Table of contents for 21 July 2023 in Farmer's Weekly

The Proudly South African Local Wine Expo is back, giving you the opportunity to indulge in the finest flavours that South Africa's thriving wine industry has to offer. Set to take place from Thursday, 13 July to Saturday, 15 July 2023, this immersive event promises an unforgettable experience for all wine lovers. The Local Wine Expo will be hosted at the Prison Break Market in Lonehill, Johannesburg, and will bring together approximately 30 South African wine brands under one roof, making it a must-attend event for those seeking to savour the rich diversity of South African wines. There will be a wide range of varietals and styles on display, and attendees can expect to discover new favourites and engage with passionate winemakers and industry experts. ‘BY SUPPORTING LOCAL WINE BRANDS,…

‘WE ENCOURAGE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGRICULTURE [SECTOR]’ Super Zuma, MEC for agriculture in KwaZuluNatal, at a recent Youth in Agriculture event held in Mandeni on the North Coast (pg 18). 'This has been the best planting, germination and soil moisture year we've experienced on our farm since 2000' Andries Theron, a farmer near Moorreesburg in the Swartland, on the benefits of the recent heavy rainfall in the Western Cape (pg 16). 'Supermarkets have pushed prices below the cost of production to maintain customers' Michael Hoey, managing director of Country Crest Farms in Ireland, on the impact high input costs are having on the global agricultural economy (pg 20). 'South Africa punches above its weight, economically speaking, in comparison with the other countries […]'…

Ceres Fruit Growers (CFG) is celebrating 100 years in business. The company, which owns 50% of Tru-Cape, handles about 135 000t a year of fresh apples and pears of shareholders and nonshareholders, representing roughly eight million packed cartons for the local and export markets. Its products are marketed in about 105 countries, including some of the most important markets and supermarkets in the UK, Far East, Middle East, Asia, North America, Africa and the domestic markets. Christo Janse van Rensburg, the human resources manager of CFG, ascribed the company's success over the past century to its excellent staff, loyal suppliers and clients, as well as “world-class” producers. “Our producers are allowing us to be internationally competitive, thanks to the use of new cultivars, and innovative and adaptable farming practices,” he…

The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Cotton and Wool Outlook 2023 showed a steady increase in global trade. The projection in the report indicated an increase of up to 43 million bales, the second-highest total since 2012/13. Cotton prices were also expected to decline from last year's relatively high prices. The report stated that the leading global cotton importers included China, Bangladesh and Vietnam. According to the report, the US was forecast to remain the world's leading cotton exporter. However, other countries that produced cotton were also expected to have larger supplies to compete on the global market compared with the previous year. “Lower cotton prices and declining yarn inventories around the world are expected to boost US cotton mill use as the US remains a major exporter of yarn…

FAST FACTS Diversification can add additional income to a farm. Chosen commodities should complement one other. Caution must be taken not to spread yourself too thin. There is a saying that perfectly sums up the caution one should take before starting a new business: “Just because there is a gap in the market does not mean there is a market in the gap.” The same rings true for the myriad options that farmers can exploit to fully utilise their land and expand operations: just because you can, does not mean you should. Diversification can, however, be a gold mine when approached correctly, and prevent seasonal lulls in income. “Diversification is about getting the bounce factor – being able to spread risk and ensure there are different income streams should policy…

FAST FACTS Grain producers should reconsider their maize marketing approaches and steer away from suboptimal strategies. Producers need to decide when the optimal timing is to market their grain. Several marketing strategies have been proposed to assist producers in their decision-making process. Grain marketing can be complicated, as producers need to address two critical questions before a final marketing decision can be made: when is the optimal timing to market their grain, and how much of the expected harvest should be allocated to each marketing activity? Several grain marketing strategies have been proposed to assist producers in their decision-making process. One common strategy is to follow a routine that involves marketing the expected crop in three segments, evenly spaced throughout the production season and consistently at the same time each…

Stooling rye (Secale cereale) is a tufted annual grass species that can grow as tall as 1,5m. Rye's extensive, fibrous root system may go as deep as 1,5m. The plant can be used for pasture, hay or silage, and as a cover crop during winter. Of all the cereal crops, stooling rye is the tallest and the hardiest annual species, say Dr Wayne Truter et al in their article on stooling rye for Grain SA. Stooling rye grows best at temperatures ranging from 15°C to 20°C. It grows well in regions with 600mm to 1 000mm annual rainfall, and can tolerate dry conditions with an annual rainfall as low as 400mm. Rye prefers well-prepared, fertile, well-drained sandy or loamy soils, with a soil pH ranging from 5,6 to 6,5. Because…

One-horned creatures are found in myths around the world. Although unicorns in different cultures have little to do with one another, they have multiple associations in European thought. For example, the Roman natural historian, Pliny the Elder, wrote about unicorns in the first century AD. In addition, the unicorn features in both medieval Christian and Celtic beliefs, and is Scotland's national animal. The unicorn's prominence in European culture spread across the globe with colonisation. In Southern Africa, colonial European ideas encountered older indigenous beliefs about onehorned creatures. I've highlighted this in a recent research article about some of the region's rock art. UNICORNS IN AFRICA? In the age of natural science, unicorns were gradually dismissed as mythical rather than biological creatures. But some thought that real animals with single horns…

ACROSS 1. Young trees (8) 5.______mollis is a prickly-leafed plant, also called wild rhubarb, exotic to South Africa (8) 11. Made of clay (7) 12. One from Luanda? (7) 13. Maize, in general (5) 14. Relating to or befitting a newly married woman or one about to be married (6) 15. Fertilise (6) 16. Recently harvested (5) 19. Onion family vegetable with broad, flat leaves and a slim bulb (4) 23. Matured (4) 24. Clothing (7) 25. Bread maker (5) 26. Group of common ancestry (5) 28. A cheese_____is a coarse sausage with cheddar (7) 30. Large tropical or subtropical plant with a crown of fan-shaped leaves (4) 32. Compulsion (4) 35. Abundant meal (5) 38. Short-lived insect of the Ephemera genus, also called mayfly (6) 39. Edible fatty solid…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly. This is an excerpt of a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Read the full report at fao.org/3/cc5343en/cc5343en.pdf. “Globally, the share of both working men and women in agrifood systems declined by almost 10 percentage points between 2005 and 2019. In 2019, 36% of working women globally were employed in agrifood systems, down from 44% in 2005, while 38% of working men were employed in agrifood systems, down from 47%. This reduction was driven by declining employment in primary agricultural production; the share of those working in off-farm segments of agrifood systems remained the same. Declines of women's employment in agrifood systems are evident in all regions apart from…

ARCHIVE 52 YEARS AGO 1911 5 DECEMBER 1971 2023 This article contained points to consider when establishing a new banana plantation. Good results with bananas can be obtained from using various types of planting material, provided such material is healthy, correctly treated and taken from vigorous and wellcared-for plantations. When establishing a new banana plantation, use planting material of more or less the same size to ensure uniform growth. Each plant will then derive maximum benefit from sunlight. The types of planting material used in South Africa range from small, so-called spear-point suckers, large suckers and 'bits', to corms. Suckers: Two types of suckers can be found on a banana plant: sword suckers and water suckers. A sword sucker has narrow leaves with a broad stem base; it has a strong…

Livestock theft in the Free State is allegedly so out of control that farmers have been left with no choice but to establish their own private livestock theft investigation initiative, Free State Agriculture (FSA) recently announced during a media conference. The organisation made R1 million available for the establishment of such an initiative. According to Francois Wilken, FSA president, Free State livestock producers suffered heavy financial losses every year as a result of organised livestock theft. The situation was exacerbated by the limited ability and capacity of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to combat crime in the province. “The fact that the SAPS Livestock Theft Units suffer from of a lack of manpower, vehicles and equipment is a major concern,” Wilken said. “The damage caused by the criminals amounts…

A new European law that imposes the first-ever carbon border tax in the world comes into force in October 2023. It will be applied gradually over the next three years before it is fully implemented. A carbon tax is a type of levy imposed on greenhouse gas emissions. It is meant to encourage companies to adopt clean methods of production. But firms could get around the tax by moving production units outside of the EU to countries with less strict terms, such as those in Africa, and then exporting products back to the EU. That's why the EU has come up with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). It currently costs firms operating in the EU around R1 600 to emit 1t of carbon dioxide. Under the new system, importers…

NATIONAL BRAUNVIEH CHAMPIONS NATIONAL HEREFORD CHAMPIONS FREE STATE RED ANGUS CHAMPS FREE STATE BLACK ANGUS CHAMPIONS FREE STATE LIMOUSIN CHAMPIONS…

Most cabbage farmers will have experienced damage to their crop from the bagrada bug (Bagrada hilaris) at one time or another. This manifests in light, irregular blotches towards the leaf margins. Severe infestations result in stunted plants, yellowed leaves with a rough texture, and death of the growing point. This causes the plant to produce multiple growing points, which then form very small and unmarketable heads. B. hilaris particularly favours newly planted seedlings, and inflict the most damage here. It also prefers more pungent plants, which is why plants on the edge of a land, which are often water-stressed, tend to attract the bug in numbers. In addition, once a large plant becomes infected, it becomes stressed and, as a result, more pungent, and hence more attractive. This is why…

The image of horses being galloped across North America's plains by Indigenous Americans and cowboys are integral to the history of the continent. And it is well established that the Spanish conquistadors introduced horses to North America in the early 16th century. Not everyone appreciates, however, that this was a reintroduction after a vast expanse of time: research into archaeological horse remains that integrate genomic, isotopic radiocarbon and paleopathological findings have shown that the ancestors of the genus Equus actually evolved in North America. Some of these prehistoric horses migrated to Eurasia across the ancient Bering Land Bridge, while the rest became extinct by the late Pleistocene Age. In a strange reversal, all modern horse breeds, including today's wild horse herds in the US, can be traced back to the…

BULL tractor-loader-backhoes (TLBs) and skid-steer loaders will now be readily available throughout Southern Africa, thanks to a recently announced Babcock and BULL partnership. These products will complement Babcock's existing construction equipment portfolio. BULL is a leading international construction equipment brand based in India. It has a well-established global footprint and two state-ofthe-art manufacturing plants. David Vaughan, managing director of Babcock's equipment business, says that Babcock has sold and maintained various brands of TLBs in Southern Africa for more than 20 years. “Our after-sales service and approachability set us apart from our competitors. Our door is always open, and BULL'S customer-centric, solution-driven ethos makes [us] an ideal fit,” says Vaughan. TECHNICAL SUPPORT Babcock will provide technical support to all new and existing BULL customers in Southern Africa, with product manager Mark…

Hillbilly Homes LIFESTYLE Dear Jonno, It's our turn to ask for your design help. We are moving home to the West Coast and have found a beautiful coastal site there. This will be our retirement home, and as Marie says: “Let's get it right!” We would like the home to be spacious enough for visiting family and friends, as the West Coast has a reputation for hospitality, and we love to have visitors. The living area must be big enough for our furniture, and the main bedroom must have a decent-sized bathroom. The other two bedrooms can have a shared bathroom. The living area should have a large veranda up front where a braai and seating can be arranged. We would like the style of the house to be traditional,…

FARMER'S DIARY Birding in the Bush is ideal for people considering birding. This course is also great for experienced birders who wish to sharpen their knowledge and get more wilderness exposure in a popular birding hotspot. Email Eco Training at enquiries@ecotraining.co.za, or phone 013 752 2532. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND EXPOS 24 TO 26 JULY Agro-Processing Africa Hybrid Conference, CSIR Centre, Pretoria. Email Rozayne Malyo at rozayne@think-green.co.za. 26 TO 28 JULY Carbon Neutral Farming, Soil Conservation & New Technologies Conference, Holiday Inn Hotel, Sandton. Email Cindy Dlamini at cindy@mathema.co.za. 28 TO 30 JULY Cannabis Expo, The Globe Suncoast, Durban. Email info@TheCannabisExpo.co.za. COURSES AND TRAINING 17 TO 21 JULY Introductory Course to Small-stock Production, Irene, Pretoria. Email Mokela Mothabela at mothabelam@arc.agric.za, or phone 012 672 9402. 22 JULY Beehive Removal Course, Pretoria.…

In an effort to bridge the gap between ageing farmers and young farmers in KwaZulu-Natal's (KZN) agriculture sector, a Youth in Agriculture event was held recently in Mandeni on the North Coast. As part of the effort, which is associated with the KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's programme for Youth Month (June), MEC Super Zuma visited two youth-owned projects in Inchanga, near Durban, and Mandeni. During the visits, the minister embarked on a tour of the 1000 Hills Community Helpers Garden Project, a 100% black youth-owned initiative. The project plays a meaningful role in poverty alleviation, food security and nutrition by providing approximately 1 200 meals a day to the surrounding community of Inchanga through its feeding scheme. Zuma then attended the launch of Lunginhlahla Project in Ward…

Developing countries are bemoaning the heavy burden of reaching climate goals as pressure mounts in the lead-up to the next Conference of the Parties (COP28) that will be held in Dubai in December. During COP26 in 2021, developed nations pledged to provide an annual amount of US$100 billion (nearly R2 billion) to developing nations to assist them in reaching climate goals. The money has yet to change hands, however. In response to calls for the world to meet carbon emission reduction goals ahead of COP28, the president of the African Development Bank Group (AFDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said that Africa was being shortchanged in climate financing. In a press release issued after the AFDB annual general meeting held in Egypt in May, Adesina projected that Africa would need around US$2,7…

absa On 19 June, Agbiz released its Agribusiness Confidence Index, which showed that sentiment in the sector remained negative (below 50 points, which is neutral). This was after a notable deterioration in the first quarter (see graph below). These sentiments were underpinned by intensified geopolitical tensions, load-shedding, rising interest rates, deteriorating infrastructure and issues with municipal service delivery. Although many of these problems are structural and will take time to resolve, there have been improvements in certain macroeconomic variables and other metrics that could improve sentiment in the sector during the second half of 2023. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY In April, Eskom released its Electricity Generation Adequacy report, which included a projection of load-shedding levels for the remainder of 2023. It warned that load-shedding during winter could intensify (beyond…

FAST FACTS The South African Hugenoot beef cattle breed is known for outstanding disease resistance, hardiness and growth. Three of Henk and Gerda van Rensburg's cows have received platinum awards in the Landbouweekblad/ SA Studbook National Elite Competition's beef cow class. Van Rensburg says the hardy Hugenoot meets all the requirements for a sustainable and profitable beef production herd. The Hugenoot beef cattle breed was developed by South Africans for South Africa's taxing extensive farming conditions. It is an economically functional and efficient breed that ensures sustainable and profitable beef production, according to Henk van Rensburg, who runs an award-winning stud with his wife Gerda in the Soutpansberg area of Limpopo. Their farming concern also includes commercial beef cattle and a feedlot. Maize and potatoes are produced under irrigation for…

Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a soil. A high pH has less acid than a low pH (the higher the better). A pH of 5,5 or higher for topsoil, and 4,8 for the subsoil, is desirable for most crops, says farmer and mentor Raymond Boardman in his article on liming soil at grainsa.co.za. Soil pH is considered a key variable in soils, as it affects many chemical processes, specifically plant nutrient availability. Over time, the application of chemical fertilisers, together with the extraction of various soil nutrients by the plant, causes the acidity to rise. Boardman gives the following example. Nitrogen is converted to nitrates and hydrogen ions in the soil. When the plant roots are unable to extract the nitrates as a result…

From historical evidence, it seems that guests have been a tradition at 161 Dorp Street for no less than three centuries! The first owner of today's Eendracht Hotel property was a French woman named Sara Couchet, and furniture, crockery and stemware from her estate sale in 1714 suggested that she offered meals and lodging. Subsequent years saw many additions and changes made. Then, in 1890, the place was essentially rebuilt as an elegant, double-storey student boarding house, a role it served for the next 70 years before it was demolished. The Lutz family acquired the property in 1996 and conducted extensive research to establish what the original boarding house looked like. They then worked with the Simon van der Stel Foundation and Stellenbosch Aesthetics Committee to plan its reconstruction, which…

MAKES 15 ROLLS 2 apples 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary 1 red onion 2 Tbsp butter 1 roll of fresh puff pastry (270g) or fresh pizza dough 150g grated Cheddar • Finely chop the onion. Remove the needles from the sprigs of rosemary and chop them finely. • Chop the apples into very small 0,5cm pieces. • Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the onion for three minutes. Add the apple and rosemary, and cook for a few more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and arrange on a plate. Leave to cool for 30 minutes. • Arrange the baking paper on a work surface and roll out the pastry. • Top with the apple mixture and sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese. Roll the puff pastry…

LIFESTYLE The Hitching Post I am looking for an active guy in his late 60s or 70s with a sense of humour. He must be kind and an animal lover. Are you tired of not having a significant other to chat with, and spending winter nights on your own? Well, I am! I'm a widow and live in Cape Town, so hopefully will hear from somebody close. LONELY GIRL I am looking for a single white guy who is at least 55 years old and has lost a child, so that he can understand me. He must be a practising Christian, a non-smoker and a non-drinker. SOLE SURVIVOR I am a 56-year-old Caucasian lady with brown eyes and short brown hair. I am petite, exercise regularly, a non-smoker, and not…

AUCTIONS TO PLACE AN UPCOMING AUCTION EVENT in the Classifieds Auctions section, contact René Moonsamy on 010 971 3771 or at renea@caxton.co.za, or Natasha Kock on 010 971 3770 or at natashakock@caxton.co.za. TO LIST AUCTION RESULTS in this section, email Janine Ryan at janiner@caxton.co.za. Market Report KwaZulu-Natal Yearling Sale 2023 HIGHEST: (COLT) R750 000 Durban – The KwaZulu-Natal Yearling Sale 2023 was held at the Suncoast Casino on 29 June. The highest price of the day was paid for an unnamed colt by Vercingetorix out of Allex Afrique, which was sold by Boland Stud to Brett Crawford for R750 000. The second-highest price was paid for the colt Captainship by Captain of All out of Clear Sailing, which was sold by Cheveley Stud to Scott Gaskell for R675 000. The…