Table of contents for 04-Dec 2015 in Farmer's Weekly

I doubt whether there were many farmers – many South Africans in fact – who enjoyed seeing President Jacob Zuma chortle his way through his last parliamentary question-and-answer session for the year. There is very little to smile about when looking at the present state of the SA economy, which narrowly escaped sliding into a technical recession with a GDP growth rate of 0,7% for the third quarter of 2015. Worried and weary South Africans who are watching their crops and animals wither away in the drought, who cannot afford the latest interest rate hike or feed their families a healthy meal because of the current rate of food price inflation, and who cannot find jobs because growth in the local economy has basically come to a standstill, didn’t get…

The current drought in South Africa could send rooibos tea prices skyrocketing. According to SA Rooibos Council spokesperson Ernest du Toit, consumers are likely to pay almost 30% to 40% more for rooibos tea by mid-2016. Having received little or no rainfall during the important planting months of July and August, rooibos farmers in the Cederberg, Koue Bokkeveld and other regions of the Western and Northern Cape are expecting a poor crop. “Although it’s difficult to evaluate the true impact of the drought at this stage, we expect it to be significant. “Output losses can only be quantified between January and May next year once the final size of the harvest is known,” said Du Toit. Rooibos tea has gained international popularity as many consumers take advantage of its health…

A multi-million-rand partnership between government and the private sector is set to enable black women smallholder maize farmers to develop sustainable farming operations. The R20 million Women in Maize initiative between South African Breweries (SAB), the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), and Small Business Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, is one of SAB’s Go-Farming programmes aimed at addressing challenges faced by emerging farmers. The initiative seeks to support the development of emerging female-owned enterprises into sustainable entities supplying SAB, through access to finance, among other aspects. The first phase, targeting approximately 100 women, has already begun in Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, said Octavius Phukubye, SAB economic development manager. It was estimated that the project could deliver 16 000t of yellow maize to SAB, with the planting of yellow maize cultivars…

New Zealand-based packhouse technology manufacturer Compac has developed new sorting technology that will make it possible for packhouses to improve the accuracy of fruit grading. The technology, known as Spectrum, can take 500 pictures of a single piece of fruit as it passes through a machine at a rate of 12 pieces per second. Compac’s Mike Riley told news agency Fresh Plaza that the technology can help growers to conduct grading at high volume without compromising on quality or food safety. The software has undergone laboratory trials and is now being tested in the field. Should the results be positive, the system will be fully automated and implemented at various facilities early next year.…

No farmer in the Eastern Cape, commercial, or small-scale, was entitled to a cent of the almost R63 million that the province’s department of rural development and land reform had made available for drought relief. This was according to Dougie Stern, president of Agri Eastern Cape, in an interview with Farmer’s Weekly. None of the farmer associations in the province had yet applied for drought relief, he said. “The situation in the Eastern Cape is nowhere as bad as in the provinces that have been allocated drought relief at national level,” Stern said. “If this nearly R63 million forms part of the R220 million that was allocated nationally, it should be handed back immediately. It would be criminal to use any of that money, as conditions in other provinces are…

Colour-variant game numbers are up, but prices are down. This was according to Julie Hayward, Agricultural Economist at Absa, who was speaking about the game and hunting industries at the launch of Absa’s Agricultural Outlook 2016. Overall, game prices showed a supply and demand trend in prices, but with 2012 used as base year for colour-variant game, data showed that prices had decreased considerably since May 2015. Volumes, however, had increased drastically. Over a seven-year period, prices in the game industry had risen 300%, however. Another trend that emerged was that more high-value game such as buffalo, sable and roan were being hunted by international hunters than previously. In 2002, only 65 high-value animals were hunted by international hunters. This grew to 463 in 2013. Hayward said after speaking to…

Farmers’ association Afasa has welcomed the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) development of a vaccine for the dreaded tick-borne disease, heartwater. The vaccine would soon be available commercially. Heartwater was a serious disease that posed a risk to 5,2 million of the country’s 15 million cattle, 3,3 million of the country’s six million sheep, and five million of the country’s 25 million goats, according to Dr Misheck Mulumba, research institute manager at the ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute. The mortality rate of infected animals was up to 90%, he said, during his presentation on vaccine development at the ARC’s annual report launch held at ARC-Roodeplaat in Pretoria recently. The disease was controlled by antibiotics and the vaccine would be available commercially in 2016, according to him. Afasa president Aggrey Mahanjana said the ARC’s…

The following is a speech given by Afasa president, Aggrey Mahanjana, at the Swiss Farmer’s Union Congress 2015: “Agriculture, climate, food security and sustainable agriculture are inextricably linked. Even more so if we consider that population growth trends show that in 2050 9,2 million people will inhabit this planet. To feed them all, agricultural production must increase by 60%. “This increase in food production comes at a time when climate volatility, more frequent extreme weather events and temperature changes increasingly threaten the viability of agriculture and rural infrastructure globally. In addition to food, global demand for water and energy will increase, putting additional pressure on our natural resources and threatening the very ecosystems and biodiversity on which we rely. Climate change poses a myriad threats to agriculture, with a negative…

Corridor disease is an acute, tick-transmitted and usually fatal infection caused by the protozoan blood parasite Theileria parva. Infected African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) are the natural carriers of the parasite; they usually show no disease signs nor become visibly ill. The disease is also called buffalo-related theileriosis (Theileria parva infection) and buffelsiekte (buffalo disease) in Afrikaans. Buffalo calves in the endemic areas in which T. parva is present become infected shortly after birth when bitten by the brown ear tick (Rhipicephalus spp.). Most calves survive to become life-long carriers of the parasite. Infected brown ear ticks transmit the pathogenic micro-organism to both susceptible uninfected buffalo and cattle. Around 80% of cattle contracting the disease die, but whether survivors become carriers of corridor disease is uncertain. Cattle contracting corridor disease usually…

With the festive season nearly upon us, now is the time for employers to keep a watch on working hours, leave and productivity. Employers should know their rights and responsibilities in this regard. The regulations governing farm workers are stipulated by Sectoral Determination 13. LEAVE Employers should understand the legal requirements regarding leave. They also need to pay attention to managing labour risk proactively and curbing unnecessary costs. • Annual leave An employee is entitled to 21 consecutive days (excluding public holidays) of annual leave on full pay in an annual leave cycle (12 months). This can be calculated at one day of annual leave for every 17 days worked. An employer must grant an employee the annual leave accumulated in this cycle by no later than six months after the…

The Western Cape’s 260km-long Berg River is steadily being transformed from a wastewater furrow to a clean-running riparian corridor, and significant progress has been made in four years. In particular, infrastructure has been improved to treat wastewater in the catchment area, and 40km of the river have been cleared of alien vegetation, mainly red river bluegum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), for 30m on each side. This is according to Francis Steyn, sustainable resource manager of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s LandCare project. Asked to provide a background to the ambitious project, Steyn says that the average annual rainfall at the river’s source on top of the Franschhoek Mountains is more than 2 000mm. However, this figure declines to less than 200mm where the river reaches the Atlantic Ocean near Velddrif. Today,…

“It’s all about the business and economics of it at the end of the day. While it’s nice to be out here, it has to work,’’ says 28-year-old Aviwe Gxotiwe of Soutvleij farm near Somerset East in the Eastern Cape. “Your skin colour is not a guarantee. Performance is what counts at the end of the day.’’ Aviwe grew up in the communal areas of the former Ciskei before his father, Harry, received Soutvleij through the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) land reform programme. He stresses, however, that receiving the farm was a privilege and a significant opportunity. “I think in our country, and in particular the Eastern Cape, having this scale of operation under irrigation is quite rare for a young emerging farmer,’’ he says. “It’s an endeavour, which…

This week, we look at the pneumatic Solitair and a new way of planting seed speedily and efficently. 1 AZURIT PLANTER WITH DELTAROW Lemken’s DeltaRow placement system is a departure from the traditional approach of planting seed in a single row. Instead, it has staggered twin rows spaced 125mm apart. This, it is claimed, gives individual plants 70% more surface area for growth and ensures better access to water and nutrients. The Azurit seed driller allows maize, soya beans, sunflower and rapeseed to be sown with great precision and efficiency at up to 15km/h. Two residue wheels clear harvest residue and stones. A fertiliser coulter then places a fertiliser band precisely in the middle of the twin rows, while trailing packer rollers close the fertiliser furrow. Seeds are conveyed to…

In October 2013, South African energy minister Ben Martins announced that the government had approved mandatory blending of petrol and diesel with biofuels from 1 October 2015. This date has passed without further announcement, however, so uncertainty remains in the sector. Martins envisaged a five-year pilot phase aimed at achieving 2% biofuels penetration into the national liquid fuels pool. He noted that incentives such as a 50% rebate on the general fuel levy for biodiesel manufacturers and a fuel tax exemption for bio-ethanol producers had been insufficient to attract investment. Biofuels include bioethanol, which is produced from sugar and starch crops such as sugarcane and sugar beet. It also includes biodiesel, made from vegetable oils: canola, sunflower and soya beans. The government has excluded maize, South Africa’s staple food, from…

• Fracture A direct result of trauma, such as falling. Usually found in young horses. Pelvic fractures can involve nearly any section of the pelvic region. The minimum rest is nine months, but 12 months is usually indicated. Prognosis depends on where the fracture is in the pelvic area. • Dislocation The sacroiliac joint can be luxated (dislocated) or partially displaced. Usually caused by a fall or a twisting jump that ruptures a ligament or the joint capsule. A repetitive motion that stresses the joint will also cause dislocation. Relocation techniques are improving, but prognosis remains poor. • Sacroiliac ligament strain Occurs when the ligaments are strained or damaged. Prognosis is good and the rest period is six months. • Sacroiliac osteoarthritis A degenerative joint disease usually caused by trauma, repeated stresses or a…

Dear Jonno My wife and I want to build a retirement home on a 810m2 plot we bought recently in an estate in the Midlands. It must be a ‘Natal veranda’ farm-style house. Our problem is that, coming from a farm, we are used to a single-storey house where space is not restricted. Now we have to fit our house onto a property measuring 19,5m x 41m, leaving 2m on each side. The house can therefore be only 15,5m wide. This is a north-facing property that slopes at 7° from the road at the back down to a beautiful view of a dam in the front, with no houses between us and the dam. All access is from the road. We would like a large open-plan living area leading onto…

What I like about civil engineering Tony Murray’s enthusiasm for civil engineering runs through the pages of MEGASTRUCTURES AND MASTER MINDS (Tafelberg, R250). Here are what makes his discipline special for him: • Passes The experience of mountain passes first made me want to become an engineer when I was a small boy. • History I’ve always been interested in history and hope to introduce readers to the story and people behind some of SA’s biggest projects. • Risk Engineers aim to build a safe, sturdy construction, but most people think about us only if something goes wrong! • Heritage I’m delighted that the lighthouse at Cape Agulhas is being put forward as a world heritage engineering landmark. • Favourites I’ve spent most of my career as a municipal engineer, and I still love the…

Tax Advice Q Hello Peter We are considering the purchase of a cattle ranch in the Ganzi area in Botswana and are hoping that you could give us advice on the legalities of purchasing property in Botswana from South Africa. We currently run a stock farming operation in the north-eastern Free State and would like to expand the business by starting a branch in Botswana. I look forward to hearing from you as I am sure there is a lot we should be taking into consideration. William Whipp A Dear William When purchasing agricultural land in Botswana, there is always a bit of a question mark and no real certainty as ministerial permission is required in terms of the Land Control Act for such a purchase. Thus, please…

Turkey is one of the leading agricultural countries in the world and is self-sufficient in food production. It is the world leader in dried fig, hazelnut, sultana, raisin and dried apricot production. The country is one of the largest exporters of agricultural products in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Turkey’s agrofood industry recorded a US$5,6 billion (R78 billion) trade surplus in 2014. According to Turkey’s investment, support and promotion agency, its agriculture sector is vibrant because it offers incentives for agro-food investors. Support includes favourable regulations and tax structures, and competitive labour. The country also offers investment opportunities in fruit and vegetable processing, animal feed, livestock, poultry, dairy and aquaculture. About 35,5% of its land area is arable and 32% of its citizens are employed in agriculture.…

Farm property values are starting to flatten off. This was according to Ernst Janovksy, head of Absa Agribusiness, speaking at the launch of Absa’s Agricultural Outlook 2016. Janovsky said the annual 10% growth for farm property values had declined because of four trends. Firstly, the growth in fixed asset prices was expected to slow down because of the drought that caused lower yields. This meant producers were more cash-strapped. A weakening debt to fixed asset ratio was also hampering access to credit. “As far as credit goes, it’s tougher to negotiate (loans) and prices go up,” Janovksy said. There was also the expectation that the drought might continue, resulting in banks not putting more capital at risk. “We would rather wait to see if producers can get through this.” However,…

According to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Weekly State of Reservoirs, released on 23 November, dams and reservoirs countrywide have dropped between 2,4% and 7,3% in the past month: • Eastern Cape reservoirs: 76,8% from 79,2% in October. • Free State reservoirs: 63% from 69,7% in October. • KwaZulu-Natal: 56% from 59,9%. • Limpopo: 68,1% from 73,4%. • Mpumalanga: 66,2% from 72,7%. • Northern Cape: 69,2% from 75,3%. • North West: 49% from 56,6%. • Western Cape: 64,5% from 71,8%. In Gauteng, levels dropped from 85% to 80,4% but rose again to 81,5% following late-November rainfall in the province. Current dam levels compared with a year ago (in brackets) are as follows: • Gariep: 54,4% (71,2%). • Vaal: 53,8% (79%). • Sterkfontein: 93,8% (98,1%). • Pongolapoort: 51,5% (61,7%). •…

Although not currently benefiting from it, the SA government said that it was encouraged by the US Senate’s recent approval of the H.R. 2494 Global Anti-Poaching Act (GAPA). The GAPA is intended to have the US government support global anti-poaching efforts strengthen the capacity of partner countries to counter wildlife trafficking and designate major wildlife trafficking countries, among other anti-wildlife crime-related activities. Despite major poaching challenges in South Africa, the country did not fall within the GAPA’s targets for anti-wildlife crime support, according to the SA Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). However, DEA spokesperson Albi Modise told Farmer’s Weekly that the US government had already been supporting South Africa’s anti-wildlife crime efforts in other ways. “SA environmental management inspectors and other law enforcement agencies already benefit from law enforcement training…

South African smallholder farmers are said to collectively own 5,4 million head of cattle. Despite this, their output to markets is estimated at less than 15% of the total national output. However, there is potential to step it up to 40% by improving herd structure, productivity and off-take. The Nerpo Livestock Syndicate Scheme was launched to help South African smallholder cattle farmers successfully access mainstream red meat markets. These farmers are unable to access the market for the following reasons: • Small individual herds; • Poor productivity; • Limited entrepreneurial skills in livestock business; • Poor cash flow and limited access to development finance; • Limited access to appropriate technical and market information. The Nerpo Livestock Syndicate Scheme officially started on 1 October 2015. There are agents in the Eastern…

Worlwide, crop farmers are increasingly aware of the development of herbicide-resistant weeds. Since the advent of commercial agriculture, improper use of many herbicide products has led to a variety of weed species becoming ‘super weeds’. Weeds pose an array of threats to agricultural production and must be managed effectively to prevent more herbicide-resistant weeds from developing and spreading. Farmers Agri-Care, an agricultural knowledge and inputs supplier to KwaZulu-Natal crop farmers, is aware of the consequences of incorrect use of products such as herbicides. It has long supported the growing implementation of no-till cropping practices among KZN farmers. “The question of efficient weed control becomes hugely important as no-till operations cannot rely on mechanical means to control weeds,” says Jonty Ross, technical manager at Farmers Agri-Care. “The result is high reliance…

Recently, the US issued an ultimatum to South Africa’s trading authorities, giving them 60 days to resolve the outstanding issues that prevent US beef, pork and poultry from gaining full access to the SA market. If South Africa did not do so, the ultimatum demanded, the country’s participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) would be suspended and its agricultural exports to the US would no longer be tariff-free. According to the minister of trade and industry, the outstanding veterinary issues have since been resolved. Nonetheless, the incident highlights a certain vulnerability. AGOA was enacted by the US in 2000 and subsequently renewed until 2025. It provides access to US markets for exports from qualifying sub-Saharan countries. Qualification depends on a country working towards improving its rule of…

What sets the Namibian stud breeding industry apart? Livestock production here is practised under tough, semi-arid to arid conditions. The rainfall is low and highly variable, from 75mm in the southwest to an average of about 550mm in the north-east. Livestock is the mainstay of agriculture in the country. Commercial crops are grown in a small area – on about 2 000ha at the Hardap irrigation scheme close to Mariental in the maize triangle of Otavi, Tsumeb and Grootfontein. Livestock stud breeding isn’t a hobby in Namibia. To stud farmers, it’s their bread and butter, and an integral part of their livestock production. Their commercial herds are linked to their studs and it’s all managed as an integrated system. Nowhere in Namibia is the livestock stud a secondary industry that’s…

Just about every farmer would agree that crop rotation is a good thing – and the more diverse the crops in the rotation, the better. For this reason, we plant a root crop followed by a leafy crop followed by a fruiting crop followed by a legume. Right? Unfortunately, it’s not quite as simple as that. Let’s take an example where a farmer plants Swiss chard and follows this with carrots, which are not remotely related to Swiss chard. Then he plants a legume, beans, to contribute nitrogen to the soil. They are also unrelated to the other crops. Finally, he plants marrows. This diversity should, in theory, make this selection perfect for a safe rotation. The reality is that such a combination is a recipe for disaster. All the…

Despite the arrival of the computer-managed, fuel-injected engine, there are still hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of older cars fitted with a tried-and-trusted carburettor. And then there are the countless mobile power units on the farm. So the carburettor is here to stay, for the next few decades at least. Wynn’s Carb Cleaner is an aerosol cleaning product with an instant spray action that eliminates dirt and deposits in the air intake manifold, on the throttle valve and on all exterior carburettor parts. A strong solvent of petroleum distillates in the spray dissolves and removes gum, lacquer, hard deposits and other dirt effortlessly. APPLICATION Wynn’s Carb Cleaner is designed for cleaning the visible parts on the carburettor. It is easy to use. • Manual choke Switch the engine…

As I have often mentioned in the past, parasite infestation in your pet can cause blood loss and conditions such as anaemia as well as serious illnesses such as biliary. Parasites can also weaken the immune system, making your dog vulnerable to prevailing diseases, some of which are zoonotic and may affect you. It’s important to appreciate that most parasites will not disappear completely after your dog has been dewormed or dipped; a small percentage of resistant specimens may remain – and proliferate. In addition, many anti-parasitic remedies may kill only one life-cycle form of the pest. For example, dipping your dog to kill adult fleas will not kill the larvae that lurk in carpet fibres in your home and in the natural environment. Neither will it kill flea or…

I am a 51-year-old single, Afrikaans-speaking white male. I do not smoke nor drink. I am a Christian and would like to meet a God-fearing lady who loves the Lord. I like hiking, nature, woodwork and the beach. Please write with a photo. ONLY YOU, 1734 Ek is ’n 62-jarige blanke man, saggeaard, wedergebore en ’n ‘eenvrou-man’. Ek is opsoek na ’n dame tussen 60 en 62 jaar oud, wie nie ’n roker, drinker, vloeker, of ‘bedspringer’ is nie. Sy moet wedergebore wees, ’n ‘een-man-vrou’ wees, saggeaard, met streng sedelike norme, en rein voor God wil lewe. KEN JY JESUS, VAN KZN I am a young Christian lady aged 71. I am looking to meet a white, established gentleman between the ages of 70 and 80. He must not drink…

We serve a covenant-working God. In Hebrews 13:20, we are told that our God has made an everlasting covenant with you and me. But a covenant is a two-way agreement. You can ask any married couple; they had to say their marriage vows in front of the minister, their family and their friends. They made a covenant that they would not part company and remain faithful to each other in sickness and health, in poverty and prosperity, until death parts them. God does not tell lies. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” says Numbers 23:19. In short, what God…

Thanks to Google Maps, the world is at your fingertips. This app is one of the most powerful smartphone apps available today, with tons of information available at the swipe of the screen or push of a button. Google Maps was born out of a series of acquisitions by Google over the years and now offers millions of points of interest, satellite imagery, turn-by-turn navigation, traffic conditions and much more. As its name suggests, the street view option enables users to navigate effortlessly through street-level images of various cities around the world. In this way, you can view landmarks and your final destination at leisure before you set off, making the trip considerably easier. Google made this possible by purchasing Panoramio, a geo-location oriented photo-sharing website where photographs uploaded by…

To city dwellers, most of whom have lost touch with farm life anyway, drought means little more than the nuisance of not having water on tap. Generally, the current drought has not really affected them. But as competition for diminishing water supplies increases among all sectors – residential, industrial and agriculture – drought is set to take on a new importance for all. And it’s not going to be only about water. If the current devastating drought has anything to do with climate change, expect more of the same in coming seasons. Good rain will bring only temporary relief before the next crisis arrives. Then, looking at a worst-case scenario, one could soon see major changes taking place in rural economics and population dynamics. As farming, which is still the…

Joy Matshoge, MEC for agriculture in Limpopo, has come under fire for what the Democratic Alliance (DA) has termed “self-enrichment” after she applied for and received 51 Nguni cattle worth about R1 million from the provincial government. Matshoge received the cattle in two tranches from the Industrial Development Corporation Nguni Cattle Trust Strategy, a project aimed at improving the province’s livestock quality, according to DA Limpopo leader and agriculture spokesperson Jacques Smalle. Smalle told Farmer’s Weekly that Du Toitskraal, the farm on which the cattle grazed, was also leased by Matshoge from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. “The DA believes that development projects such as these should only benefit the disadvantaged poor and not the political elite,” Smalle said. “MEC Matshoge brazenly insists that she applied before…

Brazil has appealed to developed countries not to increase subsidies for its farmers. President Dilma Rousseff said that should subsidies go up, exports from developing countries would suffer. According to The Rio Times, Rousseff pleaded at the recent G-20 summit in Turkey, saying that this was important to safeguard the production and income of family farmers as they were responsible for the majority of food production in poorer countries. The recent strong depreciation of the Brazilian currency made prices of Brazilian agriculture products more attractive internationally. Brazil as a result increased the volume of exported products such as soya beans, poultry and iron ore. However, prices of these products fell by 50% on the international market during the first quarter of 2015.…

Of the 1 424 Communal Property Associations (CPAs) registered in the country, only 284 were complying with the government’s standards, according to the latest annual CPA report. Jeff Sebape, acting chief director of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, who presented the report in parliament recently, defined compliance as CPAs that updated their membership lists, had a valid constitution, held regular AGMs, held elections and submitted annual reports. He identified conflict between members of the CPAs as one of the biggest challenges faced by the associations. “This conflict usually centred on governance issues, accountability, financial mismanagement and lack of adherence to the CPA’s constitution,” he said. Phumuzile Ngwenya-Mabila, chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform, told Farmer’s Weekly that strife between CPA members not…

South African beef production is at a critical turning point, with consumption starting to exceed production. This means beef imports may increase in future. This was according to the Absa Agricultural Outlook 2016, released recently. According to the report, SA’s depreciating exchange rate would have a strong supporting role in keeping beef prices high. This also means that the beef market should be supported and that beef prices could trade at close to import parity. The weaker exchange rate would also support exports, affecting supply shortages negatively and placing more pressure on local prices. “South Africa is therefore experiencing capacity constraints as most of the natural resources for grazing are already being utilised, leaving little room to improve efficiencies,” the report stated. Beef imports from Brazil and the US could…

Omnia released its interim results for the past six months. CEO Rod Humphries told Farmer’s Weekly that the drought had yet to have an effect on business. “South Africa has lived with El Niño conditions for a number of years and farmers are used to late rain,” he said. “If they can get their crop into the ground they will.” Group revenue rose 2,2% to R7,76 billion (up from R7,59 billion in 2014) on the back of mixed results from agriculture, mining and chemicals. The agriculture division recorded strong revenue growth of 23,4% to R3,51 billion. Omnia was looking for opportunities in Tanzania and Kenya. But, Humphries said, expansion into Africa posed some challenges. “Ultimately, we need sensible, consistent agricultural policies that need to be followed in the long term.”…

year. He said that some farmers had lost millions of rands, harvesting and planting had become difficult and banks were withholding finance. Government had declared the Free State, Limpopo and North West disaster areas, and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development had made R114 million available to mitigate the effects of the province’s drought. Land reform had also contributed to the slump, Mahanjana said, with commercial farmers considering inveseting their money in other sectors. South Africa’s prolonged drought is among the factors responsible for the agricultural sector’s decline in growth, according to farmers’ association Afasa. The agricultural industry contracted by 12,6% in the third quarter of 2015, according to recent GDP estimates released by Statistics SA. The decreases in production of field crops including maize, sunflower and sugarcane,…

Empowerment company Amadlelo Agri (Pty) Ltd, which in partnership with local communities runs five commercial dairies in the former homelands of the Ciskei and Transkei and one in KwaZulu-Natal, honoured its managers at a recent awards luncheon in Hogsback in the Eastern Cape. The managers are responsible for more than 7 000 cows in total. The company, founded in 2004, is respected for its efforts in creating profitable black-empowered agribusinesses. It is owned by commercial dairy farmers from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (49,9%), empowerment company Vuwa investments (35,1%) and hundreds of farm workers (15%).…

Afasa and Nerpo members are asked to report the effects of drought on their farms to their local Nerpo office. Government has acknowledged the disaster caused by the drought and would roll out a disaster relief programme and make R220 million available for urgent agricultural needs. Accurate statistics are thus needed to quantify damage and devise a plan to prevent further damages and losses. Farmers are advised to be extra-cautious and raise their animals in line with their veld’s carrying capacity. Those who are able should provide additional feed and licks and consider reducing livestock numbers while animals remain in good condition. There are farmers who are already experiencing serious losses as animals continue to lose condition and are sold at low prices. Grazing in many areas in Limpopo had…

New technology can overcome vitamin A deficiency, from which thousands of children in Africa and Asia suffer. The deficiency leads to blindness and a weakened immune system, and can increase maternal mortality rates. There are three ways to increase vitamin A intake: artificially fortify processed foods and milled grains, turn traditional diets towards more nutritious foods, or enhance vitamin A levels in major staple foods though improved genetics. The third allows the consumer to benefit from foods on the market and from home-grown gardens. Researchers at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) in the US turned to potatoes, which are rich in vitamin C, potassium and fibre, but not in vitamin A. Carotenoids are a group of natural plant pigments that give yellow, orange and red colours to some fruits and…

Here’s what I believe should be on the wish list of South Africa’s taxpayers: • A tax holiday for people who take the risk to start a business, until a certain sustainable level of income is achieved. • That government takes the time to put itself into the shoes of entrepreneurs to see the damage it causes through excessive regulation. • Meaningful efforts to stimulate sustainable growth in the economy by cutting back, not spending. • Meaningful assistance to small traders, so that it is easy to set up a small enterprise and thus be able to support a family. • A ban on cross-subsidisation which sees a prudent taxpayer with a small family having to support the offspring of a person with a large family who relies on the…

RED BRAHMAN CHAMPIONS CONTACTS Andries Marx and Fanie van der Merwe 082 859 5896 Corrie Labuschagne 082 579 5479 GREY BRAHMAN CHAMPIONS CONTACTS Werner van der Merwe: 082 337 4213 Boesman Hattingh: 082 445 5460 Anton Loggenberg: 082 824 3517 Gerrie Roos: 083 324 0989 Gawie Coetzee: 072 262 7036 Llewellyn and Corrie Labuschagne: 082 579 5479…

A Boer goat doe in top condition can produce multiple kids. She has good maternal ability and will readily rear and nurture them, ensuring rapid growth to produce goats at marketable weight in the minimum time. A planned kidding season makes life easier. Kids can be born, weighed, tagged, vaccinated and otherwise managed as a group to reduce input requirements. However, kidding or post-kidding problems may still arise and a farmer must be able to manage them. Problems may arise with too many newborn kids crammed into a small paddock with their dams. A doe can easily lose contact with her kid, leading to possible rejection soon after birth. Here are some commonly asked questions: • When should I assist a doe? A first-kid doe may take longer to kid than…

Fresh produce markets have an interesting history. Go back more than 150 years and you’ll find a person called the market master who worked for the local municipality and also sold farmers’ produce by auction. The farmers would be paid by the municipality. After a while, farmers (and buyers) began asking for more and better services. The market master could not keep up – nor was he motivated to, being a municipal employee – so farmers appointed an independent person that they could trust to look after their ‘market interests’. In time, this person took over all the sales functions on behalf of the farmers and became a market agent. The market master then focused on managing the market facilities and being an auctioneer. • History lesson one Municipal employees, no…

Most horse owners would associate the word ‘lameness’ with legs and hooves. Unfortunately, lameness can also come from higher up the skeleton – namely, the pelvic area. This form of lameness is not very common, but it’s important to know what to look for. The good news is that due to improved diagnostic tools, the prognosis for pelvic problems is much better than before. As pelvic injuries often result from trauma, they can affect horses of any breed, gender, age or discipline. However, they are more common among young untrained horses, which are susceptible to falls during training. Also at higher risk are performance horses at the upper levels of their sport, particularly those in high-stress disciplines such as jumping, dressage, reining, and Western. These animals experience more wear and…

To make this island curry for four, you will need: • 4 chicken drumsticks• 4 chicken thighs• 4 chicken wings• Canola oil on demand• Extra virgin olive oil on demand• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves• 5 sprigs fresh thyme• 1 generous onion• 1 level teaspoon saffron• Robertson’s Cayenne pepper• 3 cloves garlic• 1 can chopped tomatoes• 500ml chicken stock This recipe was given to my daughter Rachel by a fellow teacher who comes from Reunion island. It is all about rubs. Instead of mixing the masala into the stock the way we do it here in Durban, use your bare hands to massage the herbs and spices into the skin of the raw chicken pieces. Begin with a little extra olive oil. Then rub a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, a little salt and some freshly chopped fresh thyme into the oiled chicken skin.…

If you have ever suffered from kidney stones, it may be worthwhile to consider some adjustments to your diet to avoid getting them again, according to Herbal Drugstore. Generally, men are twice as likely as women to suffer from gallstones. Most stones consist of calcium, while some are uric acid- or struvite-based. The main causes are an imbalance of water, calcium oxalate, uric acid and phosphate in the urine, a pH imbalance, or dehydration. Overuse of antacids may also contribute to the formation of kidney stones. Alkaline foods help to normalise the pH of urine because they raise the level of citrate – which helps to block formation of stones – and mineral potassium in urine. Fresh or canned orange juice is high in both. GET ENOUGH FIBRE To avoid…