Table of contents for 13 September 2019 in Farmer's Weekly

Independent power producers, an independent water regulator, formalisation of the taxi industry, and hints about a state-subsidised agricultural insurance scheme are just some of the suggestions put forward by National Treasury in a new economic plan for South Africa. In a paper recently published by Treasury for public comment, titled ‘Economic transformation, inclusive growth, and competitiveness: Towards an economic strategy for South Africa’, Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni puts forward suggestions aimed at achieving structural reforms that could reverse the downward trend in South Africa’s growth potential and competitiveness. The paper contains the most pragmatic approach to boosting economic growth in South Africa since the National Development Plan (NDP), which it draws on to outline six themes that prioritise economic transformation, inclusive growth, and competitiveness. Its aims, broadly, are a…

Cataloguing the diversity of insects pestering SA olives A genetic catalogue of the insect pests found on wild and cultivated olive tree species in South Africa is being compiled by a small team of geneticists at the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University (SU). The study is being led by Dr Barbara van Asch. “Knowing which insect species there are, and how to definitively identify one from another, is of value to both the agriculture and environment sectors,” says Van Asch. “It helps the industry keep tabs on the introduction of potentially harmful or invasive species into local orchards.” To identify insect species on specific visual cues requires great skill. In recent years, this process has been made easier thanks to genetic research tools that allow researchers to distinguish between…

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s new growth plan, a programme to kick-start the economy, advocates the modernisation of network industries to promote competitiveness and inclusive growth. It also seeks to lower barriers to entry and address distorted patterns of ownership through increased competition and small business growth. NO ANC LEADER HAS YET HAD THE COURAGE TO GO AGAINST THE SACP AND COSATU The Centre for Development and Enterprise’s executive director, Ann Bernstein, said: “We need a tough-minded growth strategy that is vigorously implemented. That means fixing public finances, but also requires decisive action on grasping the nettle on basic education reform and opening up to foreign skills, providing reliable, affordable energy, changing the labour market to create a more labour-intensive economy, and fixing the attitudes and regulations that hold business back.”…

The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) has expressed satisfaction with the economic strategy for South Africa compiled by the National Treasury’s Economic Policy unit, recently released by Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni. BFAP’s managing director, Prof Ferdi Meyer, described the strategy’s goals for South African agriculture as “touching on the correct focus items”. According to the strategy document, the country’s ongoing poor growth and rising unemployment meant that South Africa’s economic trajectory was unsustainable unless these factors were remedied. While the strategy focused on an array of economic opportunities for the country, it said the agriculture sector needed to be prioritised for labour-intensive growth. Meyer said the flexible industrial and trade policies proposed in the strategy document to promote the competitiveness of the agriculture sector were “absolutely low-hanging…

The council of the Brahman Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa has condemned the actions of a small group of Brahman stud breeders, who allegedly altered the birthdates of some of their cattle to give them an unfair advantage in the show ring. Sydney Hunt, the council’s president, told Farmer’s Weekly that while the council had originally been notified of one Brahman stud breeder allegedly employing this practice, a subsequent internal investigation had found that “a limited number” of others were allegedly doing the same thing. “An affected animal would compete unfairly in a younger age group. Manipulation of birthdates [is] considered unacceptable and unbecoming of a stud breeder, and measures were implemented to prevent this from happening [again],” Hunt said. He added that while legitimate administrative errors did occur…

A total of 23 shipments of agricultural products from the US was rejected or destroyed by Taiwanese officials in the first six months of the year, according to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA). Chemical residue was cited as the reason in 15 of the 23 rejections, while food additives were the second-largest source of violations, with six recorded cases. US exporters have been cautioned to be vigilant, as such violations posed a challenge to US agricultural exports due to Taiwan’s strict adherence to food safety regulations. According to the TFDA, a total of 334 shipments from various countries had been issued with non-compliance notices in the first six months of 2019. The TFDA made violations public whenever an importer was given a formal noncompliance notice. The most often-cited…

Free State Agriculture (FSA) has expressed concern about a possible underground coal gasification project in the province near Theunissen. This followed a notification from the Department of Mineral Resources that an environmental authorisation had been given to the company Africary, in terms of the National Environmental Management Act No. 107 of 1998, for the mining of coal by means of underground coal gasification. Gernie Botha, FSA’s legal adviser, said the technology proposed for this project was referred to as a controlled retractable injection point. Using a directionally drilled injection well, an oxidant mix was injected into an underground coal seam where a cavity was formed by removing the carbon from the coal. The cavity acted like an underground gasifier, consuming and converting the coal in situ and producing energy-carrying gas,…

Many communal farmers I work with do not realise the commercial value of their farmyard chickens; families generally keep these birds merely for subsistence purposes. The same applies to smallholder farmers who believe that the only way to run a viable chicken farming enterprise is to farm the traditional white broiler chickens that depend solely on purchased bagged feed. Not only has chicken grower and finisher meal become very expensive, but free-range chickens are healthier, and the meat and eggs produced are comparatively healthier for human consumption. The fact that free-range chickens may take longer than five to six weeks to be ready for market is of no consequence if you can produce your own cheap feed. I’ve also noticed that there is a growing market for live indigenous or…

It’s crucial to have a good security system installed on your devices. And it is especially wise to have effective security apps and antivirus tools for Android, as Google’s operating system is often targeted by malware due to its popularity. AVG, which was the first antivirus app on Google Play to break 100 million downloads, is my personal favourite. I currently use the Pro version, which costs R119 a year, and find that it has an array of excellent features. The Ultimate version (R294 a year) comes with webcam and ransomware protection, as well as unlimited installs across PC, Mac and Android, which is very useful for a family. The app has a RAM booster that stops unnecessary tasks, freeing up space to enable your phone to operate faster. It…

Despite an increase in the soya bean crop and limited uptake from the US’s largest trading partner, China, the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC) is positive that world prices for the commodity will not drop substantially. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, John Baize, an analyst at USSEC, said that despite ongoing trade tensions with China, demand for soya bean was increasing worldwide and global prices would likely remain stable. “The US will continue to see growth in export demand, but most of the growth [is likely to be] from countries other than China,” he said. During the 2018/2019 production season, US soya bean exports to countries other than China totalled 32,4 million tons, compared with 27 million tons a year earlier. The largest increase was in exports to the EU, from…

UNITED KINGDOM If the Labour Party came to power in the UK, it would overhaul animal welfare laws, according to the party’s new manifesto. This could include banning trophy hunters from selling their ‘souvenirs’ in the UK, and ending cruel fishing practices, as well as the use of whips in horse racing. The move was seen as an attempt to seize the advantage from the Conservative Party government, which had outlawed ivory sales but stopped short of banning trophy-hunting imports. AFRICA Satellite images from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the US have shown an alarming spread of forest fires in Central Africa. Visible as a red trail stretching from Gabon to Angola, these fires were similar to those currently raging in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Commenting…

A family co-op, Batlhako Temo Services, is the first black-owned citrus enterprise in North West to enter the global export market. The company has so far exported seven containers of citrus to the Middle East and Taiwan. The five-member co-op produces citrus on a 61,5ha farm near Brits, with 21ha under production. Co-op member Issac Moilwa said the intention was to expand production to the rest of the farm to increase export potential. “We installed an irrigation system and improved infrastructure, among others, with funds amounting to R800 000 from the North West provincial government,” he said. The co-op started farming in 2012, and now leases the farm from the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform. Initially, it produced sunflower, but after two years of losses, its members…

Hundreds of people from Klein Akker farm near Kraaifontein were relocated recently to Mesco, a state-owned land reform farm near Stellenbosch. Government intervened after the residents had been living on the streets for a week. Agri Western Cape expressed concern about the relocation of evicted families from Klein Akker to Mesco, which the organisation regarded as a failed state-owned land reform farm. Jannie Strydom, CEO of Agri Western Cape, said the relocation of the families to a rundown farm illustrated the inability of government to provide sufficient housing and ownership. “The department must actively seek a permanent and humane solution for these families,” he said. He added that Mcebisi Skwatsha, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, should rather focus on getting Mesco back into production to create…

The Western Cape Veterinary Laboratory Services has retained its international ISO 17025 accreditation. This puts the services offered by the laboratory on par with any similar institutions elsewhere in the world. According to Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape MEC for Agriculture, the veterinary laboratory was the first in the country to attain the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) certification, which verifies that it is an ISO 17052-compliant laboratory, thereby ensuring international acceptance of all laboratory results. SANAS carries out accreditations according to the Good Laboratory Practice Act.…

Market access poses a major challenge for both large- and small-scale farmers. High barriers to entry, such as standards and regulations, can make it very difficult to tap into new markets. Market access refers to a farmer’s ability to sell his or her goods and services to an agent or retailer that operates on the local or export market. This may be facilitated by offtake agreements between the farmer and the agent or retailer, or by trade agreements between countries. However, as most farmers struggle to gain access to increasingly competitive markets, there is a real need for market intelligence. This applies whether you are a small farmer selling in small quantities locally or a large-scale grower exporting tons of produce. START WITH RESEARCH Before starting farming, it is advisable…

Do youngsters have a future as salespeople or in the management of a fresh produce market? And if so, how do markets and market agencies seek to attract young people to the industry? These are extremely important questions that deserve to be asked from time to time; their answers, after all, will determine the future of the industry. A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH It’s good to be able to report that a number of organisations in South Africa’s fresh produce sector offer training. Official bodies such as the Agricultural Produce Agents’ Council, for example, do good work bringing young people into the mainstream of the sector. Producer organisations such as Potatoes South Africa also have youth development initiatives in place. Most market agencies are small family businesses. In some cases, the third…

SAVOURY Creamy tomato curry chicken This tasty curry dish is easy to prepare, and balanced with complementing flavours. It’s sure to become a family favourite! Makes four servings A small quantity of oil 1 onion, chopped 4 chicken breasts, cubed 20ml (4 tsp) mild curry powder Pinch of dried ginger 410g (1 tin) chopped tomatoes 30 ml (2 Tbsp) soft brown sugar 30 ml (2 Tbsp) sweet chilli sauce 125ml (½ cup) mayonnaise Salt and pepper to taste Fresh coriander (optional) 1. Heat oil and sauté onion until soft. Add chicken pieces and sauté until done. 2. Add curry powder, ginger, tomatoes and brown sugar. Heat through. 3. Lower heat and stir in sweet chilli sauce and mayonnaise. 4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 5. Serve warm with…

Japanese scientists have developed a fat-soluble form of thiamine (vitamin B1) called benfotiamine. In this form, the vitamin can significantly relieve the uncomfortable tingling and numbness in the hands and feet experienced by many elderly people. Benfotiamine has been tested in 34 studies and found to be safe. Nerves transport messages from one area of the body to another. As we grow older, they do this less effectively. Peripheral nerves, located in the fingers, toes, hands and feet, are narrower and deteriorate the most. Doctors have long treated the problem with high doses of thiamine, which helps nerve signals travel from brain to toes and vice versa. But thiamine, being water-soluble, is quickly excreted through the urine. Benfotiamine, in contrast, stays in the body far longer. RESTORATION OF FEELING IN…

Hans Coetzee, owner of Excel Beefmaster in Lichtenburg in North West, started farming Beefmasters in 1993. Although upgrading his commercial herd to the breed took quite a few years, he says it was time and money well spent. ‘THE BEEFMASTER HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST WEANING RATIOS OF BEEF BREEDS IN SOUTH AFRICA’ “What we achieved is a uniform group of Beefmasters that produce good female animals for replacement, and excellent bulls to put onto the market.” Coetzee selects his Beefmasters according to the philosophy of the breed’s founder, Tom Lasater. Lasater argued that farmers should select only for six essential profit-generating traits: disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, milk production, and hardiness. “The reason for our success is that we don’t select for nonprofitable traits,” says Coetzee. HIGH FERTILITY AND SMALL,…

16 TO 18 OCTOBER Livestock Farming Conference THE THEME FOR THE ALDAM STOCKMAN SCHOOL’S 2019 CONFERENCE IS ‘NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR PRECISION LIVESTOCK FARMING’. THE EVENT INCLUDES LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS, AS WELL AS PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND THEORY SESSIONS. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 10 TO 11 SEPTEMBER FoodNext. Africa, Cape Town International Convention Centre.Visit foodnextlive.com. 17 TO 19 SEPTEMBER Urban Agri World, Durban International Convention Centre. Email enquiry@magenta-global. com.sg. 19 SEPTEMBER The Future of the Agriculure Industry in the New Digital Age, Regenesys Campus, Sandton.Email info@regenesys.co.za. 1 TO 3 OCTOBER Africa Fertilizer Agribusiness Conference, Cape Town International Convention Centre.Visit events.crugroup.com/ eastafrica/home. 8 TO 10 OCTOBER The Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa Conference, Bloemfontein. Email aeasa2019@ufs.ac.za. COURSES & TRAINING 13 SEPTEMBER Cattle: Calf Rearing, Muldersdrift. Visit rltsafrica.com/product/calf-rearing. 20 SEPTEMBER Cattle: Calf…

We continue to witness interventionist policy approaches in Africa’s agricultural markets. A few weeks ago, it was the Zimbabwean government banning farmers from selling maize to any entity or buyer except the state-owned Grain Marketing Board. Now, it is Zambian authorities capping maize prices. On 25 August, we learned that the Zambian government had placed a price cap of $199/t (about R3 023/t) on maize, and justified its actions by noting its concerns about rising maize prices, which could disadvantage many poor Zambian households. PLACING A CAP ON COMMODITY PRICES DRIVES AWAY INVESTMENT The maize prices have increased notably over the past couple of months due to a 16% year-on-year decline in Zambia’s 2019 maize production to about two million tons, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture…

Unrelenting pressure on the profitability of its chicken and sugar business units has motivated RCL Foods (RCL) to increasingly harness innovation to diversify income streams from the group’s chicken and sugar production. This was according to Rob Field, RCL’s chief financial officer, who told Farmer’s Weekly that the company was continuing its efforts to reduce dependence on unreliable and increasingly expensive Eskom-supplied electricity. The group was now investing in facilities capable of biodigesting organic waste from its poultry operations into combustible gas to generate steam for electricity production. He said that RCL was already using renewable methods to produce 30% of its total electricity requirement and that this was set to increase once its R300-million chicken litter biodigester near Rustenburg in North West came online in November. “Our sugar mills…

It is estimated that approximately R43 billion will be needed for the remediation and rehabilitation of water systems due to the impact of mining across South Africa, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation. This was according to Janse Rabie, the head of natural resources at Agri SA, who spoke to Farmer’s Weekly after the recent Agri SA Water Symposium, where the problem of water scarcity facing South Africa and the impact of the mining sector on agricultural land were among the topics under discussion. Rabie said that although the association was well aware of the economic importance of the mining industry for the country, “we are, however, highly concerned about the proliferation of untoward mining in the country, particularly in the Mpumalanga area, where the significantly harmful effects…

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is set to launch an investigation into possible price manipulation, collusion or other unfair practices with regard to the large gap between the prices being paid for cattle and the consumer price of beef. This followed a decline in cattle prices after a fire broke out at the Tyson Foods abattoir in Holcomb, Kansas, resulting in the company, a key buyer of cattle, drastically reducing purchases. Farmers expressed concern that other large meat-packing companies would take advantage of the situation by dropping the prices they were offering for cattle. In the meantime, beef prices increased amid concerns from restaurants, food service companies and grocery chains about a beef shortage. “It’s a disruption that you weren’t expecting by any means,” said Bill Lapp, president of…

A slightly improved outlook for South Africa’s winter and summer crops was evident in the seventh production forecast for 2019, recently released by the Crop Estimates Committee (CEC). For summer field crops, the committee set the forecast for the commercial maize crop at just over 11 million tons, which was 37 800t more than the previous forecast. An estimated 2,3 million hectares had been planted to maize and a yield of 4,79t/ha was expected. The estimated maize crop was 12% smaller than the 2018 crop, with the three main maize-producing areas, namely the Free State, Mpumalanga and North West, expected to produce 80% of the current season’s crop. The outlook for white maize remained unchanged at almost 5,6 million tons, while the yellow maize harvest was expected to be 37…

Bonsmara SA has welcomed a decision by the North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development to donate 10 Bonsmara bulls to farmers in an effort to increase the standard and economic sustainability of beef production in the province. Hennie Coetzee, Bonsmara SA president, said it had been a wise decision due to the breed’s exceptional adaptability, hardiness and growth. “The Bonsmara is a truly South African breed that excels in extensive farming conditions. It’s also ideally suited to crossbreeding because of its hybrid vigour. These bulls will markedly increase the standard of beef production of communal, new and commercial farmers,” Coetzee said. MEC Desbo Mohono handed over the bulls at an event at the Armoedsvlakte Livestock Breeding Farm near Vryburg recently. She said this had been done to…

Now in its third year, the annual Mpumalanga Show, held in Mbombela, continues in its efforts to enhance economic opportunities for the central industries within the province, most notably agriculture, tourism, wildlife, forestry and mining. This was according to Hanlie Lombard, marketing manager of the Mpumalanga Show, who said that the show aimed to educate the public and stimulate job creation and skills development by creating networking opportunities and first-hand experience of these sectors. Speaking at the show, Deputy President David Mabuza said government would continue to support farmers because agriculture was a pivotal part of South Africa’s economy. “As we embark on the land reform programme, which has gained traction with the resolution of Parliament to amend Section 25 of the Constitution to allow for expropriation of land without…

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently released a report that provides a detailed look at the effect of climate change on sustainable land management and food security. It concludes that a substantial transformation in the way we use land is needed to limit climate change. The report has been misinterpreted by some media sources, which claim that the panel has asked for people to change from animal- to plant-based foods. The IPCC does not promote a plant-based diet at all. In fact, there are no dietary recommendations in the report. The panel’s report reviewed in detail current scientific literature for land use and the role of plant-based and animal-sourced foods. The report addresses various factors that may influence climate. Food production is one of these, but not the…

Also known as kankerroos, cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) has become an invasive species worldwide. It invades agricultural lands and can be toxic to livestock, including horses, cattle and sheep. Some domestic animals will avoid eating the plant if other forage is present, but less discriminating animals, such as pigs, will consume the plants, sicken and die. The seedlings and seeds are the most toxic parts of the plant. HOOKED SPINES Cocklebur is a branched, semi-herbaceous, annual plant, growing up to 1,5m high. Adult plants have deep, sturdy taproots. The stems are reddish-brown with red speckles that make them appear coarse. The leaves are cordiform (egg- to heart-shaped) with serrated (saw-toothed) margins. The fruit is up to 2cm long, brown, woody, crowned with two sturdy horns, and covered with hooked spines that…

Dear Tiphatsele, Thank you for the request for a two-bedroom wood-built cottage. As you are in Swaziland and have many pine and gum tree plantations in close proximity, building a home with timber is a wise choice. The timber-constructed home is a Northern Hemisphere technology that has been perfected over thousands of years, so you need a plan with all the essential technology. I can certainly assist you in that regard. The cottage shown here is a classic style, with a 45° dual-pitched roof, which would enable snow to run off European homes. In Swaziland, however, the pitch could be lowered to 30° and the outer walls lifted by 1m, which would allow for more attic area space, or perhaps two bedrooms and a shower room. Kind regards, Jonno Jonno…

A SHORT HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA by Gail Nattrass (Jonathan Ball, R250) Now available in paperback, Nattrass’s 2017 overview of South Africa’s history, from its early human occupants to today, remains an excellent starting point for anyone wanting a serious, but readable, account rather than simply sinking shafts to find out more about a particular event or person. Now retired, Nattrass lectured history at the University of the Witwatersrand, polishing her delivery of nuggets of knowledge and sweeping contextual views. She’s well practised at keeping students engaged and ready to argue the toss in their essays and exams. This translates into a concise and often punchy read that summarises our history in about 250 pages without sacrificing too much nuance, which is a great achievement. ZEPHANY…