Table of contents for 11 November 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

City dwellers for whom traffic, the performance-driven corporate environment, deadlines and hijackings are a daily reality, may find it hard to believe that a farmer’s job is more stressful than their own. Yet this is exactly what a recent survey conducted by mental wellness advocate, Pharma Dynamics, revealed to be true. According to the survey, farming is South Africa’s third-most stressful job, after being a pilot, which was considered South Africa’s most stressful job, and a hair stylist. We asked Farmer’s Weekly’s online community if they agreed with the survey’s findings, and an overwhelming majority confirmed that farming is indeed a highly stressful job. Some of the reasons for this may include economic pressures, such as the constant battle to manage very tight margins, operating in an unpredictable and volatile…

Keoreng Mangoenyane’s letter was titled ‘Young people must be encouraged to take up farming’ (FW, 2 September). Keoreng, who is from Thaba Nchu, is currently studying Business Management at the Motheo TVET College in his home town. He says that once he has completed his studies his dream is to start a business in the agricultural processing industry, in the hope of addressing the high unemployment rate among the youth in South Africa. When he is not studying, Keoreng enjoys exploring the mountains surrounding Thab Nchu with his friends.…

South Africa’s fresh produce value chain is concerned about the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ (DAFF) proposed inspections of fresh produce sold in South Africa, and the fees associated with these inspections. In a notice published in the Government Gazette on 14 October 2016, DAFF announced that it had appointed industry service provider, Product Control for Agriculture (Prokon), to conduct inspections on all fresh produce sold in South Africa. The notice also listed the proposed fees that Prokon would charge for conducting these. Category 1 fresh produce would be charged at 1,8c/kg, while Categories 2 and 3 would be charged at 1,6c/kg and 1,4c/kg respectively. Industry stakeholders were permitted to submit comments on the proposed fee structure from 14 to 31 October 2016. Derek Donkin, CEO of the SA…

TAU SA has negotiated an agreement with garage card and vehicle financing company Kiaranix to provide farmers with diesel at a reduced rate. “Addressing the cost component of the production process is a way to improve farm profitability,” Bennie van Zyl, general manager at TAU SA, told Farmer’s Weekly. The benefit would be available to anyone in the agricultural value chain. At this stage, only diesel bought from Shell and Engen service stations formed part of the scheme, and there was currently no arrangement to include mass deliveries to farms, Van Zyl said. According to TAU SA, farmers can save 70c/l on diesel with the new card, which can be obtained from TAU SA, while a discount of between 37% and 58% is offered on tyres and other products from…

South Africa needs more gourmet mushroom growers as the country is struggling to produce enough to meet consumer demand, according to Dr Adriaan Smit, managing director of the SA Gourmet Mushroom Academy. “At least one company is importing tons of gourmet mushrooms on a weekly basis just to meet the local demand,” he said. The local gourmet mushroom industry, which includes exotic, speciality and medicinal mushrooms, has grown rapidly in the past 15 years. In 2001, the industry was nonexistent but now holds about 6% market share, he said. “We need more commercial producers to change these statistics,” Smit said. Globally, gourmet mushroom production is worth US$9 billion (R122 billion) per annum. Smit said that anyone could grow gourmet mushrooms provided they had access to good quality substrate or growing…

The wool market traded slightly lower week-on-week, with the Merino indicator losing 1,1%, while the Australian market increased 0,6%. However, according to Cape Wools, the market was firm and held on to most of its recent gains, with the finer end of the market performing particularly well. Strong competition from the top three buyers boded well for the rest of the season, which was encouraging given the substantial quantities expected. According to James de Jager, fibre manager at the OVK/CMW Group, 99% of bales on offer were sold. “Although the move of wool prices on this week’s auction was mostly sideways in the wake of a stronger rand against the predominant exchange rates, the prices remain[ed] excellent,” De Jager said. Meanwhile, demand for well-grown wools with high tensile strength and…

The Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC) has noted an increase in the number of cases dealing with fresh produce market agent fraud. This, according to APAC registrar Lizel Pretorius, was partly due to more farmers becoming aware of the legislation governing the conduct of market agents and APAC’s role in regulating agents. “I’d like to stress that not all agents are fraudulent – 99% follow the rules of the Act [Agricultural Produce Agents Act]. Only 1% act unethically,” she said. Claims paid out per year were also low compared with market turnover. Turnover for the 12 months ending June 2016 had been more than R16 billion, while APAC had paid out R1,4 million in farmers’ claims, said Pretorius. To assist fresh produce farmers who had suffered financial losses as a…

Farmers in the Breedekloof Wine Valley in the Western Cape are facing a poor 2017 harvest after being hit by black frost. It is not yet clear whether it will also have an effect on the 2018 harvest. “It depends on the severity of the frost. If it is a case of severe black frost, where growth shoots freeze completely, it could have a possible influence on next year’s harvest,” Francois Viljoen, manager of VinPro’s consulting service, told Farmer’s Weekly. However, if the frost damage was moderate, the effect would be much less and vineyards would recover quickly, he said. According to Willie Burger of Badsberg Wine Cellar, few problems were foreseen for the 2018 harvest, provided proper vineyard management practices were applied. Badsberg Wine Cellar is situated near Rawsonville,…

Waxflowers exist only in pale pastel colours, and the more colourful hybrid species are often sterile. Australian flower breeders applied a protoplast fusion technique to combine the chromosomes of two species into one cell, thereby producing brightly coloured, fertile hybrids. FUSING NUCLEI The genus Chamelaucium, indigenous to southwest Western Australia, is a member of the Myrtaceae family, which includes five other related genera, including Verticordia. As most hybrids are sterile, hybridisation breeding efforts between species in Chamelaucium have been only partly successful. Australian researchers first began crossbreeding species in the Chamelaucium and Verticordia genera, but most of these hybrids were sterile and unusable for further breeding. The scientists then opted for the protoplast fusion method. Here, the wall of a plant cell is removed to produce a protoplast – a…

Farmers who offer agritourism services and products can learn much from Wilfred Chivell, owner and founder of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust. Situated in Gansbaai, the trust provides unique conservation and research programmes, and offers tourists the opportunity to go whale-watching. Wilfred does not own a farm, yet his general approach to tourism can be adopted by a farmer keen to set up or improve an agritourism venture. Wilfred says that the secret to the success of his business, Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Whale Cruises, is continual reinvestment in the business, as well as striving to create a more responsible tourism destination. “We actively operate responsibly with due care for the marine and terrestrial environment. We conduct ethical scientific research that contributes to the conservation of the species, create…

According to Bryan Silbermann, CEO of the Produce Marketing Association, the following are leading trends in the global fresh produce industry: • Ugly produce: There is a global movement to sell less-than-perfect fruit and vegetables to consumers at reduced prices. “Consumer response to this movement has been overwhelmingly positive. We need to educate more people that produce shouldn’t have to look perfect.” • Transparency: Consumers want to know who grows their food, and how it is produced, harvested and processed. “In the future, the only lasting competitive advantage will be extreme trust. Consumers are holding businesses to higher standards. Farmers must be proactively trustworthy, which means they should watch out for the consumer’s best interests even if the consumer is not paying attention.” • Buying local and organic: Locally grown produce has become…

POOR SPRAYING PROTOCOLS ON ONE FARM CAN AFFECT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT Even with the correct crop chemical, efficacy will be reduced if the spraying technique is not up to scratch. When using a systemic product, many farmers are lax about foliar coverage, believing that the chemical will spread throughout the plant and control the pest wherever it happens to be. The problem is that most systemic crop protection chemicals are translaminar – they can move within the leaf, but cannot enter the stems and be transported to other leaves or parts of the plant. Another difficulty with systemic products is that, even at the correct rate, distribution within the plant is not uniform. This contributes to bugs or pathogens building up immunity to the chemical. The survivors’ offspring will be…

ALWAYS USE A SPANNER RATHER THAN AN ADJUSTABLE OR MONKEY WRENCH Last week, we discussed the importance of carrying tools in your car. In today’s article, we have a closer look at what should be in that toolbox and how to use it… • Spanners A set of spanners is a must. Use the ring side of the spanner wherever possible – it causes less damage and is less likely to slip than the open-ended side. Use the latter only where a ring-spanner cannot grip the nut, such as on a fuel line or where space is a problem. A quality spanner is thin and the ring side is angled about 10° in side view, while the open end is angled about 15° in plan view. Cheap spanners are thick and…

 We should never forget that we are mere mortals, and therefore completely powerless without God. Jesus tells us in Luke 12:18: “So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’ GOD HAS NO PROBLEM WITH SUCCESSFUL FARMERS “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you’.” Who then would have those things that this man hoarded? If our foundations are destroyed, we have no future. We need to get back to God and realise how powerless we are without Him. If…

Paratus Telecom of Namibia has launched the durable, ultra-compact PEBL, which redefines the desktop PC, making it ideal for home offices, businesses, training centres and factories. Stood on its end, the PEBL is a mere 120mm wide and 120mm high – far smaller than the average PC tower. Yet it offers the power and performance of its bigger cousins. Mounted behind the monitor, the PEBL has an aluminium body with a plastic top and bottom cover. It has 8GB of RAM. There are currently seven models, each has a WiFi module, and the operating system is Windows 8.1 Pro. “It looks very nice insofar as its specs are concerned, especially the fact that it comes with a solid state drive,” says computer guru Bevan Hobbs at pcjunction.co.za. “This will make…

“There is no doubt that climate change affects food security, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) director-general, José Graziano da Silva. And what climate change does, he says, is to bring back the same uncertainties that humans experienced as early hunter-gatherers, because they can no longer be sure of harvesting the crops they planted. In ‘The State of Food and Agriculture 2016’, FAO warns that a ‘business as usual’ approach could put millions more people at risk of hunger than a future without climate change. Most affected would be populations in poor areas of sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia, especially those who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. Overhauling farming and food systems will be complex due to the vast number of stakeholders involved,…

CONFERENCES & EXPOS 9 NOVEMBER Subtrop Marketing Symposium, Emnotweni Arena, Mbombela. Phone Lizette de Wet on 015 307 3676. 16 TO 18 NOVEMBER 9th Interpera World Pear Congress, Franschhoek. Phone Thea van Zyl on 021 870 2900, or visit www.hortgro-science.co.za/ interpera-2016. 28 TO 30 NOVEMBER Africa Agri Investment Indaba, CTICC, Cape Town. Visit www.agri-indaba.com. COURSES & TRAINING 7 TO 9 NOVEMBER Artificial Insemination, Elsenburg. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208, or visit www.rltsafrica.com. 8 TO 9 NOVEMBER SA Stud Book Beef Cattle BLUP (English), Pretoria. Phone Elsa van der Bergh on 051 410 0900, or email elsa@studbook.co.za. 8 TO 11 NOVEMBER Introduction to Pig Production, Irene. Phone Annetjie Loubser on 012 672 9153, or email aloubser@arc.agric.za. 10 NOVEMBER Pregnancy Awareness, Elsenburg. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208, or…

TRANSFORMATION OCCURS MORE EASILY WHEN ALL CITIZENS ARE EMPLOYED “Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river” – Nikita Khrushchev. Last week, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan delivered his midterm budget speech. Despite many economists lauding his efforts to consolidate the country’s finances in a difficult economic climate, the rand plummeted almost 3% overnight. Regardless of the minister’s ‘hero status’, international banks and investors seemed to think he could have done more. Gordhan’s speech conformed to the ANC’s policies of promoting social transformation and more inclusive economic growth, which indicates that government’s fiscal policies are in line with its overall objectives. In trying to achieve these goals, Gordhan cites revolutionary African philosophers and ideas from liberalist traditions. This is characteristic of…

According to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), its environmental management inspectors (EMI) do not require warrants to inspect farms for alien invasive species (AIS). The DEA was currently conducting such inspections across South Africa. DEA spokesperson, Zolile Nqayi, said that Section 31K of the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA) permitted EMIs to inspect properties for compliance with environmental legislation. “In this instance, Chapter 5 of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 (NEMBA), read together with the Alien and Invasive Species Regulations [of] 2014 and accompanying species lists permits the EMIs to [conduct] these inspections,” said Nqayi. KwaZulu-Natal lawyer, Ian Cox, said that these lists contained 559 AIS, of which 379 were plants. However, he disputed the DEA’s view that “a warrant to conduct…

Increased pressure on the profitability of agribusinesses has forced the agricultural sector to become an early adopter of new technologies to improve productivity and profitability, according to PwC’s 2016 Agribusinesses Insights Survey. The majority of survey respondents (76,5%) said that artificial intelligence would make a major contribution to increasing farming capacity in Africa in the next 10 years. However, only 47% of businesses had already invested, or planned to invest, in artificial intelligence for primary production. This was due to the cost of implementation. The survey found that the availability of technology, such as real-time data and drones, was making the agricultural sector more precise and efficient as agribusinesses pushed for increased profits. Technology adoption rates in the sector were low, but increasing, according to Nuradin Osman, managing director of…

Tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta) also known as ‘Tomato Ebola’ could spread through all major tomato production areas in South Africa within a year. This was according to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), which has issued a detection warning for the disease in eastern Mpumalanga. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Jan Hendrik Venter, manager of early warning systems at DAFF, said that T. absoluta had spread through most of Africa within 10 years after initial detection in Europe. While adult moths can fly, larvae also spread in seedlings and infested tomato fruit. It recently caused havoc in Nigeria’s tomato crop. “However, farmers can control this pest by ensuring early detection and applying good production practices,” Venter said. The pest could be controlled by using cultural, chemical and biological…

Dr Vuyokazi Mahlati was recently elected as president of the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA). Mahlati, who is the principal consultant and co-owner of African Financial Group, is known as an expert in stimulating industrialisation in new industries. Among her many corporate achievements, Mahlati was appointed by President Jacob Zuma in September 2015 to serve her second term as National Planning Commissioner. She is also global director on the board of the International Women’s Forum, an independent member of the Industrial Development Corporation’s Agro-processing Competitiveness Fund, and a member of the Global Advisory Council of the Global Entrepreneurial Hub Network, amongst others. “Mahlati holds a PhD from the University of Stellenbosch. Her thesis focused on the role of value chains in mainstreaming rural entrepreneurs into global markets, and…

Favourable weather forecasts for the 2016/2017 summer crop production season have resulted in South Africa’s commodity crop farmers significantly increasing the areas that will be planted to maize and groundnuts. This follows the three-year drought that saw a major drop in plantings of these crops. The Crop Estimates Committee’s (CEC) ‘Intentions to Plant: 2017’ report indicated that, as of October, farmers intended to plant about 1 455 000ha to white maize, which was 43,4% more than the 1 014 750ha (3 253 775t final estimated harvest) planted to white maize the preceding summer. Farmers also intended to plant 1 008 000ha to yellow maize, which was 8,2% more than the 932 000ha (4 283 100t final estimated harvest) planted the previous season, and 33 500ha to groundnuts, which was 48,2%…

SA AGRICULTURE EXPORTERS CAN AGAIN LOOK FORWARD TO HIGH PRICES Global economic growth prospects will probably remain subdued for the next year. In South Africa, weak demand means that the economy is not producing to its full potential, while potential growth is also decreasing. Favourable monetary policy measures such as a low interest rate can stimulate growth by creating demand – but they cannot improve the potential for growth. According to the Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Review, this “requires a broader reform agenda” if we are to return to 3% growth. A developing economy ought to invest about 25% of its GDP. In South Africa, investment has decreased since 2013. Investment is dependent on domestic and foreign savings, but household and government savings are decreasing in the country. This implies…

THE FIRST STEP IS TO HAVE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD RULES IN THE WORKPLACE An employer’s property forms an integral part of the business. It is crucial for employees to recognise this and their responsibility in utilising it. Any loss, damage, misuse or waste thereof will inevitably incur expense, and is serious misconduct. Property can be physical or intellectual assets. Typical physical assets include equipment, machinery and company cars. Intellectual assets include company secrets, trademarks and patents. Should your property be lost or damaged by an employee, you are compelled to follow labour legislation. As the employer, you also have the option to report the incident to the police, although this is not a prerequisite for disciplinary action. An employer cannot dismiss an employee under any circumstances, even with valid reason, without…

Drip irrigation, and ultra-low-flow drip irrigation in particular, require careful management to ensure that crops receive enough water. Dr Eduard Hoffman, chairperson of the Department of Soil Science at Stellenbosch University, says one of the fears he has with this type of irrigation is that producers run too close to the red. “The problem is that producers are just supplying as much water as needed by the plant, but what if they make a mistake and fall behind, a pump breaks, or something happens that prevents the system from working? This includes windy conditions combined with a heatwave, when soil evaporation combined with plant water use exceeds the amount of water supplied by the low-volume drippers.” Gerrit van Zyl, sales and operations director at IrriCheck, agrees. “Ultra-low-flow drip irrigation can…

Mngcunube has implemented and monitored agricultural projects in the Eastern Cape, Free State and Lesotho since the early 1990s. It has been involved in various parts of the former Transkei, including the Alfred Nzo, Joe Gqabi, OR Tambo and Chris Hani district municipalities. The main focus has been on improving livestock production, with about 202 000 head of smallstock currently being handled in the former Transkei, while boosting household vegetable production is also a priority. Funding is received from various district municipal structures and the mining sector, including Sibanye Gold. According to Jack Blaker, the Mngcunube development model is currently being used by other development initiatives, including the Donald Woods Foundation in the Mbashe Local Municipality.…

A small-scale farmer recently told me that he supplied spinach to a client on contract, and sent his surplus spinach to the market. The trouble was that he did not always receive a good price there. If you use the market as a dumping ground, you will seldom get a high price. Here’s why: • You have not built buyer loyalty to your brand (name). • You are inconsistent and clearly not offering the best quality. • When you send lower-grade produce rejected by your main client to the market, the overall price is lowered. Your direct buyer uses that the next time he negotiates with you, and you end up accepting a lower price. • When the market is oversupplied, buyers will stick to the brands they trust. The…

Almost every time a sporting/working dog does what it is trained to do, it suffers a small injury. Most of these injuries are not readily visible, which can have serious consequences. For example, an unnoticed small hairline fracture of the hock (the area below the knee) can lead to a complete break at that spot on the next outing. In addition to being at risk from rabies, brucellosis and other diseases, working dogs can become infested with parasites when ‘going to ground’ in pursuit of jackal and other animals. They might also drink contaminated water. Always watch for changes in demeanour after a hunt or field-work. PRE-EXERCISE Before taking your dog on an outing: • Ensure that it has had ready access to clean water. Consider fortifying the water with…

To make tagliatelle with roasted tomatoes, pesto and chillies for four diners, you will need: 500g tagliatelle pasta A punnet of cherry tomatoes 2 big red chillies 20ml balsamic vinegar 30ml extra virgin olive oil 100g rocket 200g Parmesan cheese For the pesto: 2 cups basil leaves 60g pine or macadamia nuts 4 cloves garlic 150ml extra virgin olive oil Salt and black pepperto taste Let’s start with the pesto. This is a trusty friend in the fridge, ready to rev up a basic pasta meal. You can, of course, buy the commercial product but we’re cooks, aren’t we? Let’s make it ourselves. The benefits will be price, freshness and no mystery additives. Pick the fresh basil leaves from the stems, remove anything that moves of its own volition, rinse…

Gall bladder removal is a fairly common surgical procedure, yet with the right diet you can keep this crucial organ in good shape. The gall bladder is a little pear-shaped pouch tucked behind the liver; it stores up the cholesterol-rich bile secreted by the liver, helping the body digest fats and oils. Signs of possible gall bladder inflammation include severe pains in the upper right abdomen. This is more likely after rapid weight loss, taking oral contraceptives and if you have a food allergy. Diabetes and obesity are contributing factors. GOOD FOODS Fortunately, certain foods protect the gall bladder because they digest more easily, contain only natural fats and supply important nutrients such as antioxidants and fibre. Legumes (beans, peas), nuts, vegetables and fruit are ideal. Small amounts of healthy…

Biogas digester Earlier this year I won a Canon SX610 HS digital camera for my letter to the editor on land degradation in the Estcourt area of KwaZulu-Natal. When I received my prize, it was suggested that I submit some photos taken with the new camera. I recently attended the World Mountain Forum’s international conference in Uganda, where I was part of the group that delivered presentations on sustainable agriculture in mountains. We then visited the Kapchebut Elgon Farmers’ Association situated on the slopes of Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya, and I took a number of photos. The biogas digester pictured here is aimed at offering local households alternatives to collecting firewood from the nearby Mt Elgon National Park. Dr Sue Taylor, Research…

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT SA SOYA BEAN PLANTINGS WILL INCREASE 3% IN THE 2016/2017 SEASON The 2016/2017 global soya bean crop is anticipated to be the largest in a decade. Recent estimates by the International Grains Council suggest that global soya bean production for 2016/2017 could reach 332 million tons, a 6% year-on-year (y/y) increase. This follows a 2% y/y increase in global area plantings, which have increased to 123 million hectares. Average yield is also expected to increase 3% y/y to 2,67t/ha. MAJOR SOYA-PRODUCING COUNTRIES Countries in North and South America, particularly the US, Brazil and Argentina, are expected to drive this production uptick. The US is set to produce 35% – about 116 million tons – of the global soya bean crop. This would be a 9% y/y…

Organised agriculture has expressed concern that the proposed national minimum wage (NMW) could have widespread negative repercussions for the sector, as well as the national economy. The different parties on the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) are currently negotiating on stipulations of the NMW, in an effort to reduce the protracted annual labour strikes that take place in South Africa’s business sectors. According to Agbiz, the negotiations “have been, and still are, extremely tough and complex” and various studies had been commissioned on the potential impact of the NMW on business competitiveness, labour productivity, increasing unemployment, wage inequality, poverty, skills development, and casual versus permanent labour. “To date, business has believed labour’s demands to be totally unrealistic, given current labour productivity [levels] and labour unit costs. For the…

Four illegal immigrants from Malawi and Zimbabwe were recently sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, without the option of a fine, after being convicted of cruelty to donkeys. They received an additional two months for residing illegally in South Africa and will be deported after serving their sentences. Grace de Lange, NSPCA protection unit manager, said that Sougson Manasseh, Madhihwa Mjasha, Target Murima and Amoni Chirwa had pleaded guilty after their vehicle was intercepted by the Polokwane SPCA in late September. “The vehicle was travelling from Limpopo and apparently on its way to an abattoir in Randfontein, Gauteng, with 41 donkeys loaded on it. Adult males, females and foals were all in the same compartment with most of the animals in a state of collapse, crushed, dead or dying. The animals…

E CA Technologies Africa specialises in providing agricultural markets with eco-friendly cleaning solutions. The company manufactures water treatment solutions that are produced by passing salt and water through the envirolyte system, a patented electronic reactor, in a process called electrochemical activation (EA). The process produces anolyte and catholyte (trading as Eco-Lyte), powerful disinfectants that eliminate viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. ELIMINATES ALL PATHOGENS, YET LEAVES NO RESIDUE According to Rowan McDonald, chief technical officer at ECA, the EA process mimics the human body’s defence mechanisms. When a virus or other external organism enters the body, the body releases a compound chemical, hypochlorous acid (HOCl). This weak acid is a combination of water, salt and electricity. Eco-Lyte solutions also contain HOCl, and can thus be described as natural, anti-microbial solutions. Eco-Lyte…

CHANNEL INCOME THROUGH A COMPANY AND SPLIT IT AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS Based on Internet articles and other sources, here is a brief look at ways to avoid tax that may interest South African taxpayers. • Split income through a company The breadwinner, as a business owner, channels the business income through a company and then splits the income among key family members. This ensures that the tax threshold of the key family members is used. • Live on a ship If you are away from South Africa for extended periods, or are able to operate from various locations, you may avoid being deemed a ‘tax resident’. • Lorrow against estate-dutiable property to buy non-estate-dutiable property This works in the UK, but in South Africa the Estate Duty Act provides for very few non-estate…

Durban Fresh Produce Market has grown substantially over the past decade, from an annual turnover of R568 million in 2006 to R1,46 billion in 2016. The same period has seen an 11,46% growth in annual tonnage sold, plus an increase in suppliers, buyers and variety of fresh produce. All this is due to improved relationships between stakeholders, efficient management of facilities, and a commitment to excellent customer service. MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS During the past financial year, the market has invested more than R10 million in major infrastructural projects and improvements to ensure that its facilities are maintained in top-rate condition. These include: • The refurbishment of bulk cold rooms; • Upgrading the temperature monitoring systems for cold rooms on sales floors; • Re-sheeting the roof over the off-loading area; • Installing…

The DFM continuous logging soil moisture probe is a multilevel device that measures moisture content and temperature at six separate depths in the soil profile as well as the surface temperature. Salinity levels do not influence readings. The probe is defaulted to take readings at hourly intervals, but the user has the option of adjusting this. The probe can store up to 4 000 readings; at the hourly setting, this is half of the season. The probes can be installed either as a short-, medium- or long-range radio system. A short- or medium-range system can be upgraded to a long-range system by simply adding repeaters; the probes themselves do not have to be reinstalled or reprogrammed. The outer shell of the probe is constructed of rugged, UV-stabilised PVC and the…

Gauteng Grey Brahman Champions Contacts: Linde du Plessis: 083 700 8592 | Willie Becker: 082 903 5847 | Gerrie Roos and Derrick Louw: 083 324 0989 National PinZ²yl Champions Contacts: Toerien Family: 082 373 9100 | Eugene Cilliers: 082 333 7559 | Bertie van Zyl (Pty) Ltd: 015 395 2040 or 083 627 6899 (Paul Bester) | Igmar Bester: 082 839 5106…

Every new weed on your farm makes weed control more difficult and expensive. Usually, a new weed starts with one or two plants in a land and may not seem like a problem. If they are left to set seed, however, they will indeed become a problem in a couple of years. With this in mind, you should avoid the following two weeds at all costs. • Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) This becomes a permanent weed once established. A Brassica or member of the cabbage family, it grows fast and is a profuse seeder. If you find the odd plant in a land, remove it immediately. A plant seeded itself on my property and it took years of vigilance and early removal before it was no longer a threat. Shepherd’s purse…

MASSAGING THE LARGE MUSCLES AFTER A RIDE HELPS TO RESTORE CIRCULATION AND EXPEL TOXINS Spring is a glorious season for the riding fraternity, with long lazy outrides amongst pretty flowers and singing birds. Unfortunately, it’s also a time of allergies. When a horse is exposed to even a small quantity of allergens, the body releases antibodies, proteins designed to neutralise allergens. A battle then ensues in the body between the antibodies and allergens. If your horse comes out in a rash or hives (urticaria), it is experiencing an allergic reaction. The causes can include a change in diet or environment, or bowel bacteria. The latter is usually the most common cause. I cannot stress enough how crucial bowel health is. If a horse’s (or human’s!) bowel is sluggish and full,…

I am in the final stages of refining a large project comprising tourist cottages, as well as wedding and conference facilities, in the foothills of the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg. The styling throughout has been based on a Zulu village. The main cottage complex comprises 32 beehive-style units with easy access to hiking, biking and many other outdoor activities, a feature that is sure to attract local and overseas tourists. The venue will require strict security and access control. Shown in the sketch are the gate-control facilities and a craft centre where tourists will be able to purchase local curios. The great horns on the gate were inspired by the importance of cattle in Zulu culture, where they represent success and are a form of currency. Jonno Jonno Smith is a registered…

ROGUE by Johann van Loggerenberg & Adrian Lackay (Jonathan Ball, R270) This book recounts the latest move in one of South Africa’s longest-running, most destructive political battles: the SA Revenue Service (SARS) ‘rogue unit’ issue. Not surprisingly, current Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has one of the longest entries in the index. Van Loggerenberg and Lackay, the former SARS group executive and former SARS spokesperson respectively, have published as much of their tightly argued account as legal limits will allow. In the process, they have created an insider story worthy of a John Grisham novel. A FOX’S TALE by Chantell & Daryl Ilbury (Penguin, R230) Chantell Ilbury is the former teacher-turned-entrepreneur whose analysis of Clem Sunter’s High Road/Low Road scenario planning transformed it into the more pragmatic…