Table of contents for 1 July 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

Someone recently showed me a photograph that a friend of theirs had posted on Facebook, showing an aerial view of a city burning. Surely this had been taken in Syria or somewhere equally foreign and besieged by terrorists, I thought. But it wasn’t. It was a photo of one of the townships in Tshwane, following the naming of Thoko Didiza as the ANC’s mayoral candidate for this metro. It was unsettling, but I moved on to my next task after only a very short pause. All media platforms in South Africa abound with detailed reporting on the most heinous crimes, and if we had to pause for every crime we read about, I’m afraid we may never move on again. I can quote many statistics on the level of violence…

The Canon IXUS 180 has an 10x optical zoom lens which helps you keep your subject in the frame by automatically detecting the number of people and adjusting the zoom level to determine the optimal size. The IXUS 180 also features Intelligent Image Stabilizer technology, which constantly adapts to the scene to ensure the best images and movies, even when you are on the move. Equipped with the best of Canon’s imaging technology, the IXUS 180 packs a 20 megapixel sensor and advanced DIGIC 4+ processor for ultra-fast responses and superb image quality. Visit www.canon.co.za.…

Almost 795 million people globally are affected by hunger and malnutrition, particularly in developing countries. This was according to the minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Senzeni Zokwana, speaking at the G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting held in China recently. “South Africa made significant strides regarding goal number one of the Millennium Development Goals of halving the number of hungry people through food security programmes, which we have achieved. We commit to do more in building resilience and coping capacities of households,” he said. The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has been endorsed by world leaders, provides a blueprint to monitor progress on targets for each member state. South Africa would welcome initiatives that sought to address water security, such as investment in irrigation infrastructure to assist smallholder…

South African agricultural exporters stand to benefit from a new economic partnership agreement (EPA) between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union (EU). The new agreement will offer more advantages than the existing Trade and Development Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) between South Africa and the EU, according to Justin Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus Growers’ Association. Chadwick said that the TDCA, in place since 2000, had seen duties on citrus exports drop from 16% to zero between 1 May and 15 October every year. As a result, exporters had tried to ship fruit in time to beat the duty deadline, with much trade taking place in the final two weeks before the duties kicked in. The new agreement shifts the duty deadline for citrus to November. Oranges make…

At the annual International Dried Fruit and Nut Congress held in San Diego, California, in June, delegates discussed the high price of macadamia nuts. The drought in SA, the largest producer of macadamias, has resulted in reduced supply, thereby causing prices to reach record highs. Speaking at the congress, Alan Sutton, chairperson of the Valley Macdamias Group, said that macadamias needed to be marketed as a niche product. “Although the almond and walnut industries are spending a large amount of money on marketing, their crop volumes justify the expenditure. It’s good that macadamias do not fall into the same category in terms of volume, as it gives us an opportunity to market ourselves as a niche product, worthy of the higher price tag.” Delegates also raised the issue of macadamia…

A total of 21 farm attacks had been reported in the Free State so far this year, according to Tommie Estehuyse, Free State Agriculture Safety (FSA) and Security chairperson. The latest attack occurred near Verkykerskop in the eastern Free State, and saw an elderly couple being shot and wounded by two gunmen. Esterhuyse strongly condemned all incidents of crime and violence on farms. In another recent incident, farmworkers on the farm Welgevonden near Warden were attacked by five assailants, who got away with a safe and a vehicle. However, the SAPS apprehended three of the suspects shortly afterwards. Esterhuyse praised the SAPS for its swift action. “I call on landowners, farmers and farmworkers to remain vigilant at all times,” he said. FSA safety analyst, Dr Jane Buys, said it seemed…

The most suitable tilapia species for the aquaculture industry grow fast and have a deep body shape, disease resistance, and the best adaptability to culture conditions. Riverine tilapia species are more suited to the crowded conditions of aquaculture than lacustrine ones. Rivers in Southern Africa typically consist of smaller, harsher environments than the great lakes where lacustrine species have evolved. Oreochromis mossambicus, O. andersonii, O. niloticus and Tilapia rendalli are all riverine species found in a wide range of habitats. There are, however, many other lesser-known species found outside our immediate geographical area. BEWARE OF INBRED VARIETIES O. mossambicus is often inbred and genetically stunted in South Africa due to dams being stocked by poor, inbred stock. Government hatcheries have for many years practised little selection and improvement of brood-stock,…

I wrote my first column for Farmer’s Weekly 15 years ago and today I’m about to embark on #750. Allow me to use this opportunity to reflect on the fresh produce market sector over that period. • Better produce Quality, the panacea of marketing ills, remains at the forefront of successful fresh produce marketing. In fact, it has become crucial in a highly competitive marketing environment. I believe that, overall, the quality of our produce has improved. • Politics Government meddling is not a recent phenomenon; it was certainly around 15 years ago. Recommendations abounded, but very little was implemented. In most cases, all I can say is “Thank goodness”. Today, politics remains at the core of many problems facing the markets, mainly due to incompetence and hidden agendas in the municipalities.…

LOOK FOR ANY UNUSUAL DISCHARGES OR SWELLINGS ON THE SEX ORGANS As we all know, some traits are often inherited. Therefore, before you even consider mating your bitch, have her thoroughly inspected by a vet. If she has a bad temperament or any health problems, such as hip dysplasia, do not breed from her. The same applies to the sire; the owner of the sire needs to be open and honest with you here. A bitch may come into season as early as four to six months old. This is far too young for mating; she will not be ready to handle the rigours of birth and looking after pups. At the same time, a bitch that’s older than five or six years should not be mated. Older females start…

To make grilled or braaied prawns with prawn risotto for four, you will need: FOR THE RISOTTO 1,5 cups arborio rice 1 onion 3 cloves garlic 120ml dry white wine 1 litre chicken stock 30ml extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley Salt, freshly ground black pepper on demand The shells or carapaces of 1kg prawns (but never the ‘vein’) Half-teaspoon of turmeric, plus quarter-teaspoon paprika (for the colour) FOR THE PRAWNS The shelled prawns Juice of two lemons Generous dash of Red Tobasco 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 finely chopped cloves garlic Delicate sprinkling of coarse salt We begin with the prawns. Thaw them under the cold tap, then peel off and save the carapaces or shells. Clean the prawns by removing the ‘vein’ (it’s…

Most people are likely to blame cholesterol when they hear of someone having a heart attack. Yet high cholesterol levels may not always be the problem. In Best Choices from the People’s Pharmacy, authors Joe and Theresa Graedon write that c-reactive protein (CRP) is an important indicator of the possibility of a heart attack, and this may be prevalent even if someone is following a ‘heart-friendly’ lifestyle: eating sensibly, exercising moderately and not smoking. CRP is a condition where invisible inflammation attacks your arteries, and can be a powerful predictor of heart disease, especially if your CRP indicator is over three. Ideally, it should be around one or less. DIETARY SUGGESTIONS This is where the benefits of the ‘Mediterranean’ diet come in. This diet emphasises fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds,…

CONFERENCES & EXPOS 27 TO 29 JUNE Agriculture and Horticulture International Conference, Cape Town. Visit www.agriculture-horticulture.conferenceseries.com agriculture-horticulture.conferenceseries.com. 1 TO 2 JULY SA Bee Industry Organisation’s Annual Conference, Oudtshoorn. Phone Lynette Barnes on 021 865 2050, or email info@capehoneyfactory.co.za. 3 TO 8 JULY Grassland Society of Southern Africa's Annual Congress, Wilderness. Phone Freyni du Toit on 083 256 7202, or visit www.grassland.org.za. 19 TO 20 JULY 4th Annual Africa Women in Agriculture and Agribusiness Summit, Midrand. Email Kelly Siasamba at kelly@amabhubesi.co.za. 21 JULY Intensive Growers' Association's (IGA) Annual Spring-Summer Symposium, Durban Botanic Gardens. Email iga@sai.co.za. 25 TO 27 JULY 1st Annual Agribusiness Forum, Gabarone, Botswana. Phone Kabo Kote on +26 77 334 4001, or email info@fresh-taste.com. COURSES & TRAINING 27 JUNE TO 1 AUGUST Agricultural Livestock Training Academy, George. Phone Di…

Researchers from two Australian tertiary institutions, Monash University and the University of Sydney, are developing a vaccine to protect livestock against all strains of foot rot. Once commercialised, the vaccine will help producers reduce the livestock and economic losses caused by the infection. Hoof trimming, foot baths, antibiotic treatments and culling are methods currently employed by producers to treat the contagious disease, which causes hoof infections in sheep, goats and cattle. Dr Johann Schröder, project manager of animal health at Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), a research, development and marketing company, told Farmer’s Weekly that foot rot was a widespread problem in Australia’s sheep flocks. “A steady decline in government services aimed at animal health management [such as] regulation and diagnostic support increasingly places the responsibility on producers’ shoulders and…

Parliament’s approval of the Expropriation Bill has caused much uncertainty in the sector, but farmers should take it with a pinch of salt, Omri van Zyl, executive director of Agri SA, told delegates at the AGM of the Canning Fruit Producers’ Association. “The bill is the end-product of eight years of consultations and negotiations, and Agri SA was part of this from the start. As it stands, the bill compares well with international expropriation legislation, with the prescribed procedures seeming reasonable and fair,” said Van Zyl. The bill only regulates the procedures and compensation that should take place in the case of expropriation. It does not establish a new legal concept, said Van Zyl. “Contesting the law won’t deprive government of any of its existing expropriation rights. Agri SA therefore…

Sugar production declined during the past season by more than 16% to 14 861 401t due to the ongoing drought, while sales in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa increased by only 1,5%. This was according to South African Cane Growers’ Association (SACGA) chairperson, Tim Murray, at SACGA’s 89th AGM held in Mount Edgecombe, KwaZulu-Natal, recently. “Sugar sales are essentially driven by the availability of the disposable rand. So the better the economy does, the greater the increase in sugar sales,” said Murray. But the economy had been weak this past period. “Sales grew by only a small amount of 1,5%, compared with [the] recent history of sales growth in the region of 2% and more,” he said. Most seasons, the sugar industry produced a surplus, with a fair amount…

South Africa had a high-potential for chicory production, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Despite this, however, South Africa was currently a net importer of chicory. Nestlé SA, South Africa’s largest chicory user, imported roughly 80% of its chicory requirements from India. The DTI said that chicory produced in South Africa was of a higher quality than that imported from India, and this, coupled with increasing import prices, had resulted in the department’s strategy to increase chicory production in South Africa. The strategy specifically targeted developing farmers. In 2008, Nestlé SA launched a chicory-growing project in KwaZulu-Natal’s Weenen area, close to one of the company’s factories in Estcourt. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (KZN DARD) became involved and was assisting in increasing chicory production…

A combination of unfavourable factors had weighed heavily on Illovo Sugar’s financial performance for the year ended 31 March 2016. This was according to Illovo managing director, Gavin Dalgleish, who added that the company’s downstream diversification rationale for the year had helped to soften the blow. Among the negative factors listed by Dalgleish were sustained low export sugar prices, reduced domestic sugar demand in Malawi, currency volatility, and high interest rates in the six African countries where Illovo operates. These were exacerbated by the direct and indirect effects of the drought. Illovo reported that the “tough commercial sugar environment” during the 12 months to 31 March 2016 saw group revenues fall 0,7% to R13,17 billion. This in turn led to Illovo’s operating margin decreasing from 12,5% to 10,7%. “Operating profit…

The Western Cape could see a 1,5°C to 3°C temperature increase by mid-century. This is according to Prof Stephanie Midgley, project leader of the Smart Agri climate change response strategy, a provincial government initiative to combat the impact of extreme weather on the province’s agricultural sector. Midgley was addressing members at the Western Cape Red Meat Producers’ Organisation’s (RPO) annual general meeting held recently in Wellington. She said that farmers were experiencing “more hot days, fewer cold days, [and a] reduction in winter rainfall”. She added that the province’s rainfall season was changing noticeably, with rainy days becoming fewer, but heavier. Presenting climate change projections – composed by climate modelling studies – for the major beef production areas in the Western Cape, Midgley said that farmers in the Swartland, West…

A South African wine was judged one of the best in the world at the annual Decanter World Wine Awards held recently in the UK. Out of 16 000 wines competing for the top title, only 31 achieved the ‘Platinum – Best in Show’ award. One of these was Stellenbosch-based DeMorgenzon’s Reserve Chardonnay 2015. The wines were judged blind by 240 of the world’s best wine tasters, including 69 Masters of Wine and 26 Master Sommeliers. At a special tasting held at Decanter headquarters, all platinum winners were judged again to determine the best in show prices. Other SA wines that won Platinum awards were Cederberg Shiraz 2014, Delaire Graff Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2012, Paul Cluver Noble Late Harvest Riesling 2014, Spier Creative Block 2 Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon 2014, and Wildekrans…

The benefits of GM crops are evident after analysing combined improved genetics for higher yields, and traits that reduce insect pests, disease damage, and weed competition. Global productivity and efficiency gains in 2014 came to US$17,7 billion (R260 billion). • Maize This showed the biggest gains from higher yields, supported by another R92 billion from insect resistance in 2014 which, added R610 billion to global farmer income. • Cotton Farmers have gained from higher yields and lower costs, with developing countries benefiting from a R58 billion increase in 2014, and R660 billion since 1996. • Soya beans/canola Herbicide tolerance enabled soya farmers to increase income by R70 billion in 2014. Introduction of stacked insect resistance and herbicide-tolerant traits added R17,7 billion from 2013 to 2014 in South America. GM canola is mainly…

Labour legislation regulates labour relations, thus ensuring fairness in the workplace. Certain groups of employees are provided with additional protection from exploitation. Amongst these are people employed on a fixed-term contract, and the legislation focuses on the duration and status of the contract. ENGAGEMENT PERIOD The first limitation is the period of engagement. Employees employed on a fixed-term basis for longer than three months will be deemed to be permanent staff members, unless a longer fixed-term period is justifiable. The second limitation is that an employer must have a justifiable reason for employing someone on a fixed-term contract. These justifiable reasons, as stipulated in the Labour Relations Act (LRA), include the following: • Replacement of an employee who is temporarily absent; • Temporary increase in work volume (expected duration up…

Legislation governing lawful hunting practices for professional and biltong hunters in South Africa varies between provinces and even districts. Hunters who simply follow the old maxim of ‘winter is hunting season’ may inadvertently find themselves on the wrong side of the law, facing hefty fines or even imprisonment. It is also important for hunters to familiarise themselves with firearm legislation. KEEP AMMUNITION LEGAL Stories abound of hunters forgetting ammunition at home, and asking a friend to bring it along, or of hunters being unaware that it is illegal to hunt an animal after the open season for the species has closed. The story sometimes ends with the hunters being arrested at a roadblock and spending their hunting weekend in jail. Attorney Rudolf van der Westhuysen reminds hunters that some hunting…

Brahman Unhaltered Champions Charolais Champions Contacts: Stephan Coetzee: 083 384 3675 | Chris Badenhorst: 082 931 3708 | Dewald van der Merwe: 079 898 0785…

Nampo Harvest Day has become the first-choice venue in Southern Africa for the launch of new machines and implements. This year was no exception. 1 TLB mulcher Razorback Bush Clearing from Pretoria showed a variety of implements for cutting, mulching and clearing bush and trees. One was the Razorback TLB mulcher seen here. This versatile 4WD machine comes with a loading bucket, mulcher and backhoe. It is powered by a 94kW Perkins 1104D engine and has hydrostatic, clutchless transmission with instant reverse. The working speed is up to 8km/h. The mulcher has a variable hydraulic drive motor and 2 000mm cutting width, and can mulch wood up to 200mm in diameter. 2 Soilmaster two-row planter Soilmaster has a fine reputation for reliable, locally manufactured implements and its latest planter lives…

FASTEN THE STRAPS AND LEAD THE HORSE AROUND UNTIL IT’S CALM Keeping warm takes a great deal of energy and horses that are blanketed often keep their condition better in winter. Horse blankets include everything from the home-made variety worn by working horses in the highlands of Lesotho to stylish imported New Zealand rugs used on expensive jumpers. You can buy them online, or at your local feed store or tack shop. There are essentially two types of horse blanket: day sheets and winter rugs. DAY SHEETS Various kinds of day sheet are available. Some are made of unlined cotton and used to keep horses clean. The sweat sheet is useful for endurance and race horses, as well as jumpers, when they have been washed or are wet from sweat.…

Dear Jonno All the proposed additions to the communal lodges that you designed for us have been approved by the local authority and we’ll start building shortly. As you know, students from North and South America, Europe and Asia visit our wildlife reserve for in-service training as part of their studies in wildlife and ecology, and we need comfortable accommodation for them. At present, they are housed in tents at the reserve. The new units we are planning will be typical African rondavels, but the interiors should cater for people from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Each rondavel should have its own toilet facilities, as well as separate male and female bedrooms. The groups each consist of between eight and 12 students, with one or two tutors accompanying them. Each…

If you’ve ever struggled with marketing your farming enterprise, this could be because it requires mostly business-to-business (B2B) marketing, not business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing, says Cape Town B2B marketing consultant, Mark Eardley. He shares insights such as this in BUSINESS TO BUSINESS MARKETING (Penguin, R220), written with digital marketing guru, Charlie Stewart. Exercises are included. Here are five areas explored: • Focus on your customer Much farm produce from the Tzaneen area (where Eardley was interviewed) is never seen locally; it goes straight overseas. Farmers must get to know customers they won’t meet by dealing with an agent. • Understand their needs Ensure that you meet your customer’s required production standards. Hitting these targets gives you a track record you can leverage for better terms. • Watch trends They help you spot opportunities to…

Taking on the Zen challenge could be part of the answer for those who prefer to work their minds rather than their bodies. Anthony Osler runs Zen retreats on his farm in the Karoo and his third book, MZANSI ZEN (Jacana, R240), functions as a taster of a day with him in retreat. Observations on life in South Africa today are combined with art, photography, poetry and other favourite readings within this framework. From buzzard calls and itches on the leg that challenge meditation practice, to exchanges in the barbershop and last-Friday-of-the-month meetings with farmers, Osler’s Zen has its feet on the ground and its heart and mind working to balance our world. Highly recommended!…

In the article, ‘Emerging farmers must be empowered’ (FW, 29 April), Willem de Chavonnes Vrugt quite correctly states that SA does need emerging farmers and, as he says, we need to change the current method of transferring skills and educating aspirant farmers. Best practice has been developed in this field, and experience shows that this model (explained below) does indeed work for empowering aspirant farmers to run profitable, sustainable farming businesses. The approach required is holistic, giving new entry farmers a wide variety of skills, and also providing effective post-training mentorship after they graduate. It is a method that takes considerable time and effort but, in the long run, produces the sustainable, commercial farmers that SA needs. It is important to set the right entry criteria and level of training.…

The draft regulations for the Carbon Offset Scheme have been published for public comment. The scheme aims to encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in sectors or activities not directly covered by the proposed Carbon Tax Bill. The draft Carbon Tax Bill of November 2015 makes provision for a carbon offset allowance, and allows companies to reduce their carbon tax liability by using offset credits of 5% to 10% of their total GHG emissions. Dr Hendrik Smith, conservation agriculture facilitator at Grain SA, said that one had to assume that carbon tax would become a reality. “However, we still need clarity about methods for evaluating if a producer followed the correct processes to verify his carbon capture, as [he] will have to prove to SARS that [he] followed…

Dutch agricultural exports reached record levels in 2015, according to the Netherlands national statistics office, CBS. The bulk of these exports comprised produce worth €81,3 billion (R1,4 trillion). Adding machinery, fertilisers and other farming imputs pushed the total value of agricultural exports to €90 billion (R1,6 trillion). The Netherlands is now the second-largest agricultural exporter in the world after the US. Germany is ranked third, followed by Brazil and France. According to CBS, flowers and plants accounted for €8,3 billion (R143,5 billion), meat exports €7,6 billion (R131 billion), dairy exports €7,2 billion (R125 billion), and vegetables €6,3 billion (R109 billion). Dr Johnny van der Merwe, agricultural economist at North-West University, said that Dutch farmers had two crucial advantages over SA producers. The first was government support through subsidies. “[This] lowers…

The market for soft citrus, such as easy peelers and seedless varieties, is growing in South Africa and worldwide. Abs van Rooyen, CEO of ANB Investments, which owns the ClemenGold easy peelers brand, said that changing consumer preferences for healthy and convenience food was driving market growth in the soft citrus sector. According to Van Rooyen, South Africa’s farmers were actively responding to changing consumer demands. “Farmers are replacing traditional varieties with newer cultivars for the convenience market,” he said. Dewalt Viviers, general manager for citrus at Zandvliet, said it was necessary for producers to innovate. An increasing number of farmers were planting new citrus trees in ultrahigh density orchards in response to changing market demands. This planting technique enabled leaf canopies to form faster and more densely so that…

Information gathered by farmers’ union TAU SA has shown an increase in farm attacks around South Africa this year to date. The farmers’ union reported that for the period 1 January to 2 June, there had been 161 attacks on farms, during which 31 people were murdered. For the corresponding period last year, 111 attacks had occurred, and 29 murders were committed during these. Henk van de Graaf, TAU SA assistant general manager for communications, described these figures as “alarming”. He said that since the South African Police Service (SAPS) did not keep statistics particularly related to violence on farms, TAU SA had to rely on its own sources to gather the data. “Mainly we get the information from our members in the different provinces, but also from what is…

Over the past year, the drought and stock theft were the greatest obstacles encountered by members of the Western Cape Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO). John Dürr, chairperson of the Western Cape RPO, raised these issues at the organisation’s annual general meeting held recently in Wellington. “The recent drought has once again brought the important aspect of biosecurity on our farms to our attention,” Dürr said. He added that diseases such as brucellosis had spread to the Western Cape as a result of animls being transported from drought-affected regions to the province for grazing. “The Southern Cape dairy industry, in particular, suffered major losses due to the slaughter of cattle infected with brucellosis. Many were slaughtered without compensation, other than [the] slaughter value, which resulted in an increase in the…

The KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union (Kwanalu) has expressed “utmost concern” that several applications to explore large regions of the province for fossil fuel energy reserves “continue unabated”. The provincial farmers’ union said that, based on its examination of all of these applications thus far, “it appears that more than 80% of agricultural land [in KZN] may already be under some form of application for mining or [fossil fuel energy reserves] exploration.” Sandy la Marque, Kwanalu CEO, said that the first application for exploration had been launched in 2015, and had since encountered ongoing opposition from the general public, both within and outside of KZN. “It appears that even with all the opposition, this has been completely ignored, [with] little or no consideration given to the views of people who are concerned…

Zimbabwe’s government has succeeded in persuading Botswana to suspend its proposal to shoot cattle crossing the border from Zimbabwe into Botswana. In March 2016, Botswana announced that all cattle entering its territory from Zimbabwe would be shot on sight. This radical approach was an effort to control recurrent foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks, which Zimbabwe had been struggling to contain since April 2015. The Botswana government gave Zimbabwe a three-month grace period in which authorities were expected to warn and advise cattle owners on the shared border to strictly control the movement of their animals. The shoot-to-kill plan was to have taken effect on 1 June. However, a recent delegation to Botswana had resulted in the suspension of the policy. Members of the delegation and Zimbabwe’s deputy minister of home affairs, Obedingwa…

‘ARE YOU DREAMING BIG ENOUGH?’ On 29 May, Comrades Marathon day, close to 22 000 runners left Pietermaritzberg at 5.30am in the hope of reaching Durban by the cut-off time 12 hours later. Diminutive Caroline Wöstmann, who had made history by winning both the Two Oceans and 90th Comrades in 2015, began moving ahead near the halfway mark. Soon she had built up what looked to be an unassailable 11-minute gap between herself and Charné Bosman, running second. At a water point some five hours and 30 minutes into the race, a motorcycle following too close behind her bumped into Wöstmann. She was unharmed and continued steadily on her way, but it was a portent of the drama to follow. With about 45 minutes to go, Wöstmann was struggling visibly.…

‘SPENDING ON ADVERTISING WILL INCREASE SALES’ What are the most pressing concerns facing South Africa’s fresh produce sector? Market development and the promotion of fresh produce are not receiving enough attention across the entire value chain. The fruit sector has an active industry body that represents its interests, but a similar structure is lacking in the vegetable sector and the fresh produce industry’s value chain. Agribusinesses and farmers have flagged fragmented marketing as one of the greatest stumbling blocks. Large producers and retailers play an important role in the success of the sector, but more can be done to attract small-scale producers, fresh produce markets, independent retailers, and even hawkers. This would create a more inclusive fresh produce network. The industry is also struggling to attract, develop and retain new…

Eastern Cape Except for zebra, Cape eland, common duiker, grey rhebuck, steenbok and mountain reedbuck, hunting all other buck species is unrestricted from 1 January to 31 December. Open season for kudu hunting is from 28 May to 31 August for most parts of the Eastern Cape during the current season. For June only, the hunting of kudu is restricted to bulls, with no restrictions applying during July and August. Only one kudu/person/day is generally allowed, but in some areas it is restricted to one kudu per 250ha/hunting season. BIRDS: The calibre of guns to be used must be less than 5,6mm. For most birds, open season is from 1 May to 31 July. Mpumalanga Non-landowners cannot hunt prior to 1 May and after 31 July of the same year…

THE COMPOSTING TEMPERATURE SHOULD REACH ABOUT 65°C There is no single ‘ideal’ method for growing seedlings successfully and economically – conditions vary too much – but there are guidelines that can help a newcomer get it right in a shorter time. A major aspect is the growing medium. This accounts for a large part of the cost of growing seedlings, and nearly every grower tries to obtain a suitable medium that can cut that cost. Some years ago, I carried out trials for a seedling nursery that used a pine bark medium. I was asked to help the owner reduce the need for chemical fertilisers in order to cut cost and reduce the risk of staff making mistakes with the applications. I used a 25l container for each batch of…

When it comes to servicing their vehicles, motorists tend to fall into the following categories: Most have their cars serviced at the intervals recommended in the owner’s manual. This is usually 15 000km. Vehicle manufacturers, in consultation with oil companies, choose this interval based on road tests and oil grades. A few drivers have their cars serviced more often because, according to the owner’s manual, their motoring is ‘severe’ – it involves regular, frequent short trips, motoring under dusty conditions, or frequently towing something. This is the correct thing to do. Some motorists opt for more frequent servicing because a mechanic or fellow motoring enthusiast claims the manual is wrong. This is a waste of money. Finally, a few motorists have their cars serviced less often than at the recommended…

 My late father, who was a country blacksmith from Scotland, used to tell my younger brother and me, “If you get up in the morning and you don’t feel like going to work, change your job.” He was a wise man, because we spend 90% of our waking time at work. That’s a lot of time spent being unhappy. WE CANNOT BUY HAPPINESS – IT COMES FROM WITHIN In her excellent editorial of 13 May 2016, Denene Erasmus picks up on the same theme, asking, “Does farming make you happy?” Life is a lot more than just making money. Of course, we have to pay our debts, put bread on the table, and educate and clothe our families. We also have to be responsible citizens and contribute to the growth…

 THE FOOD OF LOVE by Prue Leith (Quercus, R180) The first volume of Leith’s new trilogy is, not unexpectedly, centred on food. It moves between farmers struggling with wartime restrictions and a chef trying to make his mark despite rationing in post-blitz London. Families split, possibly irrevocably, and dirty land deals abound. Leith portrays the cold drudgery of post-war farming keenly and her central characters burst with ideas and indignation, keeping you turning the pages. ‘I USED TO WALK TO SCHOOL WITH MY NOSE BURIED IN A BOOK’ – COOLIO (1963-) GOD IS ROUND by Juan Villoro (Restless, R280) If you’ve found the scenes around Euro 2016 less than godly, take refuge in this book by top Mexican writer Villoro, who sees more mysticism than…

On 7 May, the first-ever AgBot (agricultural robotics) competition was held in the US on Gerrish Farms, one of the oldest family-owned farms in Indiana. Hundreds of engineers, students, robot enthusiasts, and industry partners descended upon the nearby town of Rockville to watch teams demonstrate their inventions. “The need to produce food faster and easier is imperative; reliable labour is harder to find and wages are rising,” notes Agbot.ag. “While the agricultural sector has gradually migrated towards farming supervision based on site-specific crop management, the transition towards advanced robotics technology has been sluggish.” As a result, AgBot seeks to “integrate innovative technologies to improve observation, intervention, analytic and data storage in agriculture work methods.” The 2016 AgBot Challenge was to develop an autonomous crop seeder with specific capabilities. The competition…