Table of contents for 6 May 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

Food should not be cheap. It should be valued and appreciated because of the scarce resources used during the production process, and because of the effort and risk taken to produce it. Cheap food implies cheap labour, environmentally exploitative production practices and a poor return on investment for farmers. Yes, food should be affordable, but the price of food items is only one of many factors that determines the affordability of food. One in four people in South Africa is unemployed, and this figure does not take into account the discouraged who have given up searching for a job. Without the ability to earn an income, the price of food almost becomes irrelevant – any price would be too high. We should also consider the purchasing power of the rand,…

The recovery of the rand against the US dollar put pressure on local wool prices for the second consecutive week in April, but competition among buyers for quality long wool remained strong. Prices for all micron groups tended to be lower, however. The market dipped 3,2%, leaving the Merino indicator 485 points lower at R146,95 (clean) during the second-last week of April. The Australian market decreased 2,2%. A larger than expected offering in that country played a role in the decline, said James de Jager of CMW. Meanwhile, processors in China were concerned about a possible global shortage of wool to keep their mills running during the approaching latent season. “Chinese traders are trading in limited quantities as they are wary of not being able to secure greater volumes towards…

Government will not declare the drought a national disaster, despite yet another appeal by DA MP Annette Steyn during the recent Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ (DAFF) budget vote debate in parliament. She called government’s response to the drought “shocking” and said it was clear that farmers did not matter to government. “And if farmers don’t matter, food security doesn’t matter,” she added. Some ANC members agreed with Steyn that South Africa faced a serious drought, but accused her of being a farmer herself who wanted to benefit from the appeal. Steyn said that South Africa was experiencing a food crisis because of the drought, and it was “bizarre” that programmes ensuring food security had been most affected by the recent budget cut. Steyn was referring to the budgets…

Over the next two decades, technology would redefine agriculture, according to Pieter Geldenhuys, head of North-West University’s Institute for Technology Strategy and Innovation. At the 2016 Free State Agriculture conference in Bloemfontein, Geldenhuys said that the new 4G technology spectral efficiency, for example, was already 100 times faster than the current 3G technology. “Technology is going to revolutionise the industry. It’s going to reframe agricultural business models as we know it,” he added. Geldenhuys said that technology would become vital in supplying the ever-increasing demand for food. It was predicted, for example, that the population of sub-Saharan Africa would increase from its current 1,1 billion to nearly 2,5 billion by 2050. This would result in a massive increase in food demand. Agricultural land was becoming increasingly scarce, and the industry…

Tropical Africa abounds with small rural ponds that supply families and communities with small amounts of fresh fish on an ad hoc basis. However, few use modern aquaculture husbandry techniques and production is low. Before 1960, the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) had more than 40 000 of these ponds, many of which have now fallen into disrepair. Commercial-scale projects are almost invariably both privately funded and advised. The most frequent enquiries I receive are from rural South Africans, who ask two questions: • Where can we get more information on aquaculture so that we can start a fish farm? • How do we draw up a business plan to raise funds to start a fish farm? These are difficult questions to answer, given the almost…

More than 80 million people are born every year, and pressure on international agriculture to provide the planet’s rapidly growing population with the required food, fibre and other materials is increasing drastically. To feed the world’s population, farmers will have to produce more food over the next 40 years than was produced over the past 10 000 years, according to the UN’s Environment Programme. Unfortunately, due to misguided and unsustainable human activities, an area of arable land the size of a soccer field is currently being lost every second. It is thus essential, says Schalk van der Merwe, technical manager for the South African subsidiary of ADAMA Agricultural Solutions, that agriculture implement integrated pest management (IPM) as a means to maximise productivity. “IPM is a strategy that draws on a…

The privilege many of us have of being custodians of the land comes with a tremendous responsibility. We have the privilege of being able to farm the land, be self-employed, produce food for the hungry, and start and finish our day when we want to. Many farmers work a 16-hour day, but it’s a privilege to have employment. Many people cannot find work. EMPLOYERS SHOULD PAY A FAIR DAY’S PAY FOR A FAIR DAY’S WORK It’s also a privilege to be able to wake up early in the morning, enjoy Mother Nature, and hear the songs of our birds, many of which I do not hear anywhere else in the world. The calls of the francolin as winter approaches, for example, is a sound I treasure. But with these privileges…

Farmers have been forced to become more competitive in order to cope with the rising costs of inputs, particularly as the rand continues to depreciate. Grain SA economist, Wandile Sihlobo, said that, as at mid-April, the rand was 22% weaker than the dollar compared with the same period last year. Although the rand has strengthened from a record low, the local currency is expected to remain weak in 2016. Dr André Jooste, CEO of Potatoes SA, said that the high input cost environment was placing net farm income at risk and reducing the farmer’s return of investment (ROI). “People tend to think that farmers make huge profits, but their return on investment is between 5% and 7%. In the current production environment, ROI is eroded to close to zero,” said…

Earth observation technology has made it possible for the national Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) to improve the accuracy and transparency of South African crop estimates, and reduce grain trading price volatility. The Crop Estimates Liaison Committee (CECL) recently hosted a seminar in Centurion, Gauteng, to showcase recent developments in earth observation and aerospace science technology. Eugene du Preez, director of spatial intelligence company, SiQ, said that between 1997 and 2002, maize forecasts had regularly underestimated the size of the harvest. “Bias crept in because the CEC was relying on information from farmers who would provide lower planting estimates to [inflate] grain prices,” Du Preez said. Satellite information supplied by SiQ is currently used by the CEC to compile its crop forecasts. Between 2003 and 2008, five of the six forecasts…

Hot weather conditions and hail in some production regions have resulted in a smaller macadamia crop, according to Walter Giuricich, chairperson of the Southern African Macadamia Growers’ Association (SAMAC). The industry’s conservative crop forecast of 43 000t of nut-in-shell represented a 7% decline on the 2015 crop. In addition to inhibiting crop yield, the drought had affected the size and thickness of nuts. “The nuts that have come through our factory thus far are much smaller than usual, since [they] had not received the correct [water] amount. [Their] shells also tend to be thicker, which will affect the sound kernel-to-shell ratio,” said Allan Sutton, chairperson of the Valley Macadamias Group and owner of Sutton Crest Farms. The drought also resulted in a higher number of immature nuts. “A lot of…

South Africa’s current economic climate has led to a surge in stock theft, according to Francois du Toit, the Eastern Cape’s Red Meat Producer’s Organisation’s (ECRPO) chairperson. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, he said that stock farmers suffered millions of rands in losses every year due to stock theft. What was even more concerning was that this type of crime was likely to increase should unemployment increase, due to South Africa’s poor economic outlook. According to Du Toit, Eastern Cape farmers, like farmers countrywide, were reluctant to report incidents of stock theft because of producers’ poor working relationship with police. “This ultimately has a negative impact on stock farmers, [because] when stock theft is not reported it creates the impression that stock theft units are effective and that stock theft is…

Leading global brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) will invest R1 billion in supporting smallholder farmers in South Africa, according to company spokesperson Kathleen van Boxelaer. The investment forms part of an agreement between government and AB InBev to meet public interest conditions as part of AB InBev’s proposed acquisition of SABMiller plc. The agreement will be submitted to the Competition Commission and Competition Tribunal. “As part of the R1 billion commitment, AB InBev will finance 800 new emerging farmers and 20 new commercial farmers to produce barley, hops, maize and malt, [in an effort] to create additional jobs in the agricultural supply chain,” said Van Boxelaer. The company pledged to expand the production of barley to be malted and turn “current net imports of barley to net exports of malt”,…

Potatoes have always been susceptible to pests and diseases, necessitating regular pesticide and fungicide spraying. Today, GM potatoes with resistance to pests and diseases and with improved qualities, are being released in several countries. In recent decades, potatoes have become a major global staple food crop, with 376 million tons produced in 2013, most of it grown in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Considering the crop’s importance, it is not surprising that improved production systems, genetics and new technologies have been developed to overcome constraints. A major US potato industry company applied the cisgenesis approach, whereby undesired potato genes are modified or their expression blocked, or new genes from cultivated or wild potato species are inserted, in order to overcome genetic deficiencies. Using only potato genes and not any foreign…

The employment contract is the basis of the employer-employee relationship, and is crucial to managing labour relations. The contract defines the terms and conditions agreed upon by the employer and employee, and regulates their relationship. The contract also describes the responsibilities and duties to be legally adhered to by both parties. Any conduct inconsistent with this can lead to the termination of the employment relationship. Trust and confidentiality form the foundation of this relationship, and hence of the employment contract. If these break down, so will the relationship. DUTIES OF BOTH PARTIES The employer’s legal duties include: • Receiving the employee into service by providing him or her with a written employment contract; • According the employee his or her rights in terms of applicable labour legislation; • Providing the…

According to a FreshPlaza.com report by Anton Bothma, Kenya has set about improving avocado quality standards in order to compete better in Europe. I can only assume the industry must have had quality problems with immature fruit in the past and is now addressing this. According to Bothma, the HCDA – he doesn’t say what this stands for – was called in to monitor oil levels and dry matter content before fruit was allowed to be packed for export. This was preceded by extensive interaction with growers. The first shipments of Hass avocados were duly approved and loaded for export. This report underscores the importance of fruit maturity. Any marketer who supplies immature fruit simply to ‘catch the price’ is asking for trouble. It’s a problem we have in South…

Are engine modifications worthwhile these days? Years ago, when quality standards and kW/litre output were lower, it was possible to make some improvements. But modern engines have become so efficient that their output has been increasing year by year, making any worthwhile improvement unlikely. Modern engines also have to comply with clean-air regulations. Chances are that modifying your engine will result in illegal pollutant levels. HOW CAN MORE POWER BE OBTAINED? The power output at the flywheel is expressed by the formula kW = (PLAN)/60 000 where: • P = average pressure on the pistons • L = stroke length • A = total piston-top area • N = number of firing strokes per minute = (r/min)/2 The stroke length multiplied by the piston area is equal to the engine’s…

People who have blood type B generally have tough, balanced constitutions, claims Sue Visser, author of Healthy Happy Eating – For All Blood Types. Most food types agree with them, although they should eat turkey or ostrich rather than chicken to avoid the tendency to develop obesity, diabetes and arthritis. Other foods that might also contribute to these problems are carbohydrates that do not agree with the blood type, such as wheat, maize and rice, and legumes such as lentils. Type Bs, it is claimed, produce more cortisol in response to stress. This can develop into insulin resistance, high blood pressure and a slower metabolism, which eventually produces an unhealthy ‘apple’ body shape. If you have type B blood, supplement with calcium and magnesium to offset the acidifying effect of…

‘FOR ONE WHO READS, THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF LIVES THAT MAY BE LIVED’ – LOUIS L’AMOUR (1908-1988) 100 DOCUMENTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Scott Christianson (Batsford, R335) Some documents are so well known, or even so little known but so significant, that they make you catch your breath when you are in their presence. Christianson pays tribute to 100 of these from over 5 000 years of human history. Its illustrations bring you as close as you’re likely to get to the original text of the Chinese I Ching from 2 800 BCE and Galileo’s ‘Dialogue’ from 1632. There are quirky items too, such as an 1803 list of exploration expenses and the BBC’s first TV listings magazine from 1936. Modern entries include a…

WhatsApp, the messaging app, plays a major role these days in communications between friends, family, work colleagues and club members. One of its best features is that it allows members of a group to communicate with each other, and this is a real boost for rural security. To create a WhatsApp group: • Open WhatsApp and go to the Chats screen. • At the top of the Chats screen, tap the New Group button. (Note: you will need to have an existing chat before creating a Group Chat.) • Type in a subject or title. This will be the name of the group that all participants will see. • Add the group members by selecting '+', or by typing in the name of the contact. • Tap Create to finish…

The woes of setting up an aquaculture business Inspired by Nic James’s column on aquaculture, I started slowly with couple of goldfish in a barrel. Following his advice to the letter, I enrolled in an aquaculture course at a university, and read a few of the expensive books he recommended. After passing the course (with flying colours, I might add), and realising that I hadn’t killed any of the fish in months, I decided it was time for the next step: ‘The Pilot Oreochromis niloticus Phase’. I spent a significant amount of time putting it all together, appointed a mentor, negotiated a takeoff agreement, obtained some leased land, costed out everything and then re-costed it. When it all made sense, it was time for the permits. Dealings with the Department…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 9 TO 12 MAY South African Society of Dairy Technology (SASDT) Symposium. Gateway Hotel, Umhlanga. Email Yvonne Steyn at yvonne@sampro.co.za. 9 TO 13 MAY World Brangus Congress, Thaba ’Nchu, Free State. Visit www.brangus.org.za. 24 TO 25 MAY Inaugural Ukulinga Howard Davis Memorial Symposium, Ukulinga Research Farm, Pietermaritzburg. Phone Dr Gareth Lagerwall on 033 260 5177, or email lagerwall@ukzn.ac.za. 27 TO 29 MAY 23rd Annual Gauteng Outdoor Eco Adventure and Travel Expo, Waterfall Polo Estate, Midrand. Visit www.gauteng.outdoorexpo.co.za. 31 MAY TO 3 JUNE Hortgro Science Technical Symposium, Allée Bleue, Simondium. Visit www.hortgroscience.co.za/hortgro-sciencetechnical-symposium-2016. COURSES & TRAINING 10 MAY One-Day Practical Home Gardener, Beula Park, Meadowdale. Phone Neill Jackson on 082 407 6774, or email him at neill@foundationsforfarming.org. 11 MAY Cow and Calf Farming, Bloemfontein. Phone Peter Milton on…

The price of diesel was set to decrease by 11c/l from 4 May, according to the Central Energy Fund. This is a relief for farmers struggling with high input costs, and is particularly beneficial to maize and potato producers. Grain SA economist, Wandile Sihlobo, said that maize farmers would welcome a cut in the price of diesel, as fuel constituted roughly 11% of a grain farmer’s total variable production cost. “It comes at an opportune time, as some producers in the summer crop-producing areas will be starting with their harvesting process, while others in the winter wheat-producing areas will start planting,” Sihlobo said. The primary reason for the expected decrease was the strengthening of the rand against the US dollar. Sihlobo added that the diesel price cut would have been…

The largely impoverished community in the Nkandla area of President Jacob Zuma’s controversial R245 million homestead, are the beneficiaries of a R2,25 million maize and bean farming project. The 200ha project, with 50ha planted to white maize and 150ha to dry beans, involves small-scale crop farmers in Nkandla’s KwaZondi Cluster. Facilitated by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (KZN DARD), these initially independent subsistence farmers joined their individual pieces of land together to create a single, commercial-scale farming operation, according to Cyril Xaba, the department’s MEC. “They formed a cluster or farming cooperative. Instead of growing a variety of different crops and competing with each other, they concentrated on growing one commodity or crop and running their operation as a business. In this cluster, it is maize and…

Citrus growers in Florida, in the US, risk losing as much as 80% of their trees due to greening disease. Farmers estimate that their yields have dropped by 41%. Citrus greening disease is one of the most serious bacterial infections in citrus. Infected trees produce fruit that is unsuitable for sale as fresh fruit or for juice-making. According to research released by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), and published in Science Daily, the disease had become an epidemic in Florida. Involving about 200 growers, the March 2015 survey produced the first grower-based estimates of both the level of citrus greening in Florida and the impact of greening on citrus operations. There is no cure or economically viable option for managing infected trees. Since it…

Raisin production this year has been much lower than anticipated, resulting in some companies withdrawing early from the market. Dappie Smit, manager at the Dried Fruit Technical Services, said that the drop in production had been caused by unfavourable climatic conditions. “Production in the Orange River Valley was negatively affected by a heat wave in December and untimely rain in January, while producers in the Olifants River Valley were unable to irrigate their vineyards due to dry climatic conditions,” he said. Smit added that it was still too early to estimate the percentage by which production had declined, as production expansions were seemingly increasing production volumes. Despite this, Peter Kuilman, CEO of the raisin company Red Sun Africa, said that the industry estimated that the Olifants River Valley could produce…

High incidences of sheep scab (brandsiekte) among jackal have been reported countrywide. Dr Gerhard Verdoorn of the Griffon Poison Information Centre and director of Birdlife South Africa, recently posted a request on the South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association’s (SAHCGA) website asking members of the farming community to report any cases of sheep scab in jackal populations. “I was contacted by farmers from the Free State, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and parts of the Karoo. A farmer from Alldays, Limpopo, said that he had seen a jackal whose tail was falling off from sheep scab. I didn’t realise it was so widespread,” he said. According Verdoorn, it was “nature’s way of keeping jackal populations in check”. “The disease seems to mostly occur during times of drought,” he said. Animals have…

US export company, Limoneira, has announced the launch of Limoneira South Africa as part of its One World of Citrus distribution model. The company will also be partnering with re:inc, which will manage packing and sales. Re:inc sources and breeds new fruit varieties for international producers. Alex Teague, Limoneira’s chief operating officer, said the company aimed to increase grower returns through its One World of Citrus model by increasing direct sales to retailers and food service companies around the world. “The joint venture with re:inc is vital because having a local presence and local knowledge in fields ranging from land use and water issues, to physical distribution of the product, is very important. Just as significantly, the local team [maintains] our participation in the local community and helps us stay…

BE POSITIVE ABOUT THE PERSON’S ABILITY TO FIX THE PROBLEM Providing motivational feedback to employees is one of a manager’s most crucial functions. But here’s the secret: it’s not what is said but how it’s said that matters most. Positive feedback is easy; giving negative feedback can be difficult. Here are some tips on how to get it right: • When to do it It’s quite simple with positive feedback – do it immediately. With negative feedback, you might need time to cool off and get your thoughts in order – but don’t wait too long, as you’re seeking to correct a problem. Choose the timing that would provide the best chance of the feedback coming across as constructive. • Setting up the session Don’t spring a negative feedback session on an…

How has the role of veterinarians changed since you qualified? In the six years since I’ve been practising, there has been a definite shift in the role of vets. Rising production costs have resulted in farmers carrying out diagnosis and treatment themselves rather than consulting a vet. Vets are only called out for traditional diagnostic purposes when a high-value animal is at stake. As a result, vets do more contract work for large farms where the size of the operation justifies the cost. There is also more emphasis on disease prevention and the optimal functioning of animals. On a dairy farm, for example, a vet would assist a farmer to devise a health-risk strategy based on associated risks on the farm and in the region. Health and production data are…

Rising costs and increased administration are ruining stud breeders, says Philip. The price of an average stud bull has remained relatively constant at R25 000 to R30 000 over the past 10 years, but the cost of administration and certification has almost doubled during this time, he says. Philip finds it hard to understand why game sells for more than R100 000/head or even, in some cases, millions of rands, while stud breeders, who must comply with excessive regulations, struggle to earn R30 000/head. The cattle and sheep stud industries must find ways to reduce their cost of doing business, he says.…

Dear Lina Thank you for the informative written requirements and ideas for additions and alterations to your existing farmhouse. In the sketch layout of the additions required, I’ve tried not to rearrange the existing structure and fitments, as this could be quite costly. The wing added to the main bedroom is simply an extension of the existing structure and roof, as is the added-on family room. As this family room will be on the south-west side of the house, I suggest that some of the existing corrugated steel roof sheets be replaced with translucent sheets, to let the sun shine in and warm that section of the house. The low walls allow for the installation of let-down blinds. Also, that very low-pitched roof over the central rooms can easily be…

John Platter's upbringing and travels help to explain his explorer's approach to wine. He was born in Hungary into a family that grew grapes and made wine in the Austrian Alps. He also spent part of his childhood in Italy. As an adult, he worked as a foreign correspondent and became a winemaker in the Western Cape and the owner of three farms. His Platter’s Wine Guide has made him a household name for 35 years. MY KIND OF WINE (PawPaw, R375) introduces 70 wineland personalities and 200 wines. Here are five reasons Platter relishes wine in his life: • Pruning I love pruning vines – it’s therapeutic and creative, shaping each vine individually to get the best for next season or to concentrate the flavour in the bunches of…

Archer’s previous, fifth volume of his Clifton Chronicles saga, Mightier than the Sword, was originally planned as the final one, but the pleasure he obviously derives from writing about his characters has prevented him from deserting them. His sixth volume, COMETH THE HOUR  (Macmillan, R385), is set in the 1970s. As in Ken Follett’s recent Edge of Eternity, the Berlin Wall plays a leading role, but Archer has used it to support a surprise and well-executed series of plot twists. If you’ve read previous novels in the series, you’ll enjoy meeting up with the key heroes and villains again. If not, Archer includes just enough back story to keep new readers in the picture. All in all, this is a great tale to curl up with for a weekend read.…

‘THEY OUTPERFORMED THE PEDIGREE NGUNIS, AND THE CROSS BULL CALVES CARRIED 30% TO 35% MORE MEAT Richard Horton has an honest love for the Boran breed, which he compares to the hooker and open side flanker of a rugby team. “They’re tough like a hooker who works tirelessly in the tight forward exchanges. And despite being a medium-framed animal, are still strong and resourceful on any terrain, just like an open side flanker.” It was not love at first sight, however. Richard’s Orca Boran stud, which currently consists of 70 registered Borans, started by accident. In 2009, Richard and his wife Lauren bought Zandkraal, a private 1 300ha nature reserve near Clanwilliam in the Cederberg. This boasts a variety of game – antelope, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, caracal, jackal and free-roaming…