Table of contents for 3 November 2023 in Farmer's Weekly

A recent farm survey conducted in Ireland and published in the Irish Veterinary Journal has found that the vast majority of farm veterinarians agree that farmers regularly fail to apply antibiotics correctly, according to Agriland. A total of 114 farm animal veterinarians were surveyed, which according to Agriland, represents 11% of all farm veterinarians in the country. Agriland reported that the average number of years of professional experience of the respondents was 9,7, while more than 60% had around seven years of experience in clinical practice. The survey showed that 30,7% of the respondents “agreed” and a further 57,9% “strongly agreed” that farmers regularly failed to apply antibiotics correctly. In total, 54,4% of respondents “agreed” and 26,3% “strongly agreed” that the possible contribution of veterinary antibiotic use to the development…

South African businesses have been under a huge amount of pressure in 2023. Loadshedding has remained an ever-present spectre each day this year except for one, while inflation has only shown signs of cooling recently with a dip to 6,3% in May after a rapid rise for 13 months straight. The fruit juice industry is no exception to these challenges and has its own industry-specific difficulties. These include a changing regulatory environment around labelling guidelines and the sugar tax, as well as logistical problems. Under these conditions, many fruit juice producers will be looking at new ways to cut costs to ensure the viability of their operations. Packaging and processing are two areas where businesses can consider making smarter decisions to save on costs, while ensuring a high-quality product for…

Elections are often preceded by promises of change, but in our current scenario, the most important changes must come before the elections. Issues such as load-shedding and the decline in rail and port services are top of mind and South Africans are largely fed up with promises that these entities will miraculously fix their challenges and do better. Instead, we need to make some fundamental changes to allow private-sector participants to enter into this space. However, this is a complicated task that involves legislative amendments, new institutions and the state-owned entities to be restructured. Fortunately, the ball is already rolling. Last month, Parliament embarked on public hearings for the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill. Aside from a number of technical amendments, the Bill seeks to establish the Transmission System Operator as…

The game industry is continuing on the road to recovery, with auction prices exceeding those reached before the COVID-19 pandemic. Game farmers have faced multiple challenges over the past few years as the intensified focus on breeding animals with colour variations led to a price crash, and COVID-19 curtailed income from hunting and tourism activities. Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA) recently held its annual charity auction and gala function, where prices for game fetched robust levels, with gemsbok selling for as much as R30 000. The African Wildlife auction held earlier this year in Vaalwater also showed an upward trajectory of prices, where blesbok and impala rams sold for R4 000, with bigger males fetching R5 000. Richard York, CEO of WRSA, said prices were likely to remain at these…

The success of the Just Energy Transition (JET) plan will largely depend on international financial support, Neil Cole, JET investment plan project manager, said during a panel discussion at Windaba 2023 recently held in Cape Town. South Africa forged the Just Energy Transition Partnership with France, Germany, the UK, the EU and US at the 26th Conference of Parties in 2021, during which the group pledged US$8,5 billion (about R160 billion) in grants, concessional and commercial loans, and guarantee instruments over a period of five years to support South Africa's JET. Some of these countries, however, have since withdrawn their support, according to Cole. According to South Africa's JET investment plan, the R160 billion only represents about 12% of the R1,5 trillion required to finance the plan over the five-year…

Pick n Pay has extended its partnership with WWF South Africa as it works to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its group by 2050. According to a WWF statement, the collaboration was initiated in 2006 to restore over-exploited fish stocks and evolved into a longterm, transformative partnership. While initially focused on fisheries improvement projects, the company and WWF SA were now broadening their horizons to address critical issues within the entire food system. This partnership will address Scope 3 emissions and Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) target-setting encompassing Pick n Pay's supply chain, and would also work on developing a strategy to reduce food waste. According to sciencebasedtargets.org, Scope 3 emissions refers to all indirect upstream and downstream emissions that occur in a company's value chain, excluding indirect emissions associated…

FRANCE The French government's Ministry of Agriculture released statistics recently showing that the country's wine production should exceed 45 million hectolitres, which is higher than its 2022 production. This could possibly see France reclaim the top spot of wine production. The International Organisation of Vine and Wine said Italy had been the leading producer of wine in recent years, however the changing weather had affected its grape harvest for the year. It said the wine market had been changing drastically due to climate change. BRAZIL The Brazilian agriculture department announced last month that they had reached an agreement with Algeria to allow the export of chicken to the African country. Brazil's government said the presence of their poultry had been increased in the Muslimmajority halaal markets. Brazil is the largest…

At a recent meeting with the directorgeneral of the agriculture department, Mooketsa Ramasodi, TLU SA highlighted the fact that South Africa's commercial farmers were its biggest asset, said the CEO of the organisation, Bennie van Zyl. “One of the most pressing issues we put on the agenda for the meeting with Mr Ramasodi was that the department's focus also needed to be on South African commercial farmers. These are the men and women who are responsible for food security. Food security is the principal stabilising factor in South Africa at the moment. Commercial farmers, across the spectrum, as the main producers of food, are a national asset and must be supported to continue farming sustainably and profitably,” he told Farmer's Weekly. Van Zyl expressed concerns regarding the implementation of policies…

A 7kg pocket of potatoes costs at least 100% more now than it did a year ago. At most large retailers, a 7kg bag of potatoes costs between R110 and R150, while a 10kg bag will set you back around R180 to R250 depending on the class. In week 38 of 2023, potato prices averaged R10 704/t, an increase of 21% week-on-week, driven by a decline of 27% week-on-week to 13 291t. According to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, potato prices have more than doubled over the past year, showing a 102% increase in price in October 2023. Commenting on the radical increase in prices, Potatoes South Africa said it was important to note that farmers had no control over pricing. Hanrie Greebe, communications manager at Potatoes South Africa,…

The South African livestock industry continues to battle a multitude of challenges, including the impact of avian influenza, veldfires, mounting financial pressure on consumers, and elevated feed costs. These difficulties are evident in the livestock trends, and as a result, prices are anticipated to rise in anticipation of the festive season. BEEF Local beef prices have traded sideways over the past month. Prices remain notably lower year-on-year (y/y), with Class A carcass prices 12,5% lower and Class C prices 8,8% lower. Historic seasonal trends suggest that prices remain firm in the last three months of the year underpinned by increased demand as we approach the festive season. However, consumers remain under pressure on the back of higher fuel and food costs. These opposing forces are causing carcass prices to trade…

The probation period is one of the most misunderstood topics in labour law. Here are four facts to help an employer better understand probation periods: • The aim of the probation period is to assess the employee's performance to see if the employee's performance meets the employer's required standard before confirming the permanent employment of the employee. • An employer may not summarily dismiss an employee during or at the end of the probation period due to poor work performance. The rules regarding probation periods are governed by the Code of Good Practice: Dismissal contained in Schedule 8 of the Labour Relations Act No. 66 of 1995. Accordingly, if an employer notes that an employee's performance is not up to the employer's fixed standards, the employer should then evaluate, instruct,…

Hillbilly Homes LIFESTYLE Dear Jonno, In response to your May articles in Farmer's Weekly, I now need your help. My adjoining farm neighbour and I have decided to combine our property and create a small game farm. For our first camp we would like to create a tented camp with self-catering facilities. These must be five-star level and large enough to have family and friends. We are creating a small dam that the campsite will overlook, and the abundant game on the farm will be attracted to this water source. I have given you my cell number so we can discuss options. Kind regards, Ben Dear Ben, Nice to know that our farmers have the desire to preserve our wildlife heritage. In the sketch herewith is a version of a…

The eighth wool sale of the season was again small with only 5 667 bales on offer, after 802 bales were withdrawn prior to the sale. Around 64% of the Merino wools on offer were certified as sustainable. Difficult trading conditions and an appreciating rand placed downward pressure on the market, according to Cape Wools SA. The mixed length and coarser micron wools suffered the most, and drew limited competition from buyers. An overall sales clearance of 91% was achieved, and despite the challenging conditions, the market still delivered positive results in US dollar terms. The Non-Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) indicator eased 1,7% to close at R150,08/kg, with the RWS indicator dropped 1,2% to close at R165,39/kg. The major buyers were G Modiano SA (1 483 bales), Standard Wool SA…

Dear Prof McCrindle, We farm dairy goats. How is global warming going to affect dairy goats and what can be done to keep them cool this summer? Kind regards, Abel Dear Abel, This is a very good question. Over the past two years we have seen heatwaves in many parts of the world, including South Africa. Recently published work on heat stress in dairy goats mentions that the main effects are the length of time goats spend lying down during the daytime, an increased amount of water consumed per ewe, and decreased feed consumption. Fertility is not affected in any way, but birthweight is reduced. Heat stress during pregnancy can also affect the normal development of the offspring, with long-term effects on weight gain before and after weaning. Heat stress during…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly. Email Nomqhele Dube at info@birguid.co.za, or visit birguid.co.za. South Africa's agriculture sector plays a pivotal role, contributing approximately 3% to the country's GDP and employing an estimated 860 000 people. The country's agricultural landscape encompasses an extensive array of commodities, including major grains, oilseeds, deciduous and subtropical fruits, sugar, citrus, wine and vegetables. In addition, the country's livestock production spans cattle, dairy, hogs, sheep, poultry,and eggs. Despite its importance, the sector faces challenges that include climate change, water scarcity, and market volatility, which combine to impact its productivity. To tackle these obstacles and enhance the overall sustainability, profitability and efficiency of the sector, an increasing number of farmers and agribusinesses are embracing precision agriculture…

I first met Chris Nel when I was appointed as a copy editor at Farmer's Weekly in 2011. Chris, as the technical editor, was the go-to man for all things agricultural, and to me his knowledge of the subject seemed encyclopaedic. But Chris was far more than a bank of knowledge; he was, I soon discovered, a fine agricultural journalist who seemed to know just about everyone in the industry, and on top of that, a superb copy editor who was not afraid to rewrite where required. I felt a kinship with Chris, and it's fair to say that he taught me a great deal not just about agriculture, but how to hone my own copy editing skills, especially when it came to the complexities of the many sciences of…

Food & Trees for Africa recently announced the upcoming EduPlant finals competition, which will recognise and reward the best efforts in nurturing school permaculture food gardens within the EduPlant community. This event not only showcases the achievements of learners, educators, and communities but also inspires others to embark on their own journeys towards a greener, more sustainable future. EduPlant winners, chosen by an expert panel of judges, will be announced shortly. The EduPlant Programme, driven by a consortium of educators, environmentalists and community leaders, seeks to address the pressing global challenges of climate change, food sovereignty and ecological conservation. By placing sustainability at the heart of its educational approach, the programme aims to empower learners and communities to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition. Every two years the EduPlant Programme works…

The annual economic value of water and freshwater ecosystems in the world had been estimated to be US$58 trillion (about R1,1 quadrillion). This is equivalent to 60% of the global GDP. However, the world's freshwater ecosystems are in a downward spiral, posing an ever-growing risk to these values. This is according to a report released on World Food Day by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Asked what the situation in South Africa was, Janse Rabie, Agri SA legal and policy executive officer, said agriculture utilised approximately 60% of available water in the country. Water was an important input-cost driver for food production as well as a determinant for food security generally. “The protection and use of our natural resources require government to manage the resources entrusted to it with…

There is bad news for beer lovers as the taste could deteriorate due to climate change, say a group of scientists from the Czech Academy of Sciences and Cambridge University. The British Beer and Pub Association adds that, in the UK alone, close to nine million pints of beer are consumed annually. The popular drink is made from European hops, the flowers that give the beer its distinct bitter taste. Farmers of hops told the BBC that, with hotter and drier summers, growing the plant and harvesting has become more difficult. One of the scientists who wrote the research paper, Martin Mozny, said that in the study of the effects of climate change on the hops plant, they looked at the change in average yields between 1971 and 1994 as…

Zambia has stepped up in terms of bolstering its agriculture sector to complement its mining sector, which has been the country's economic lifeline for over four decades. Among other priorities set up in the ZK177 billion (about R157 billion) for the 2024 fiscal year, the government plans to develop three farm blocks, Nansanga, Luena and Shikabeta, by improving 300km of roads. According to government, 10 bridges will be built to enhance connectivity on farm blocks in a quest to prioritise agriculture, which has in recent years languished in spite of its potential. A further 200km of power lines will be built to provide the farms with electricity. Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, unveiling the 2024 national budget in Parliament, themed Unlocking Economic Potential, said the development of hi-tech farms would be…

In 1955, in his famous book The Practice of Management, Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, wrote: “A manager does not ‘handle’ people. Instead, a manager motivates, guides and organises them to do their own work, and to do this, he has a specific tool: information.” The ‘information’ Drucker referred to was, of course, ‘words’, the only tool any manager has for doing his or her job. No matter whether it's engineering, accounting, sales, production or any other field, a manager's effectiveness depends entirely on the words and the manner in which they communicate. It sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? Yet, again and again, there's confusion, inefficiency and productivity lost due to poor communication. And while the choice of words is obviously crucial, the non-verbal elements delivered with those…

Directory of producer and commodity organisations FEATURE Organisations & Memberships Farmers can achieve numerous benefits by joining industry or producer organisations, including enhanced bargaining power, access to resources and markets, advocacy, risk management, knowledge sharing, and networking opportunities. These organisations play a crucial role in supporting and advancing the agriculture sector. SOUTH AFRICAN CANE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION The South African Cane Growers’ Association is a non-profit company that was established in 1927. ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATION, ITS VISION AND MISSION INCLUDE: • Fostering profitability in the value chain through the support of diverse production on sugar-cane farms while driving a regulatory framework that is empathetic to the cane growing sector. • Seeking sustainability through innovation, research and development coupled with continuing up-to-date and credible industry economic analysis. • Vigorously driving an ethical…

SERVES 4 30ml (2 Tbsp) olive oil 1 red onion, finely chopped 2 sticks celery, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 large carrot, grated 200g portobellini mushrooms, finely chopped 5ml (1 tsp) dried mixed herbs 5ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika 1 can (440g) lentils, drained 30ml (2 Tbsp) tomato purée 100ml vegetable stock 200g breadcrumbs 150g mixed nuts such as walnuts, pecans and Brazil nuts, roughly chopped 3 large eggs, lightly beaten Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 4 hardboiled eggs, peeled Sweet chilli sauce or chutney to serve (optional) • Preheat the oven to 180°C, before greasing and lining the sides of a loaf pan with baking paper. • Using half the olive oil, sauté the onion, celery, garlic and carrot in a large frying pan until soft;…

Here's a book that will have you cheering the Springbok rugby spirit: Mike Greenaway's The Fireside Springbok (order for R650 including delivery from burbleonline.co.za/p/3232/the-fireside-springbok, or buy from bookshops). Greenaway has been a journalist, mostly a rugby writer, for 30 years and has been on 19 overseas tours. His incisive commentary and engaging storytelling style have landed him some big sports journalism awards. This is his fourth book and the dedicated research through collections of rugby memorabilia for unexpected illustrations and digging into archives for intriguing background stories bring his love of sport and words together in a special way. 1. Boots: I had my own rugby dreams and made it to the Natal Under-20s. Even though a hand injury didn't help my chances of stepping up further, I played competitive…

ARCHIVE Miniature horses took top honours in competition with ‘normal’ horses. Miniature horses are beginning to take their rightful place in the horse world. After many years of being treated as no more than pets or toys for children, they are now being taken seriously by people who know horses and are even winning prizes in competition with purebred horses of normal size. So says Welma Joubert, of Turn (pronounced Toorn) Miniature Horse stud, near Baviaanspoort, just north of Pretoria. Her stallion, Turn Burggraf Caspar, 830mm at the shoulder, was judged Reserve Supreme Champion for open, in hand classes at the 1990 Cullinan/ Bronkhorstspruit Show, being beaten by a Partbred Arab mare, Algamila Marinella, bred by Prof Boyazoglu. Turn Burggraaf Caspar was judged Champion of Champions for 1990 in straight…

The South African Cereals and Oilseeds Trade Association (SACOTA) held its annual general meeting (AGM) recently. The meeting provided a platform for highlighting recent achievements and the future prospects for the country's rail transport network. The other topic tackled was East London offering more support to the congested Durban harbour for bulk grain exports. Guest speakers at the AGM were Naliya Stamper, terminal manager at TPT East London, and James Holley, CEO of Traxtion. Stamper's presentation included details on the progress made at the East London Port. Her insights shed light on the opportunities, challenges and her overall view of the future of the port. She said it had a silo capacity of 66 000t and was geared for imports and exports of all commodities. “At East London Port we…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently predicted that Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate was expected to rise to nearly 400% by the end of 2023. This was ascribed to the depreciation of the local currency. According to the IMF's World Economic Outlook, Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate will reach 396,2% by the end of the year. The October inflation projections were revised by 224 and 55,6 percentage points, respectively, from the fund's April projections for 2023 and 2024. Zimbabwe currently has the highest annual inflation rate in Africa, following the adoption of a geometric aggregation method for analysing the consumer price index. However, the IMF revised the country's gross domestic product (GDP) growth upward by 1,6 percentage points to 4,1% for this year. Reuters reports meanwhile that Zimbabwe's government suspended import duty…

The Africa Food Systems Forum (AGRF) 2023 summit was held recently in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with more than 5 400 delegates from 90 countries attending. The summit provided a platform to reflect on the coordinated largescale action by the continent's leading thinkers, policymakers and innovators to explore the latest breakthroughs and best practices in agriculture and food systems transformation. Happening against a backdrop of climate change, the Russia-Ukraine crisis, population growth and economic downturn, among other issues affecting global food systems, the summit called for bold thought leadership to accelerate action on translating food systems pathways and commitments into actionable strategies, investments targeting youth and women, and progress. Attendees included five heads of state and government, 30 ministers, six former heads of state and government, more than 80 heads…

Farmers from the Mendips area in the UK have told local policing forums and other officials that illegal poaching in the area had caused extensive damage to their land. The Avon and Somerset Police said the poachers had destroyed crop fields and damaged fences, which led to livestock escaping from the farms. They said the force offered crime prevention tips and advice to farmers so that they could easily report incidents. Police said most of the farmers in the area were part of a group chat used to alert one another to any suspicious activity on their land. According to the Mendips Neighbourhood Policing Forum's Facebook page, informal meetings had been taking place in Somerset to help farmers. As a result, they had launched a walk-andtalk-initiative, and this had given…

The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development concluded public hearings in Parliament in October into the Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Bill. The Bill aims to provide a regulatory framework for sustainable agricultural development and promotes a balanced approach to the use of agricultural land in South Africa. In a presentation to the portfolio committee in February, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development acknowledged that the current frameworks governing the development of agricultural land were ineffective in protecting agricultural land for the purposes of food production and did not conform to the constitutional requirements, hence the new bill. The Bill will promote the demarcation of high-value agricultural land and the establishment of a national agro-eco information system that will guide investment on agricultural…

The first ever global estimation of the impact of disasters on agriculture shows that R71 trillion worth of crops and livestock production has been lost over the past 30 years. This equates to 5% of annual global agricultural GDP. With the effects of climate change becoming more prevalent, this figure is set to increase. The report, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), titled ‘The impact of disasters on agriculture and food security’, notes that the figure may be higher if systematic data on losses in the fisheries, aquaculture and forestry subsectors were available. South Africa has seen first hand the effects of natural disasters on food production and farmer livelihoods. This year alone, floods, gale-force winds and wildfires have wreaked havoc on farms. The…

As the festive season draws closer, KwaZulu-Natal's Agricultural Union, Kwanalu, is urging farmers to be wary of an increase in criminal activities. The Kwanalu Security Desk issued a warning to KwaZulu-Natal farmers as the last quarter of the year winds down, heading towards the festive season. According to Kwanalu, from experience, it has been noted that there is an increase in criminal activity due to a higher demand for cash, livestock and any items of value during this period. Statistics collected from previous years indicate that well-organised syndicates are more active during this period and will not hesitate to use every possible opportunity to commit a crime, it said. During a visit by Kwanalu's Security Desk expert, Freddie van Tonder, to farm attack crime scenes, it was noted that in…

Many of the financial losses encountered by communal farmers are indirectly caused by the fact that grazing camps that are important to the implementation of grazing plans no longer exist because fencing has become dilapidated or dysfunctional. Having no viable grazing camps eventually leads to overgrazing, and grass is later depleted, resulting in thin, less valuable livestock. Fencing materials have become expensive. Coupled to this is the influx of poor fencing materials into some segments of the marketplace, where wooden poles and droppers are often untreated or substandard and wire is often not galvanised (treated with lead to prevent rust and enhance durability). A starting point is to ensure that when you buy such materials to inquire about whether they are indeed properly treated and meet the required industry standards.…

A new study conducted by the University of Göttingen in Germany highlights the effects of oil palm plantations on greenhouse gas emissions. The research paper, titled ‘Understanding greenhouse gases in oil plantations’ and published in Global Change Biology – Bioenergy, shows that “oil palms’ photosynthesis and their response to meteorological and soil conditions play an important but still widely unexplored role in the amount of nitrous oxide produced by oil palm plantations”. Palm oil plantations have almost tripled in tropical regions due the rising demand for cheap oils and fats. “The timing and location of N2O emissions in oil palm plantations vary hugely, which means it is really difficult to estimate emissions. This has really hampered our understanding of cause-and-effect relationships,” wrote first author Dr Christian Stiegler. According to Prof…

The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett (Ebury Edge, R380) Bartlett, to his mother's horror, lasted just a day at university. He's much more a ‘school of hard knocks’ kind of guy, which won him a coveted seat as the youngest dragon in TV's Dragons’ Den. In this compilation of marketing and HR insights, he muses on his 33 central laws of business and life, split into four loose sections or ‘pillars’: self, story, philosophy and team. The writing has a catchy approach that holds your attention, such as “Never fight a bad habit”; “You must piss people off”; “Don't be an ostrich”; and “Be an inconsistent leader”. Bartlett blends experiences from his international marketing career with insights from authors, actors, sports people, CEOs and neuroscientists he interviewed for…

The fourth mohair sale of the winter season saw 129 300kg on offer, of which 78% was sold. The offering consisted of goodquality mohair of which 81% was Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) certified, according to Mohair South Africa. Not all of the buying houses were active, which caused the average market indicator to decrease by 2% from the previous sale to close at R310,24/kg. A price of R706/kg was paid for a bale of 24 micron super kid mohair. Compared with the previous sale, prices were as follows: kid mohair was down 3%; young goat mohair was down 2%; fine adult mohair was down 1%; and strong adult mohair was unchanged. “The sale felt the effects of the turmoil in the world's politics and economies,” said Pierre van der Vyver,…