Table of contents for 20-27 December 2019 in Farmer's Weekly

We have come to the end of a year, as well as the end of a decade, that seems to have tested South African farmers unlike any other. Incidentally, this is also my 10th year as a full-time employee at Farmer’s Weekly. As the team looked back at the past decade to compile the various reviews for this edition, I also had the chance to reflect on some of the lessons I have learnt about agriculture since I wrote my very first article, which was about dam levels in the Western Cape. In many ways, the past 10 years, and everything I have learnt about agriculture, have changed my life and the way in which I look at the world around me. When I go to the supermarket and see…

While those who have left us cannot be replaced, Farmer’s Weekly will continue to provide its readers with important information about the agriculture industry, as well as some light-hearted entertainment in its Lifestyle section. In this regard, Farmer’s Weekly has introduced the ‘Sweet & Savoury’ section, which provides readers with recipes for delicious first-course meals, sides, salads and desserts. On the back page, the team introduced its ‘3 Minutes With...’ section, which offers readers a bit of ‘inside’ information about major role players in the industry, such as Justin Chadwick and Wandile Sihlobo. We have also continued our ‘Machinery & Implements’ section, with contributions from various stakeholders in the sector, such as Stehan Cloete.…

Some care and support for drought-stricken farmers’ wives South Africa has been gripped by a devastating drought for a number of years now, and the frightening impact on the farming community has resulted, in extreme cases, in farmers committing suicide, large-scale deaths of livestock and game, and millions of hectares left without any grazing. Farmer’s Weekly regularly reported on the disaster during the past year, as did other South African news media, creating a countrywide understanding of the challenges the agriculture sector faces. This appreciation was underscored by the overwhelming reaction to the Cape Women’s Agricultural Association’s (CWAA) ‘Care for a Farmer’s Wife’ project. What started as a local initiative by the CWAA Wellington branch blossomed into a countrywide project to show support for all women in drought-stricken areas. These…

A salient challenge of late is to attract fresh talent to the industry, which often poses the question: “How can we make agriculture sexy?” However, there are many misconceptions about working in agriculture that deter young talent from entering the industry. They are often discouraged by the notion of agriculture being an unattractive profession that entails back-breaking physical work, coupled with a low economic pay-off, and little room for career advancement. During the course of 2019, we saw various examples of how this perception is being turned on its head. Elsenburg Agricultural College deserves credit for its Drone Awareness Day, hosted in July. The event was a resounding success that sparked a lot of interest among the scores of young people who attended. It not only provided exposure to global…

JANUARY SUMMER GRAIN WOES The 2018/2019 summer grain season was described as potentially worse than the conditions experienced during the 2015/2016 drought. Jannie de Villiers, Grain SA CEO, warned that the optimum planting window for the western production region had passed with hardly any soya bean or maize having been planted. SMALLER STONE FRUIT HARVEST Wiehahn Victor, CEO of the Canning Fruit Producers’ Association, predicted a smaller than expected overall stone fruit harvest, as trees were still under stress due to the drought in the Western Cape over the previous three years. The smaller harvest had also negatively affected factory operations and thus farmers’ finances. 33% DECLINE IN FARM ATTACKS TAU SA was critised for announcing that there had been a 33% decline in farm attacks during 2018. According to…

Adverse weather conditions during crucial phases of cherry production led to significantly smaller cherry volumes for Western Cape producers this year. This was according to Derick van Zyl, member of the South African Cherry Growers’ Association’s executive committee. “This year’s season has been disappointing. Initial expectations were high, especially since we had such a good flowering period,” he said. Van Zyl explained that the temperatures during fertilisation were not optimal, and winter arrived late in the Koue Bokkeveld. “Although the Koue Bokkeveld had good cold units throughout winter, it came too late to break the winter dormancy of cherries.” Van Zyl said it seemed as if this year’s crop could be about 70% down on that of last year. He pointed out that despite the lower volumes, the quality and…

The UN is doubling its food programme in Zimbabwe to prevent large-scale hunger and food shortages in that country. A recent report by the UN’s World Food Programme said it was procuring food to provide aid to 4,1 million Zimbabweans. According to the report, food shortages were being exacerbated by runaway inflation and drought. Fears were expressed that the situation could develop into a major crisis if the hunger-stricken population did not receive some kind of support. The 240 000t of food aid would be procured on international markets. The agency aimed to purchase maize from Tanzania and Mexico, as well as pulses from Kenya and potentially the Black Sea region. The report said Zimbabwe had only experienced one year of normal rainfall in the past five years. Markets were…

Despite tough economic conditions during the past year, Kaap Agri has announced a 6% increase in recurring headline earnings per share for the company’s financial year ended September 2019. The earnings per share increased to 375,19c and resulted in a five-year compound annual growth rate of 10,9%. Sean Walsh, CEO of Kaap Agri, said the growth was attributed to the company’s diversification strategy, with revenue increasing 29,1% to R8,5 billion, up from R6,5 billion in 2018. Capital expenditure of just over R346 million was incurred during the year, with just over R195 million spent on expansion, R44,7 million on replacement assets, and about R106 million on new site acquisition deposits. In addition, R50,8 million was incurred for the acquisition of businesses. Wesgraan, specialising in grain handling, storage and grain-related products,…

In my previous article (see FW, 6 December), we had a look at South Africa’s balance of payments (the country’s cash flow statement). We saw that the economy is able to balance the excess of imports over exports with an inflow of direct and portfolio investments. This week, I shall focus on South Africa’s budget (the country’s income and expenditure statement). Here we see a picture of an ailing government. Government’s income and expenses for 2018 are shown in Table 1. Tax income provides 95% of government income. Income and sales tax together equal more than 25% of GDP. Interest payment equals 3,9% of GDP. In 2018, the government had a shortage of R190,6 billion, or simply put, it made a loss of R190,6 billion. Government’s payroll, social grants and…

Land reform has the potential to breathe new life into the economy, especially in rural areas, by reducing unemployment and giving previously disadvantaged farmers the opportunity to become commercial farmers. In addition, it has the capacity to reduce social unrest by lessening the historic and persistent gap between white and black land ownership. In spite of much talk about its importance since the 30% redistribution target was set in 1996, land reform has never been a political priority. Instead, it has been shrouded in controversy, with hundreds of millions of rand being wasted on failed projects due to a variety of reasons, ranging from government ineptitude to a shortage of skills and lack of business and financial support. Even the number of hectares that have been transferred is uncertain. Government…

As a fresh produce marketing professional, I obviously write from a marketing perspective. However, I appreciate that all aspects of agriculture have come under the sustainability spotlight. For a fresh produce farmer, this means not only using water wisely and taking care of the soil, but relooking at how fruit and vegetables are transported, packed and promoted. In short, the ‘good old days’ of loading a truck and sending it to market are gone. We live in a world challenged by climate change, pollution, intense consumer focus, environmental woes and more. We can no longer live in the past. When preparing fresh produce for marketing, certain activities have to be undertaken. Take the first step, for example: cleaning the produce properly. Sustainability requires that, to be fit for human consumption,…

People who take a cold shower daily say the practice alleviates depression and ‘resets’ their mood, almost shocking their system into a new mindset. They are left feeling more optimistic and resilient. If this is the case, there could hardly be a cheaper, quicker or healthier way to reduce depression. Of course, committing yourself to a daily cold shower, especially in winter, requires considerable willpower, but there are a few tricks to make the experience a bit more bearable. One is to start off with warm water and slowly reduce the temperature. You could then force yourself to tolerate the cold water for one minute on the first day, and gradually increase this to five minutes or more. You could also finish off with a short, warm blast, if you…

The Equestrian app is all you need as a horse owner to be able to care for and enjoy your equine companion. After downloading the app, register using an email address and create a password. The app is highly comprehensive and enables you to keep track of stall management, boarding needs, leasing rules, vet examinations, farrier visits, training plans and more. You can also record your equestrian activities in a journal. The app’s webpage sums it up: “The Equestrian app enables people to connect with the individuals who are involved in the care and enjoyment of their horses. It’s about tracking your horse’s activities and care; connecting them to your equine service providers.” CREATING A COMMUNITY Start by uploading a profile picture and a photograph and profile for your horse/s.…

FROM LEFT: FRONT: Melanie Olivier and Vian Roos. SITTING: Prenusha Moodley, Janine Ryan, Renè Moonsamy, and Fanie de Villiers. FIRST ROW: Julinda Schroeder, Yvonne Fontyn, Siyanda Sishuba, Denene Erasmus, Francis Germishuys, Sindira Chetty, and Natasha Kock. BACK ROW: Andy Nxumalo, Velile Ncube, Pieter Dempsey, Paul Sulter, Louis Kruger, and Reinhard Lotz. NOT PICTURED: Annelie Coleman, Sabrina Dean, Lloyd Phillips, Jeandré van der Walt, Francois Jansen van Rensburg, and Chadré Oosthuizen.…

A FIRST OF HER KIND Denene Erasmus, Farmer’s Weekly editor, received the inaugural International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) and Alltech international Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism. This award recognises excellence and leadership by young journalists across the globe, and is an outstanding achievement. Erasmus was announced the winner of the award during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference in Lexington Kentucky, in the US. Owen Roberts, president of the IFAJ, described the award as an indication of Alltech’s understanding of agricultural journalists’ role in knowledge sharing. “Producers look to agricultural journalists for balanced, evidence-based information that can help them be profitable, knowledgeable and sustainable,” he said. Erasmus has been an agricultural journalist since 2009, and has won numerous international and national awards for her reporting on the farming and…

The start of every year is filled with new challenges, and a few months into the new year, I joined the Farmer’s Weekly team and started delving into the fascinating world of agriculture. From the start I met amazing people, saw large parts of the country and heard even better stories, that not only inspired me, but showed the tenacity and persistence of our farmers during the hardest times to ensure food security for the country. One of the highlights, among many this year, was when I had the opportunity to visit various farmers in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. On this media tour, which was also accompanied by several agricultural role players, we spent three days driving through the remote rural areas to visit groups…

The South African agriculture sector is facing many challenges, such as policy uncertainty in terms of land reform, safety and security, and the impact of climate change, according to leaders in the industry who have been quoted in various reports during the year. Part of the solution to these challenges is the formation of partnerships, which will bring together the required investments and innovative ideas to do things differently by working collectively instead of in silos. The sector is seeing more partnerships being formed between the private and public sectors, as well as between developing smallholder farmers and commercial farmers. At several conferences that I attended this year, concerns were raised about trust and accountability to ensure that the goals and targets for these partnerships are achieved, especially where government…

The Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu, recently launched the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan, which outlines the strategy the department will use to ensure South Africa’s water security. ‘WE ARE FACED WITH A BACKLOG OF CHALLENGES’ The country was currently faced with several water constraints, she said, with some of the most pressing issues being the length of time it took to issue water-use licences, as well as basic access to water. According to Sisulu, there were still more than three million people in South Africa who did not have basic access to water supply services, while only 64% had access to reliable water supply. “We are faced with a backlog of challenges we need to address urgently if we are to achieve water security…

Indications are that the increasing incidences of grain seed and fertiliser theft in the Free State are being committed by well-organised crime syndicates, according to Dr Jane Buys, Free State Agriculture’s safety and risk analyst. Thousands of rand worth of products had been stolen from storage facilities on farms in the province since the start of the 2019/2020 production season in October, she said, and called on producers to make sure that sheds and packhouses were adequately secured. According to Buys, large quantities of seed had been stolen from farms near Bothaville, Ventersburg and Marquard. “In one case, thieves walked away with 360 bags of maize seed and 80 bags of fertiliser after workers were [accosted] and tied up. For safety reasons, we do not want to divulge more information…

One of the most important policies in farming is to be proactive. This means preventing a problem from occurring rather than trying to fix it afterwards. Many farmers are aware of the dangers of ticks and the often-lethal diseases, such as redwater and heartwater, that they cause, and try to control them through dips. However, at certain times of the year, tick numbers increase dramatically, and it is best to prepare in advance for these periods. Lice may not be as directly lethal as ticks and are often overlooked. Don’t make this mistake. Lice can be immensely irritable to livestock such as goats and cattle. So much so, that animals can go off feed or have allergic reactions. Nutritional problems, in turn, can affect immunity, enabling opportunistic diseases to strike.…

The Donkerhoek Farming Project (DFP) follows the same production practices as Prinsloo does in his commercial and stud breeding operation, Heuningkrans Merinos. The area receives an average annual rainfall of between 450mm and 500mm, and consists of veld grasses mixed with Karoo shrubs. Winter and summer grazing are divided into camps, and small sections of arable land are planted to crops such as oats, wheat and lucerne, both dryland and irrigated. “Ewes lamb on planted grazing and remain there for about two months,” says Prinsloo. They are expected to lamb once a year, mostly in August or September. All are scanned for pregnancy and those with twins or triplets are prioritised. The members aim for a lambing percentage of 120% on both stud and commercial ewes. Breeding of commercial ewes…

Three species of Conyza spp can be a problem in South Africa: Conyza bonariensis (flax-leaf fleabane); C. canadensis (horseweed fleabane); and C. sumatrensis (tall fleabane). Flax-leaf fleabane can grow up to 1,2m tall and has side branches longer than the main stem. The leaf margins are sharply toothed, and both leaf surfaces are dull green and hairy. The flowers are white and occur in narrow, terminal plumes on the main stem and side branches. Horseweed fleabane is shorter than the other Conyza species. Like them, it has white flowers, but these are smaller, and the stems branch only at the top of the plant. The leaves are finely toothed, yellowish green and less hairy. Tall fleabane can grow more than 2m high and its side branches are shorter than the…

Dear Jonno, We hope you can design a home with character for us. We are selling our home in Port Alfred, and have bought a 2ha stand in the countryside not far away. I’ve drawn a rough sketch of the three-bedroom house we require, to suit the sun and views. Importantly, we need an outside living area, where we can enjoy the natural surroundings, with a plunge pool to cool off on hot summer days, and, of course, a braai close at hand. The style should be typical of South African country homes, with a corrugated hip roof and a veranda on the north side. Kind regards, Joe and Angela Dear Joe and Angela, Based on your sketch, I’ve improvised here and there to create the functionality you require. It…

1. DISHOOM by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar & Naved Nasir (Bloomsbury, R700) The hefty price tag buys you more than 100 cleverly devised recipes that embrace the melting pot of multicultural Bombay, as well as an enchanting, immersive travelogue that introduces you to the Irani cafes, streetwise bars and genteel clubs that haunt the Bombay-raised authors. Having inherited a family devotion to anecdotes of old-time Bombay, the authors set up the Dishoom restaurant chain in Britain, each with a slightly different Bombay retro theme, from jazz age to rock ’n roll. Their passion for detail results in a book that is a feast of vintage photographs, newspaper cuttings and nostalgia, with mouthwatering food to urge you on. 2. GARDENING FOR THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE by Isabel Lloyd…

The year was 1871. A sickly looking youngster with a bad cough rolled slowly into Colesberg Kopje (soon to be called Kimberley) in a cart drawn by two oxen. He had travelled alone from Umkomaas in Natal, a journey of 650km, to join his brother, Herbert, in prospecting for diamonds. This was to be their second attempt at launching a business venture; their first, farming cotton, had ended in disaster. The youngster’s name was Cecil John Rhodes, and he had been born in 1853, the fifth son of the rector of Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire, England. As a child, he was shy and was inclined to wander the countryside, immersed in his thoughts. Herbert had pegged a mining claim, and the brothers settled down in the heat and dust of…

JOE SPENCER In July, the agricultural machinery and journalism community lost one of its stalwarts, Joe Spencer. Joe died at the age of 86 in his home in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, after months of ill health. Joe joined Farmer’s Weekly in 2002, and quickly became its highly respected and knowledgeable mechanisation editor. He also wrote agricultural mechanisation articles for other local and international publications. Before joining Farmer’s Weekly, he worked for Armstrong Ford, Case IH, and Falcon Equipment. Joe was an important part of Farmer’s Weekly’s objective to provide its readers with useful and practical information, and his contributions are sorely missed. His genuine interest, experience, knowledge and affable personality made him an irreplaceable member of the team, and we miss him every day. ALITA VAN DER WALT Former Farmer’s Weekly…

Even with the many challenges South Africa’s farmers had to contend with during 2019, such as drought and a struggling economy, I increasingly sensed a renewed enthusiasm for the future among those I was privileged to engage with. On more than one occasion during the year, I heard aspiring and existing farmers of different races and scales of production say unequivocally that, with or without government’s support, they planned to forge ahead with their personal plans to make a financially and environmentally sustainable success of their agricultural ventures. Two such hopeful and inspirational farmers were Chloe Clegg and Deon Schröder, both sugar cane farmers in different parts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), who are thinking far beyond their own immediate needs on their respective farms. Their trials and efforts with regenerative agriculture…

As I contemplate the year, livestock farmers are grappling with their second foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Limpopo in a year. At the same time, farmers across many parts of South Africa have been brought to their knees as drought continues to ravage the country. The climate continues to dominate discussions in agriculture, with more and more farmers volunteering their own experiences of how they see the seasons changing from what they knew in the past. Wheat farmers in the Free State no longer receive spring rain, while disease outbreaks seem to be increasing and shifting, with new pests arriving. Our industry needs to start taking note of things such as climate change and climate variability, and the threat of killing bees. That’s right. Our bees are dying, and we need…

TWK Investments yet again achieved a personal-best set of annual financial results for its year-ended 31 August 2019, despite operating in what the company’s CEO, André Myburgh, described as “a very challenging economic environment”. TWK’s timber, retail and mechanisation, financial services, motors and tyres divisions collectively generated R7,8 billion in revenue for the period under review, up 4% on the R7,5 billion figure of the preceding year. TWK’s operating profit increased 30% to R431 million (31 August 2018: R332 million). “Despite a very challenging economic environment, the 2019 financial year reflected an exceptional performance from TWK. The compound annual growth rate [CAGR] in revenue is 10% over the past five years, but more importantly, we have delivered a CAGR in dividends declared of nearly 32% over the same period,” said…

Tongaat Hulett Limited’s (THL) board of directors is considering laying civil and criminal charges against a number of the company’s former top management. This followed a forensic investigation into the company’s financial results, which implicated these former executives in direct or indirect financial mismanagement and financial misrepresentation stretching as far back as 2013. According to a recent statement by THL, the investigation, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services (PwC), found that some former THL management had allegedly wilfully engaged in “undesirable accounting practices”, or failed to maintain the company’s “internal policies, guidelines and frameworks” for legal and ethical financial management. The statement explained that these practices included overstating THL’s financial results, manipulating the dates of land sales transactions, and overvaluing both the company’s sugar cane farming assets and sugar sales. A…

The popularity and profitability of avocados and macadamias have resulted in a double-edged sword, with theft of the produce becoming increasingly rampant. During the past season, the macadamia and avocado industries suffered losses of over R160 million and R24 million respectively. Lizel Pretorius, CEO of Macadamias South Africa, said investigations into theft were ongoing. “It would appear that syndicates are working together, and crime that starts at the farm gate travels all the way up the value chain, aiding a broader crime industry. There is also a further ripple effect as the loss of income impacts job opportunities and government’s tax income.” She noted that since macadamia nuts had a lengthy shelf life, it was easier to store and move the stolen goods at various times. “The circumstances under which…

Most farms are home to humans as well as a variety of animals. Some of these animals might earn their keep by being part of the productive activities on the farm. These animals are reared to ultimately be traded. They are our source of income and are to be insured in terms of a farmer’s normal asset insurance programme. But, when it comes to pets, those animals who may not represent any economic value, but certainly have emotional value, questions around insurance are not as straightforward. Pets in any household are endearing and become such an integral part of the family that any thought of them being lost, dying or having a life-threatening illness, can be quite traumatic. On farms, pets such as dogs are more than just companions, they…

Twenty-five years ago, farmer Redge Jelliman was fed up. He had been paying a fortune for chemical fertiliser, yet it had failed to generate the yields he expected from his crops. Realising the time had come for an alternative, he had his soil analysed in the US, and went on to apply raw livestock manure to his soil instead. In time, he began composting the manure, which significantly improved his soil and yields. FRUSTRATION “I’d become frustrated with fertiliser advisers constantly telling me that applying more chemical fertiliser to my soil would solve my suboptimal crop yield problem,” Jelliman recalls. “At that time, I happened to listen to a presentation by a visiting international soil health expert, who urged me to send my soil samples to Perry Agricultural Laboratory in…

Lucinda Riley’s Seven Sisters series is the blockbuster of our time, each a standalone saga about one of the girls adopted by a mysterious Swiss-based billionaire. Riley is skilled at turning readers into compulsive fans, and they have a treasure trove to dig into this summer with two titles recently issued in paperback, plus a new episode of the saga out. THE STORM SISTER (Pan, R195) tells how world-class yachtswoman Ally meets the love of her life and is about to realise her Olympic dreams when tragedy strikes. She goes instead to Norway, searching for clues to her past. THE SHADOW SISTER (Pan, R195) features Star, who had always felt safest in the shadow of her feisty sister CeCe. But as she grows up, she finds the strength to branch…

If you were given R30 million to invest in agriculture, either in new or existing farming activities or in the agricultural value chain, how would you spend it? I would invest in primary production by expanding our Bonsmara cow-calf operation, and would include our farm manager as active shareholder. What is the best advice you have ever been given, and who gave it to you? The straightforward and simple, but perpetually valuable, advice my parents Herbert and Gretchen Meyer instilled in me from a young age: always be humble! If you were given carte blanche to effect one major change in South Africa tomorrow, how would you use this power? I would launch a major drive to conduct a comprehensive land audit and agricultural census that included all producers and…