Table of contents for 18-Dec 2015 in Farmer's Weekly

South Africa was treated to a taste of Chinese propaganda with President Xi Jinping’s visit earlier this month. Local newspapers were flooded with paid-for editorial, with one newspaper selling its cover section to the Chinese. Although this practice is not unheard of, few advertisers can afford such a cost, and it shows how serious the Chinese are about doing business in Africa. That editorial painted a picture of a benevolent brother willing to share its expertise and technology with its infant sibling, lend it some money and guide it to maturity. In return, South Africa came across as a hero-worshipping toddler eager to emulate its big brother. No one can deny that China has been good to us, pumping billions of rands into the country and now promising R94 billion…

Farmer’s Weekly’s regular contributors often receive questions from our readers. In this column, we publish those questions and answers likely to be of general interest to our readers. Vegetable Production Q Dear Bill I read your article about fertilising cabbage before planting. You stated that one should mix about 50g of LAN in 8 l to 10l of water and apply it to 2 000 seedlings to assist with plant vigour, etc. I would like to ask if this can still be done after the seedlings have been removed from the seed trays. As I purchase my seedlings from a nursery and do not grow them myself, I would not be able to apply this solution while they are still in the trays. The seedlings are removed from…

The wool market traded 3,2% higher and the Cape Wools merino indicator closed at R139,72 for the 11 981 bales on offer, while the Australian market lost 0,2%. Traders said the firm demand for wool simplified trading and supported the price increase. According to Cape Wools, a large quantity of wool had now been traded before the festive period while the solid demand for the better-quality long wool was encouraging. “The second-last auction of 2015 realised excellent prices in the wake of a weaker rand but also thanks to stiff all-round competition,” said CMW’s James de Jager. Wool of 18,7 microns and finer sold for 2,6% higher while wool of 19 microns to 23 microns also gained 3%. Medium wool, as well as short wool of 18 microns and finer,…

The wine industry should begin reviewing global markets, given that China was likely to replace the US as the world’s largest economy by 2030 in market exchange rate terms. This was according to the recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) SA Wine Industry Insights Survey 2015. The survey and the latest research, completed as part of the Wine Industry Strategic Exercise, recognised that China was South Africa’s greatest growth opportunity for wine exports, followed by Africa. “However, to tap into these global market opportunities, the wine industry will have to ensure that it thoroughly understands the consumer segmentation and demographic order that comes along with global demographic changes,” Frans Weilbach, PwC agribusiness industry leader, said in the report. Although a few SA wine businesses expected an upturn in current market conditions in the…

The state of Kochi in southwest India is facing a shortage of apples after authorities announced that imports would be restricted to only one port: Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai. Global fresh produce news website, freshplaza.com, reported that this was aimed at protecting India’s farmers from cheap imports from the US, China, Australia, New Zealand and Italy. Authorities in the Indian state of Kochi said this restriction would raise the price of apples. If imports were allowed only at Nhava Sheva Port, it would become costly to transport them to other parts of India. Nearly 200 containers (about 4 600t) of apples arrived at Kochi Port between 1 January and 31 August 2015.…

Total income earned by the SA agricultural sector increased by more than 10% year-on-year from 2013 to 2014. Earnings for the commercial farming sector for 2014 amounted to R203 billion, compared with R192 billion earned in 2013, according to a recent agricultural survey released by Statistics SA. The growth in income could be ascribed in part to an increase in agricultural exports to other African countries. Roelof Botha, economic advisor for PricewaterhouseCoopers, said research that he had conducted for Investec on SA trade with sub-Saharan Africa showed that over the past five years exports from South Africa to the region had grown by 15% to 30% per year. In 2013 and 2014, South Africa had a trade surplus for primary agricultural exports to Africa of R39 billion, an all-time record,…

Continuing drought and heat wave conditions across much of South Africa added further pressure to agriculture machinery sales in November 2015. An industry observer organisation said that these weather conditions would have “far-reaching consequences on the agricultural machinery and food production industries” in the country. The South African Agricultural Machinery Association (SAAMA) said that the November 2015 new tractor sales of 385 units were 20,1% down on the 482 units sold in November 2014. Year-to-date November 2015 new tractor sales of 5 427 units were 11,3% lower than the 6 116 units sold for the year-to-date November 2014. While new combine harvester sales of 10 units last month were 9,1% down on the 11 units sold in November 2014, the 206 combine harvesters sold nationally for the year-to-date November 2015…

Biofuel production in the US had more than doubled since 2009, according to the US Department of Agriculture. In contrast, the industry in South Africa is still struggling to find its feet. The US will have to produce 909,22 million litres of cellulosicbased biofuel in 2016, seven times more than the 2014 volume, according to the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) latest volume requirements. The volume for advanced biofuel is required to grow by 35% to 4,55 billion litres, while total renewable fuel to be used for transport is required to grow by 11% to 8,18 billion litres. Biomass-based diesel production was expected to reach 9,09 billion litres by 2017. Jane McCabe, acting assistant administrator for the US Environmental Protection Agency, described the biofuel industry as a US success story. “The…

Farmers in Botswana are deeply concerned that the farming industry in the country is failing to cope with the current drought, which is expected to continue well into the 2015/2016 rainfall season. Commercial farmer Ephraim Gopolang said that farmers in the country faced a financial crisis and the majority could not afford to continue repaying loans, servicing farm machinery and budgeting for fuel and other inputs for this year’s planting season. Another farmer, Kgaupe Rakereng, suggested that the National Development Bank (NDB) defer loan repayments and confiscation of farmers’ properties. “Livestock is dying and the costs of animal feeds are very high,” he said. Minister of agriculture Patrick Ralotsia has meanwhile indicated that government is considering negotiating with the NDB to do just this until November 2016. He said that…

As taxpayers in South Africa, we can rightly complain about money being wasted by the state. Open any publication, financial or otherwise, and some example of government wastage will be there to raise your blood pressure. But this should not detract from the fact that it is much easier to work with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) as a tax-gathering organisation than it is with most other tax authorities in the countries to the north of us. Often, when disputes are settled by judges in the tax courts or the High Court of South Africa, the Commissioner of SARS is told to go back, raise new assessments and get on with things. And he does. Not so in other jurisdictions. In certain African countries, and I speak from personal…

UK potato producers seem to have had a rough ride over the past few years. Tell us about this. UK potato consumption, especially of fresh potatoes, has dropped by almost a quarter since the 1990s. With the credit crunch, consumers became more aware of food wastage and started favouring produce with longer shelf-life such as rice and pasta. Our best clients are also a dying generation. Where older citizens had a bag of tricks to turn a potato into a feast, the younger generation favours more Continental diets that include pizza, pasta and curries with rice. It’s also quicker to cook pasta than a potato, something that appeals to this generation, which places a high premium on time. In addition, we have to deal with dieting fads, where people are…

RAMAGNOLA CHAMPIONS CHAROLAIS CHAMPIONS CONTACTS: Andreas Wiese and Babette Stöck +264 81 297 5532 Bertus Calitz +264 81 124 9026 Piet Coetzee +264 81 124 2242 CENTRAL SIMMENTALER CHAMPIONS CENTRAL SIMBRA CHAMPIONS CONTACTS: Stephan Voigts +264 81 124 4430 René Kraft +264 81 149 2535 Bertus and Dewald Walters +264 81 127 0300 Charles Urib +264 81 124 3004 Hardus and Ansie Breedt +264 67 232 621 or +264 81 245 6624 Diethelm and Katja +264 62 682 115 CENTRAL LIMOUSIN CHAMPIONS CENTRAL BRAHMAN CHAMPIONS CONTACTS: Johan Faber +264 81 129 0186 Eandro Lottering +264 81 419 9299 Ace Kavari +264 81 497 3712 Cobus van der Merwe +264 81 272 3540 Ernst Amanda and Hueston Groenewaldt +264 81 129 8812 SUSSEX CHAMPIONS BREEDPLAN BULLS CONTACTS: Cobus van der Merwe…

Italian consortium Unifrutti has been farming in Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape since 1998. In 2004, after considering whether to produce citrus for export to the US, it bought the 2 200ha farm a short distance inland from Elands Bay. Here, the company grows citrus and table grapes on 151ha. The area under cultivation is limited by the availability of irrigation water. SANDVELD CITRUS • Production cycle Simon Baty, farm manager and in charge of the citrus operation, recalls that the navels which were planted initially were unsuccessful in the arid Sandveld. “But we found that lemons, Clementines, mandarins, Midnight Valencias and Late Valencias did well. So we are in the process of topping many of the citrus orchards to some of these varieties. Ultimately, we plan to have 170ha of…

The many tractors on display at Agritechnica Expo 2015 in Hanover, Germany, come from a wide variety of countries. More than ever, design, manufacturing and distribution are globally cooperative ventures between companies. 1 ARBOS 7260 The Lovol Arbos Group is the result of collaboration between Italy and China. The model seen here is powered by a Deutz six-cylinder 7,1-litre engine rated at 191kW. All models in the range are manufactured in China. 2 ArmaTrac 504e Founded in 2003, Erkunt Tractor was the first company in Turkey to design and build its own tractors rather than manufacturing licensed versions of international brands. Since 2007, the company’s tractors have been exported under the ArmaTrac brand name. The 504e seen here is a 4WD tractor powered by a 36,9kW Perkins engine. 3 Basak…

‘Autonomous’ is the motor industry’s term for driverless cars, trucks and tractors. These vehicles can sense their environment and navigate without human input. They have been much in the news lately, and according to their developers, will offer many benefits: • They will make driving easier, allowing people to be more productive; • By communicating with their environment and other vehicles, they will identify the optimal route at the time, make better use of road space and reduce congestion. ‘Connected vehicle’ technologies will provide more consistent journey times. Vehicles could also communicate with traffic lights and other roadside infrastructure to minimise fuel consumption and emissions; • Autonomous vehicles will cater for people who do not have a driver’s licence, are disabled, or have been judged unfit to drive because of…

As I write this column, I look out the window of my prayer room and see that everything is beautifully green and the fields are saturated with moisture. Last night, we had our first real rain in this area and I give thanks today to our Almighty God for His providence and generosity. A man of God once said: “Gratitude makes even a temporal blessing a taste of Heaven.” We need to learn to be thankful for what we have and not to always be looking for the things we don’t have. This is an attitude of mind and it has a direct effect on our emotions and character. A thankful man is a good man to be around. OUR LORD HAS SET THE EXAMPLE FOR US If we look…

TASTE THE LITTLE KAROO by Beate Joubert (Struik Lifestyle, R285) Proudly South African seekers of rural outposts love the Little Karoo, thanks partly to clever Route 62 marketing. Joubert has the right credentials to create this book – she lives on a farm near Barrydale and has learnt her trade in restaurants and wine cellars across South Africa, California and Europe. Her boere tapas include mealie fritters with bacon and Camembert, while her phyllo-wrapped Little Karoo venison parcels come with quince jelly. Puddings range from cranberry bread pudding to tarte tatin. Stunning landscapes complement the food photography, stimulating your wanderlust as well as your tastebuds. SPRINGBOK RUGBY QUIZ by Pierre Francois Massyn (Penguin, R180) Ex journalist Massyn calls himself ‘the world’s number-one rugby fan’, and this fascination and his in-depth…

Sharon Schaffhauser: The soil is our seasonal storage bank. In autumn, the leaves fall and while the trees doze in winter, the compost is adding nutrients to the soil for uptake in the spring. So instead of removing the compost, allow it to do its job as Mother Nature intended and feed the following year’s new crop. No-till farming or permaculture is a better and more economical way to grow crops organically. This repairs the soil and enhances the nutrient bioavailability in our food. Gareth Mare: The article ‘Cloudy on climate change’ (FW, 27 November) refers. I was very disappointed to see Farmer’s Weekly publish conspiracy theories, instead of true science, relating to climate change. Your environmental specialist may hold a qualification, but this pales into insignificance next to those…

A smaller offering of mohair (89 974kg) and poorer quality compared with the previous sale resulted in the final sale of the year closing 3% weaker on R217,89/kg, but with a 100% sales clearance. “Overall, the winter season delivered excellent results, with the closing sale up 18% from the opening sale of the winter season and 16% higher than the corresponding sale of the 2014 season. The average market indicator for the 2015 winter season was also 10% higher than 2014 at R197,68/kg,” said Deon Saaymen, CEO of Mohair South Africa. “Although auction volumes were slightly down from 2014, it’s expected that production will show a slight increase for this year,” Saaymen added. Compared with the previous sale, prices were as follows: kids (winter) unchanged, young goats (winter) up 3%,…

Small-scale farmers in northern Mozambique could lose their livelihoods if a plan to establish large-scale soya production in a remote area near the Malawian border is implemented. A joint venture (Agromoz) between the Amorim Group owned by Portugal’s wealthiest family and Intelec, owned by former Mozambican president, Armando Guebuza, obtained a government concession in 2012, to farm soya beans on 10 000ha. A colonial-style scramble was underway for Africa’s farmlands, according to Mozambique’s National Farmers’ Union (UNAC) and GRAIN, an international nonprofit organisation that, according to its website “works to support smallholder farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems”. Politically-connected companies based in offshore tax havens had ‘grabbed’ hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland from rural inhabitants in Mozambique, according to a GRAIN…

A recent UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report indicated that natural disasters in developing countries between 2003 and 2013 had caused at least US$80 billion (R1,1 trillion) worth of damage to the agricultural sector. According to Skynews in Australia, these losses amounted to 333 million tons of grain, pulses, meat, milk and other commodities. This had reduced the available calorie intake for people in developing countries by an average of 7% after each disaster. FAO statistics showed that the number of natural disasters between 2003 and 2013 was doubled that of the 1980s. More than a third of developing countries had suffered three or more extreme weather events over this period. Asia suffered the greatest loss in value terms of US$48 billion (R692 billion). This, however, represented only 2%…

The distribution of the R60 million recently allocated by government to assist KwaZulu-Natal’s drought-stricken livestock farmers has been beset by problems. Reports received by Farmer’s Weekly have indicated that the funds were woefully inadequate and distribution had been hampered by corruption, with the process being abused by those who were not bona fide farmers. According to sources, the R60 million had been allocated pro rata to various KZN districts based largely on loose estimates of the number of farmers in each. In many cases these numbers had been grossly underestimated, resulting in livestock owners from one district having to go to another to try to source the support. A commercial farmer in the Winterton/Bergville/ Ladysmith area said he had seen thousands of applicants lined up outside the premises of some…

Government plans to impose carbon taxes from 2016 in a bid to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020 and 42% by 2050. This is according to the draft carbon tax bill, released for comment in November. While the local agricultural industry would be exempt from these carbon taxes for at least the first five years, taxation on liquid fuels, such as petrol and diesel, as well as electricity, would indirectly affect the industry. Dawie Maree, head of agriculture, information and marketing at FNB, said taxation costs would be carried over to consumers. “Since almost everything that farmers are involved with, from fertiliser to packaging material, is somehow related to fuel or energy prices, it only makes sense that the taxation of these inputs would drive up production…

The International Fertiliser Industry Association (IFA) said it was committed to reducing fertiliser-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This was as world leaders converged in Paris for the COP 21 climate conference, aimed at seeking solutions to combat the effects of climate change. Fertiliser played a critical role in maximising crop yield, as the world was faced with the ever-increasing demand for food, the association said in a media statement. Global agricultural output would be reduced by 50% without the use of mineral fertilisers, according to the IFA. Fertiliser manufacturers across the world had been taking “substantial measures to reduce their carbon footprint and continually strive to improve their energy efficiency”, the IFA said. Adam Mostert, CEO of the Fertiliser Association of Southern Africa (Fertasa), told Farmer’s Weekly that it supported…

Opposition political parties in Botswana are concerned that citizens cannot take full advantage of value chain and job opportunities in the beef industry due to the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) holding a monopoly over beef exports. Commenting on the recent 2015 State of the Nation Address (SONA) by Botswana President Ian Khama (Botswana Democratic Party), Duma Boko, leader of the opposition party Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), said that according to the Botswana Meat Industry Act, the state-owned BMC was the only entity allowed to export beef and related products. Another UDC MP, Noah Salakae said that while Khama chose to disregard the beef sector, an economic mainstay of farming households in Botswana, the reality was that many people were suffering from poverty because of the BMC monopoly. “Only eight-and-a-half…

Consumers are inundated with news coverage on modern biotechnologies, much of it focusing on potential risks. A study by French scientists, for example, alleged that GM maize causes cancer. The rats used in the study had been bred to be cancer-prone, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) rejected its claims as it “was not scientifically sound and contained serious defects”. Biosafety agencies in five EU countries agreed. The authors admitted that the sample was too small to derive conclusions and the article was withdrawn. Globally, about 90% of animal feed comes from GM crops. The EU annually imports 33 million tons of soya, and most of it is GM. International news publication, Forbes, recommended an extensive article based on decades of studies, pre-biotech and post-biotech, on animal feed for…

There is no quick fix for energy savings. Energy efficiency requires buy-in from everyone on the farm, a mindshift in management approach, and constant monitoring to ensure that whatever system you have in place, stays in place. As always with energy management, start with the basics. A simple SOS (switch off something) programme is a good way to save, and will help to foster an awareness of energy saving and efficiency on the farm. A kilowatt hour not consumed is a kilowatt hour saved. ENERGY-HUNGRY SYSTEMS Maintenance of energy-hungry systems is as important for energy efficiency as it is for ensuring system reliability. Too many farmers are reactive when it comes to maintenance. “Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke,” they say. However, maintenance should aim at ensuring that your…

The mohair industry’s vision is to establish commercially viable Angora goat operations, says Bongani Ndhlovu, the Mohair Empowerment Trust’s development officer. “To achieve this, we need to work with the right people. Remember you don’t invest in a property, but rather in people.” Significant effort has therefore been made to select the correct beneficiaries for the trust’s BEE operations in Somerset East and Graaff-Reinet, he explains. Selection is based on candidates’ passion, skill and potential to become sustainable commercial farmers. FIRST BENEFICIARIES It was these characteristics that Bongani says drew the trust to cousins Linda and Simphiwe Fani on the 4 495ha Doornrivier farm awarded to Linda through the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) land reform programme in 2012. Today, the farm is home to 134 crossbred beef cows (on…

Last week, I described how the high mineral content of borehole water could cause mineral build-up on leaf surfaces, with consequences for the application of chemicals. This is not the only potential problem, though. Mineral accumulation on the leaves can kill young carrot seedlings, especially if salt is part of the mineral content. I have also seen this with Capsicum plants (chillies and peppers). Young transplants are especially vulnerable. In my experience, this problem is solved when farmers convert to night irrigation. One client who used micro-irrigation on his peppers found that the plants were burnt and stunted. I noticed a white accumulation on the tender new growth and suggested that he change to drip irrigation. He did, and the plants grew beautifully. The sodium level was not high enough…

In 1913, William Stanley Jr combined the strength of steel with the efficiency of vacuum insulation – and the remarkable all-steel vacuum flask was born. Since then, the Stanley flask has become something of a legend, and is probably still the finest vacuum flask available for outdoor use. It comes in two sizes (1l and 1,9l), is made from solid stainless steel and has a classic hammer tone finish. The Stanley’s combination of features makes it stand out amongst its competitors: • Double wall vacuum insulation to keep the contents hot or cold for 24 hours. • An insulated leak-proof lid doubles up as a drinking cup. • Far more robust than the glass-lined vacuum flask. • BPA-free. • No liner or coating. • A heavy duty handle. • Rustproof…

The occasional use of registered dog dips and medicated anti-parasitic shampoos is not detrimental to a dog’s health, in my considered opinion. I do feel, however, that regular dipping or the use of spot-on applications could be harmful in the long term, as these chemicals are absorbed into the skin. I have yet to find any major scientific studies that support this contention. But to my mind it stands to reason, as the remedies are made of toxic substances. At any rate, there is a growing fraternity that subscribes to using natural or homeopathic remedies to control parasites. While I do not believe that many of those I list here will kill parasites outright, I do feel they will go a long way towards repelling them and thereby controlling their…

To cook guinea fowl for four lovers of the great outdoors, you will need: • 2 guinea fowl, plucked, cleaned and ready to cook• 20g butter• 150ml Old Brown sherry• 350ml dry red wine• 8 big brown flat-topped mushrooms• 1 punnet of button mushrooms• 3 large red onions• 200g streaky bacon• 4 sprigs fresh thyme• Freshly ground black pepper• 1 bunch parsley• 2 cloves garlic Cut the guinea fowl into these portions: drumstick and thigh in one piece, wing and a third of the breast, the rest of the breast, the back. Crush and peel the garlic; peel and thinly slice the red onions; finely chop all the parsley. Select a large casserole pot with a fitted lid. Melt the butter within it at a low heat, taking care not to burn it. Add a few portions of guinea fowl, raising the…

The main reason psyllium assists with bowel movement is that it is made up almost entirely of hydrophilic fibre. This means that as it gets absorbed in the digestive tract, it attracts a lot of water, which adds firm yet pliable mass to the stool. This can help to stimulate peristalsis by providing the colon muscles with bulk to work on. The way to take it is by measuring one to two tablespoons into a glass of fruit or carrot juice. Start with one tablespoonful once a day, preferably on an empty stomach. Stir it in quickly until it is mixed; the fibre swells out rapidly until it becomes an almost solid mixture with a jelly-like texture, which is not unpleasant to take. THE RESULTS It will take a few…

The man who would give us Jock of the Bushveld was born in King William’s Town on 24 July, 1862, the eldest son of James FitzPatrick, a Supreme Court judge, and Jennifer (neé FitzGerald), both from Ireland. Christened ‘James Peter’, he was always known as Fitz or Percy by his own choice. His early education commenced at Downside School near Bath in Somerset, England, and ended at St Aidan’s College in Grahamstown. The outdoor-loving youngster was keen on swimming, cricket, tennis and boxing, and believed from an early age that life should be enjoyed to the full. By the age of 17, FitzPatrick had grown into a strong young man with a ready wit. Idle about school work, he failed the entrance exam at Cape Town University and joined the…

At last, South Africa is to end punitive duties on US chicken and renew imports under an agreement reached between the two countries. Had turkeys been part of the discussion, I wondered? Thanksgiving in the US accounts for most of them, but our supermarkets seem full of the sacrificial birds, wrapped in the Stars and Stripes. We bought one for Christmas last year, frozen to the consistency of a cement block. It took days to thaw, and I decided there and then to stop buying imported turkeys and breed my own instead. A few days ago, timed to perfection, my three turkeys were ready for the chop. There had been a downside: my chickens had shared their coop with the growing turkeys, which robbed them of their food. They had…

Another cracking edition of Farmer’s Weekly, full of good things. I do love the philosophy of ‘this too shall pass’ [in the Editor’s letter]. Rather what we all need in these trying times, I think. So, congratulations and keep up the good work. Ralph Nickerson, Serowe, Botswana The writer of each month’s winning letter will win a Canon SX610 HS! The Canon PowerShot SX610 HS has an 18x 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. Intelligent IS ensures each shot is crisp and clear. Once captured you can start sharing your images and Full HD Movies to your smartphone and tablet with a single touch using integrated Wi-Fi…

Research shows that stress plays a huge role in the health of farmers. While each type of farming presents its own stressors, and individuals have their own particular ways of coping with stress (or trying to), it stands to reason that farmers who run one-man businesses are most at risk of burnout or stress-related maladies. Sadly for them, unless they have someone reliable to look after the farm, the mere thought of going on holiday brings even more stress. And it gets worse when salaried people are all on leave, something they see as a right that is not to be interfered with. It is nice to know, however, that worldwide, farmers are in the same boat. A UK study by the Policy Studies Institute for the Health and Safety…

Despite a dry 2015, the 11th and final cotton report for the 2014/2015 season reflected a better yield than previous estimates. The first estimate in February 2015 predicted a crop of 95 325 lint bales (of 200kg bales) for the 2014/2015 season, a 118% increase from the previous season. The final estimate set the total for the year at 93 922 bales. This season’s yield was more than double that of the 2013/2014 season’s final crop of 43 703 bales. “The drought may inhibit dryland production, but I’ve had no feedback from irrigation areas such as Loskop and Vaalharts, indicating that farmers want to hold back production due to water scarcity. They are keen to plant,” Koot Louw from Cotton SA told Farmer’s Weekly. In the 2014/2015 season, production areas…

Some of the top agricultural products produced on the island of Malta include Mediterranean fruit such as citrus, carob, figs and olives. Potatoes, onions, cut flowers, and fruit are the island’s main export crops. Production and export of the indigenous Malta June pear, also known as the Bambinella, has been a success story for Malta. Exports of this miniature pear to the UK started with three tons in 2009 and have since risen to more than 10 tons. Malta’s greatest agricultural challenge is its inadequate water supply. Aquifers are the only source of natural water but over-abstraction has reduced both quantity and quality. The island is increasingly reliant on desalination. Crop production is limited by the rocky landscape and most food is imported. Farmers have small lands which consist of…

A survey of 160 farmers by Free State Agriculture (FSA) showed large-scale damage to the small number of hectares already planted to grain, according to FSA CEO Henk Vermeulen. About 264 000ha of the 350 000ha planted to grain in the province had already been lost to the drought. This amounted to damage of at least R408 million. “The [survey] participants also indicated a loss of nearly 700 mature livestock units worth R4 million,” said Vermeulen. The problem was exacerbated by the fact that FSA members found it increasingly difficult to obtain production credit from commercial banks and agribusinesses. Insurers also refused to insure grain planted outside of the optimal planting periods in the various grain production regions. “Let’s take the eastern Free State as an example,” said Vermeulen. “Even…

International water experts visited South Africa recently to assist government in exploring the potential of desalination to add to the country’s water supply. This was according to Nomvula Mokonyane, Minister for Water and Sanitation, who spoke at The New Age business briefing on water security at Woodmead in Johannesburg recently. The experts were from Iraq and would be instrumental in getting the process off the ground. “They’ll be working during the festive season in KwaZulu-Natal supporting the provincial government with desalination projects started there already,” said Mokonyane. Of the surface water that was utilised in the country, less than 30% was potable. “We have not exploited ground water resources and desalination as much as we can,” said the minister. South Africa also needed to adapt to the realities of climate…

The international price for hides and skins fell from R20/kg in June 2015 to just below R12/kg at the start of December. The decrease was due mainly to consumer resistance to high prices, according to Ernest Heunis, chairperson of the SA Skin, Hide and Leather Council. Skins and hides were the most important part of the so-called ‘fifth quarter’, kept by abattoirs and sold to contribute to covering slaughtering costs. “The average weight of hides from feedlot cattle was 34kg/animal. This gives you an idea of skins and hides’ contribution towards the profitability of feedlots,” Heunis said. Skins and hides earmarked for the export market were sold as ‘wet-blue’ – the hair has been removed and the skin tanned, but not yet dyed or given any leather properties. ‘Hide’ referred…

From March 2016, farmers with both fruit orchards and wine vineyards will be able to carry out combined audits for the ethical trade initiatives of the fruit and wine industries, namely Sustainable Agriculture in South Africa (SIZA) and the Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trading Association (WIETA). Rico Basson, managing director of VinPro, said he was enthusiastic about the initiative, which took almost 18 months to establish, as it would reduce duplication and help save time and cost for farmers. “It’s a positive development, symbolic of the greater cooperation developing between the two industries,” he said. He added that 40% of the farms on which wine grapes were produced in South Africa were mixed. The development would thus greatly benefit many of them. SIZA programme manager Retha Louw said a farmer…

The 2014/2015 summer grains season was tough for South Africa’s inland farmers. Nonetheless, they still managed to produce more than nine million tons of maize, compared with the previous season’s 14 million tons. Livestock farmers did relatively well, with fairly high meat and fibre prices and stable grain prices. In spite of slower global economic growth, the exporting industries also performed well in 2014. But the drier conditions in 2014 were followed by severe drought in 2015. At the time of writing, only isolated rain showers have fallen in the summer rainfall areas. For summer grain producers in the eastern parts of the country, the time for planting is running out. Farmers in the western areas still have some time left, but the risks associated with planting with limited soil…

I often extol the many health benefits of fresh produce. Now a press release from the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) confirms the excellent benefits of eating tree nuts. Approximately 60g of nuts a day may help pre-diabetic and diabetic patients to decrease their glucose and insulin resistance, according to the INC. About 400 million people worldwide have Type 2 diabetes (T2D). “By 2035, there will be almost 600 million people living with T2D and almost 900 million people with pre-diabetes,” states a recent INC press release. These are sobering statistics but it is cheering to know that a mere handful of tree nuts a day may make a major contribution to a person’s health. INC members include nearly 700 nut and dried fruit-sector companies from more than…

Farmers should aim for healthy and disease-free animals that are cost-effective and create prosperity on farms. “If your animals aren’t healthy, you cannot make money,” says Dr Jan du Preez, vet and managing director for the Institute for Dairy Technology. Diseases are prone to infect healthy animals as this ensures their own survivial, thus vaccination is crucial. However, says Du Preez, no vaccination guarantees 100% safety, and a keen eye and time spent with one’s livestock is necessary for early disease detection. Although different diseases may affect different geographical areas, he identifies five diseases that will be a concern throughout South Africa in 2016. BRUCELLOSIS Despite being a state-controlled disease, brucellosis is spreading through South Africa at a rapid rate, and is currently the number one disease that farmers should…

Cleanliness is important. When treating an outbreak of disease, use a new needle on every animal if you can afford to; this prevents cross infection. In any event, needles should be replaced every 10 to 15 animals as they become blunt and the chances of introducing secondary infection increases. All medicines must be kept out of direct sunlight. Never store them in a hot vehicle or break the cold chain. Follow the storage instructions, keeping vaccine refrigerated until needed and then transferring it to a cooler box when moving to the veld or pens. Do not combine vaccines as this reduces the efficacy of each one. Any vaccine that remains after animals are treated should be discarded and not re-used. After treatment, immediately wash all equipment with hot, soapy water.…

The move to stock ‘almost perfect’ fruit and vegetables has for many years been an obsession in supermarkets abroad. Consumers have come to expect it and retailers merely pass the message on to their suppliers. The latter have responded with improved grading standards and new and better varieties. For a while, EU bureaucrats also jumped on the bandwagon and promulgated strict regulations for the size and shape of many fruits and vegetables. These demands reached an apex of stupidity with the passing of a regulation that bananas had to be free of malformation and “abnormal curvature”. This stipulation was ridiculed in the UK’s popular press and it wasn’t too long before this and similar laws were quietly dropped by the legislators in Brussels. One of the obvious objections to them…

Dear Jonno I need your help as we intend building a wedding hall that can cater for just over 200 people on a 6 400m2 piece of land. We would like the facility to be double-storey with a modern, attractive design. The ground floor should have large glass doors and windows along its length, with a deck that can host six tables on one side. It should also have a small kitchen with a bar area facing the deck. The windows should be at the upper section of the hall, and the roof should be thatched. Please could you sketch a concept so that we can visualise how the facility would look once complete? Regards Mangaliso Good day Mangaliso Further to your brief description for a wedding facility and the…

WhatsApp was founded in 2009 by former Yahoo employees Brian Acton and Jan Koum as an alternative to pricey SMS services and is currently growing by about a million users a day. FREE DESKTOP WEB ACCESS WhatsApp is available on all platforms and can easily be updated to the latest version. Morerover, with the launch of WhatsApp Web, you can now have a synchronised version on your desktop. “The web browser mirrors conversations and messages from your mobile device. This means all of your messages still live on your phone,” explains Koum. The WhatsApp user’s phone must still be connected to the Internet for the browser application to function and WhatsApp Web’s user interface is based on the default Android one. A TOOL FOR FIGHTING CRIME WhatsApp is also used…