rights’ (FW, 4 November), highlighted the value and importance of trademarks in modern agricultural and food industries. The article briefly referred to Karoo Lamb of Origin as one example of a trademark. However, this is not correct; Karoo Lamb of Origin, and other, similar names such as Rooibos, are considered geographical indications (GIs), not trademarks. DEFINITION A GI is a different type of intellectual property (IP) right than those discussed in the FW article. The Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement of the World Trade Organization defines GIs as follows: “A geographical indication is an indication [that] identifies a good as originating in the territory of a Member, or a…

The widespread drought in South Africa has had a devastating impact on the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors, as well as on the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP) for the agricultural sector. However, during the 2015/16 financial year, the agricultural sector had performed well in terms of trade, and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) had assisted small-scale and commercial farmers affected by the drought. This was revealed at the launch of DAFF’s annual report for the 2015/16 financial year. According to Senzeni Zokwana, minister of DAFF, the NDP targets were based on “assumptions that are currently inconsistent with the realities and projections for national economic growth and the drought”. Zokwana also said that the country’s current economic climate would affect employment in the sector, and…

The South African Hunting and Game Conservation Association (SA Hunters) has called for an urgent investigation into allegations made in the Al Jazeera exposé The Poachers’ Pipeline, that the minister of state security and security officials are involved in the smuggling of rhino horns. The documentary implied that Minister David Mahlobo was involved in illegal rhino horn trade, after he made frequent visits to the local Mbombela Spa owned by self-confessed rhino smuggler, Guan Jian Guang. “If these allegations are true, the South African authorities and its security establishment have betrayed the citizens of this country,” Fred Camphor, CEO of SA Hunters, told Farmer’s Weekly. “People in security positions, such as the minister who runs the country’s intelligence services, cannot afford to associate with criminals. We are therefore calling for…

The effects of the past four years of drought have escalated to such an extent that it could now be described as a humanitarian tragedy, according to Prof Johan Willemse, agricultural economist at the University of the Free State. The crisis, he said, had been exacerbated by the fact that neither developing nor commercial farmers had received significant support from the state. Indications were that at least 15% of the commercial farmers in the Free State would not be able to carry on farming in the coming year, mainly because of financial institutions’ reluctance to provide production credit. “The suffering is far from over and will continue for some years,” said Willemse. The drought has had a devastating economic impact on local communities, according to Roy Jankielsohn, Free State leader…

Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) and Free State farmers have trumped applications for exploration for oil and gas on farm land. Motuoane Energy had applied for exploration rights and environmental authorisation to explore for oil and gas over 77 490ha, an area that included farms in Ladysmith, Besters, Elandslaagte, Normandien and Vrede, said Adele Slater, a former attorney and dairy farmer from Ladysmith. “Advocate Roberts SC, instructed by attorney Karen Hattingh of Wessels Hattingh Attorneys, appeared in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria in the case of the Elandslaagte Farmers’ Association and eight others against the Minister of Mineral Resources, the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) and Motuoane Energy. The judge set aside PASA’s acceptance of Motuoane’s application for an exploration right and furthermore set aside the scoping report. Costs…

Hot peppers are susceptible to infestation by seed-borne pathogens such as anthracnose. The latter, caused by Colletotrichum capsici, can damage germination of infected seeds. Now bio-priming seed, bio-conditioning and bio-fungicides can help to combat this problem. Bio-priming involves matriconditioning, controlled hydration of seeds by carriers with high water-adsorptive matri forces incorporating biological protectants (fungi and bacteria, or clove oil) to improve seed health and decrease pathogens. Indonesian scientists conducted three sets of experiments to test combinations in matriconditioning: 1. Effect of clove oil and priming on infected seed: Results: clove oil reduced C. capsici levels, matriconditioning boosted seed vigour and germination speed. 2: Effect of Dithane fungicide and biopesticides on seed. Results: treatments improved seed viability and vigour quality after 12 weeks’ storage. Dithane did not extend storability but both…

Jacaranda Poultry Champions Contacts: Frank Lambert: 083 306 2828 | Gert and Maatje Joubert: 072 332 4072 | Sidney Kaber: 082 339 5148 Dieter Labuschagne: 082 654 3280 | Joachim Losos: 073 926 8893…

Walking through the Joburg Market vegetable hall recently, I came upon a senior salesman selling red peppers at R300 for a 4,5kg-carton – and he was having no problem moving them. But an even greater surprise awaited me in the fruit hall. There I met a market agent selling new-season cherries at up to R900 for a 4kg-carton, and he had only two cartons left of the original consignment! Are these absurd prices an exception, or do they reflect a trend of far higher prices in the future? The cherries came from the Belfast area in Mpumalanga, not a traditional cherry-growing region. I was offered one to taste and made a weak joke about it costing R20! I’m normally cautious with early-season fruit because it is often picked immature to…

Puppies frequently suffer from shyness and fear, and it is important to counteract these attributes before the animal reaches the age of 14 to 16 weeks. If you fail to do so, it could end up defecating in the home (because it is too scared to go out into the garden) or becoming aggressive. Whether your puppy is fearful or not, it is a good idea to begin with the following basic techniques: • Handle the pup from birth. This will make grooming and brushing teeth far easier later in life. • Expose it to as many new people, animals, places and sounds as possible from early on. Allow it to fully explore the home environment (obviously keeping it away from the swimming pool, chemicals and other dangers). • Give…

To make roasted carrots in a dhania-chilli-yoghurt sauce for six, you will need: 10 adult but not geriatric carrots 30ml-40ml Cape extra virgin olive oil Salt and coarsely ground black pepper on demand For the sauce 250ml plain Greek yoghurt 15ml honey 1 lime 30g dhania leaves 3 cloves garlic 2 finger-length chillies 15ml white wine vinegar 80ml Cape extra virgin olive oil Small quantity of salt First, let me remove your mounting anxiety. You can, indeed you should, cook the carrots in advance of the roast meat or poultry. The serving temperature of the roasted carrots is no big deal as they taste quite remarkable even a few hours out of the oven. Begin by revving the oven to the red line at 220°C. Clean the carrots, then cut…

More beet benefits Research has found that beetroot increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and reduces the amount of oxygen that muscles require to function optimally. This means that eating beetroot provides an increase in energy, performance and stamina, according to a 2012 study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Additionally, the fibre content helps clear the digestive tract of waste and toxins while restoring healthy bowel movements. Beetroot juice assists the liver to detoxify the body of metals, toxins and waste by stimulating production of powerful antioxidants. The betalains in beetroot help form glutathione, enabling the body to neutralise toxins so that they can be flushed out in the urine. INCREASED BLOOD FLOW Drinking beetroot juice increases blood flow to the brain in…