Table of contents for 30 June 2017 in Farmer's Weekly

The farming sector generally views population growth as an opportunity rather than a challenge. But I was left with a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach while doing research on projected population growth in Africa over the course of this century. The latest estimates released by the UN predict that Nigeria’s population will grow from 182 million in 2015, to 398 million in 2050, and to 752 million by 2100. Uganda’s population will swell from 39 million in 2015, to 101􀈲million in 2050, and to 202 million by the end of the century. Between 2015 and 2100, Ethiopia, Kenya and the DRC’s populations will increase from 99􀈲million, 46 million and 77 million, to 242􀈲million, 156 million and 388 million respectively. To provide the minimum food needed to keep…

Karan Beef, Sparta Foods, Chalmar Beef, Beefmaster Kimberley, Morgan Beef, Beefcor and Fabvleis have been raided by the Competition Commission. “The meat suppliers are alleged to have entered into an agreement and/or engaged in concerted practices to fix the prices and trading conditions when purchasing weaner calves from farmers,” said a Commission press release. “They are also alleged to have an agreement to fix the prices at which they sell meat to wholesale and retail customers.” Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Karan CEO Arnold Pretorius denied the accusations, saying the nature of the industry, as he knew it, made collusion nearly impossible. “It may work on some auctions where there are two or three participants, but to do it as a whole industry is impossible,” he said, adding that Karan bought…

The closing date for comments into a discussion paper on a review of South Africa’s bovine brucellosis strategy is around the corner. Government published its discussion paper in the 5 May Government Gazette. The closing date for comments is 60 days after the date of publication – 5 July, in this case. The disease should be viewed as the single-largest problem in cattle in South Africa, Dr Danie Odendaal, director of the Veterinarian Network, told the Free State Red Meat Producers’ Organisation congress in Bloemfontein on 15 June. Odendaal said he had commented on the brucellosis control discussion paper during a meeting with government last year. Combating brucellosis, he told government, required a national strategy. “It’s an incredibly difficult disease to control. All role players need to work together –…

Freedom Front Plus leader, Dr?Pieter Groenewald, recently warned that expropriation of land without compensation could lead to a civil war. “If anybody in South Africa thinks that you can take the land without compensation you are living in a dream. If you want to start a civil war in South Africa, do that,” said Groenewald during a debate on land reform in the National Assembly. In response, various parties, such as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) chided him for his remarks. But according to political analyst Prof André Duvenhage, South Africa is already experiencing civil instability, which sometimes takes the form of low-intensity wars. “Expropriation will undoubtedly lead to greater instability and violence. Best case scenario is an escalation of existing patterns of conflict and…

Rooibos Limited could face a fine of up to 10% of its annual turnover if found guilty by the Competition Tribunal of abusing its dominance in the industry. According to a statement by the Competition Commission, this followed an investigation by the Commission after it had received a complaint from a processor of rooibos tea in 2015. “The Commission’s investigation focused on Rooibos Limited’s monopolisation of rooibos tea supply from commercial rooibos farmers, to foreclose its competitors [at] the processing level of the value chain or prevent the expansion of its rivals in the market.” According to Sipho Ngwema, head of communications at the Competition Commission, Rooibos Limited had a choice of either contesting the charges, which could result in the case dragging out, or settling the matter quickly by…

This page is sponsored by the red meat industry In his recent budget vote address in Parliament, in which he tabled a R6,8 billion budget, Minister of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Senzeni Zokwana, said agriculture was one of the sectors that could be a catalyst for radical socioeconomic transformation. The forecast for growth in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) had been revised marginally downwards from 1,2% to 1,1%, but remained unchanged at 1,6% for 2018, he said. Following South Africa’s sovereign credit rating downgrade by international credit ratings agencies, short-term economic growth expectations would remain under pressure. Although this might affect demand for agricultural commodities, the anticipated higher maize harvest as a result of good rainfall in the summer rainfall regions would improve the economic…

Wessel Lemmer is a senior economist at Absa AgriBusiness. Email him at wessel.lemmer@absa.co.za. Global production of macadamias is expected to increase from 154?675t in 2015 to 188 451t this year, and ultimately reach 315 425t by 2021 (see Table 1). By 2021, China (projected annual output: 71 408t) is expected to become the largest macadamia producer, followed by South Africa (70?141t), Australia (60 211t) and Kenya (53 662t). Production in Mozambique is expected to increase to 10 732t. LOCAL TREE NUT PRODUCTION In 2015, South Africa produced 46?000t of macadamias, of which nut in shell kernels amounted to 22?158t and shelled nuts to 23 842t. However, due to drought during the 2015/2016 season, production declined on average 17,4% year-on-year. The South African Macadamia Growers’ Association’s (SAMAC) most recent crop estimate…

FAST FACTS • Over 45 days of aging, a total of 50% of the initial product is lost, and this loss has to be regained through premium pricing. • All trimmed meat has to sell, otherwise a business becomes unsustainable. • The price of C-class beef is the lowest, but treated with respect and farmed sustainably, it is the tastiest beef. Top quality, aged beef can sell at a substantial premium, but as those in the business of producing and serving the best possible beef will tell you, the price charged for these premium cuts does not necessarily translate into enormous profits. The best cuts make up just 12% of saleable meat, which means that the beef processed for mince or sausage must be sold in order to ensure sustainability…

Steve Maresch and Llewy Mateza from The Local Grill restaurant in Parktown North, Johannesburg, follow a strict ‘field to fork’ principle which means that the beef they serve is sourced from the best producers, aged on the premises and cut to order. The Local Grill brings farmers and consumers together by creating an opportunity for them to meet once a month. Beef Club Mondays is a get-together where businesspeople can network. It includes a short talk on a relevant beef or industry topic by farmers, butchers, breeders, and others interested in the beef industry. Another initiative – to facilitate learning on beef trends in the market, consumer needs and meat quality – is the kitchen tour, where patrons visit the kitchen and cold room. “We calculated that we have over…

Fluorine is an element found in phosphate rock, which may be used in livestock mineral supplements. When fluorine combines with another substance, it forms a fluoride. For example, fluoride in drinking water results from adding the compound sodium fluoride. Fluoride is safe at a low concentration (it is used in toothpaste, for example), but taking in a large amount of soluble fluoride salt can be dangerous for humans and livestock. In the case of the latter, fluorine toxicity (or fluorosis) may be acute or chronic. Acute fluorosis may occur in a ruminant that ingests a large quantity of fluorine in a short period. Chronic fluorosis results from slow poisoning over a long period. Fluorine toxicity can be caused by any of the following, or a combination thereof: • An increased…

Riding is good exercise and an excellent way to reduce stress. However, climbing onto a horse can be intimidating when you’ve forgotten how to balance and your riding muscles have all but disappeared. Over-confidence can also be a problem. Don’t assume that because you could take a horse over a 1,2m jump a decade or two ago, you can do it now. Start slowly at the bottom with novices and work your way back into riding until your muscles and balance improve. SPECIALIST RIDING SCHOOLS Some riding schools specialise in ‘mature riders’ and organise sessions in the morning, when children are at school. If you look around, you are bound to find weekend lessons for adult novice riders. Google ‘riding schools’ or ‘riding lessons’ and the area where you live.…

Asthma & MSM With asthma, inflammation causes the bronchial tubes to go into spasm, excessive amounts of mucus develop, and the muscles surrounding the airways become constricted. Asthmatics are usually dependent on low-dose cortisone inhalers to control their breathing, day and night. People who suffer from asthma often also suffer from multiple allergies, with symptoms such as headaches, sneezing, watery eyes, stuffy sinuses and coughing. These tend to exacerbate their asthma. Yet, as Dr Stanley Jacob and the other authors of The Miracle of MSM (Berkley) point out, antihistamines used for treating allergies are for the most part contra-indicated for asthmatics. This is because they dry mucous membranes and interfere with the normal lubrication of the airways and its ability to clear out congestion. A NATURAL AND SAFE ALTERNATIVE Methylsulfonylmethane…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 4 TO 5 JULY Agribusiness Africa Conference, Emperors Palace, Johannesburg. Phone Marianna du Plessis on 082 337 6127, or email africa@caxton.co.za. 1 TO 4 AUGUST ExtruAfrica 2017, 6th International Training Seminar, Conference and Exhibition, Potchefstroom. Visit extruafrica.org.za. 15 AUGUST Agbiz Grain Mini-Symposium, CSIR, Pretoria. For more information, email mariana.purnell@agbizgrain.co.za. 16 TO 17 AUGUST PMA Fresh Connections Southern Africa Conference and Trade Show, CTICC, Cape Town. Visit pma.com/events/fresh-connections-southern-africa. 23 AUGUST Fertilizer Association of Southern Africa (FERTASA) Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition Symposium, CSIR, Pretoria. Email Candice van der Walt at candice@fertasa.co.za. 5 TO 7 SEPTEMBER No-till Conference 2017, ATKV, Drakensville KZN. Phone Sandra Findlay on 082 472 5987, Richard Findlay on 074 104 7081, or visit notillclub.com. COURSES & TRAINING 3 TO 7 JULY Busy Bee Apiaries…

Wandile Sihlobo is head of economic and agribusiness intelligence at the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz). Email him at wandile@agbiz.co.za. Maize and soya bean are the key ingredients for animal feed production the world over. In the recent past, global production of these commodities increased drastically, driven to a large degree by growing demand from animal feed and biofuel industries. The animal feed demand has been spurred on by an increase in demand for high-protein food – especially from the growing middle class in Africa and Asia. The International Grains Council forecasts 2017/18 global maize usage in the animal feed industry at 613 million tons, up by 2% from the previous season, and the highest amount in more than a decade. At the same time, soya bean use in the global…

The European agricultural union, Copa and Cogeca (Copa Cogeca), has welcomed the recent ruling banning the use of the terms ‘milk’ and ‘butter’ on the labels of certain soya products sold in the EU. The ruling was issued by the Court of Justice of the EU (CURIA) in response to a complaint lodged by German fair practice organisation, Verband Sozialer Wettbewerb, against German plantbased foods manufacturer, TofuTown. Sitting in Brussels, Belgium, CURIA ruled that the terms ‘milk’ and ‘butter’ could only be used on products consisting of majority dairy content from mammals, such as cows and goats. In response to CURIA’s ruling, Copa Cogeca secretary-general, Pekka Pesonen, said the main aim of product labelling was to provide consumers with information about their food and to avoid misleading practices. “This ruling…

A new report from the US has suggested that the strength of a country’s government would play a role in preventing food shock-related uprisings. The researchers extrapolated the effects of food insecurity and state vulnerability from the occurrence of violent uprisings in Africa between 1991 and 2011. While previous studies had looked at the impact of climate change-induced weather patterns on violence and the increased danger of violence in weak or failing states, this report was the first to show that the combination of the two risk factors was more dangerous than they would be separately. “A capable government is even more important to keeping the peace than good weather,” said co-author Bear Braumoeller, associate professor of political science at Ohio State University in the US. Extreme weather could hurt…

Current stock theft statistics suggesting that the problem costs the industry about R900 million a year are “not trustworthy” mainly due to farmers failing to report thefts, according to National Livestock Theft Prevention Forum chairperson Willie Clack. The true cost is closer to R2,5?billion, he believes. “We are actually lying to ourselves,” he told the recent Free State Red Meat Producers’ Organisation congress in Bloemfontein The number of farmers who do not report livestock theft to the SAPS is believed to have increased from around 36% (2011) to 70% (2016). Since accounts of unreported thefts were largely anecdotal, “we don’t know if it’s one or two sheep that are stolen that aren’t reported”, said Clack. “Is it one or two cattle or is it 10 or 12 animals at a…

Dr Koos Coetzee is an agricultural economist at the MPO. All opinions expressed are his own and do not reflect MPO policy. Email him at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Global Farming. In a presentation at a conference hosted by The Economist in London in 2014, Elanco president, Jeff Simmons, said that the world was on a fast track towards a global shortage of basic foods. Future demand for food would result from slower, but still positive, population growth, strong income growth, especially in developing countries, and continuing urbanisation. According to the United Nations, more than 70% of the world’s population will be urban by 2050. Also, the size of the global middle class, estimated at three billion in 2015, is increasing rapidly. Urbanisation leads to changes in lifestyle and diet patterns,…

There seems to be a certain urgency with regard to land reform and expropriation at the moment. Is this really the case? There isn’t necessarily an urgency with regard to land reform at the moment, but in left-wing ranks false claims have been made about expropriation of land, which has led to a lot of attention being given to the subject in the media. We need to define land reform and clarify why we need it. To my mind, land can mean something only if it has commercial value and one can use it as security. Immediately after 1994, the cutoff date for land reform claims was set at 1913. The mandate was clear, but the problem is that it was not implemented. This lack of implementation is the biggest…

Roelie van Reenen, a supply chain executive at Beefmaster, says forequarters traditionally purchased by lower LSM markets make up around 50% of a carcass. A Beefmaster block test determined that about R46/kg is paid for an entire carcass. This is then sold according to cuts. Bones, making up about 18% of the carcass, sell for R12,45/ kg. Round cuts for biltong, and stewing or carvery beef, sell for R60/kg, and make up 17% of the carcass. Rump, sirloin and fillet sell for around R95/kg, and is about 9% of the carcass. Waste sells at about R6/ kg, trim for about R46kg. Trim makes up approximately 23% of the carcass. “We buy at about R46,40/ kg, and sell at an average of R46,80/ kg, but it costs R2,50/kg to box it.…

Although the economic environment is likely to remain uncertain in the short to medium term, farmers can still prosper if they focus on operational factors over which they have direct control. So says Nico Groenewald, head of agribusiness at Standard Bank. In order to be able to change these aspects, farmers should develop agility in strategy and production. “This will enable them to continually adjust what they do to take best advantage of external factors,” says Groenewald. He notes that over the past six years the citrus industry has grown by double digits. This is an indication of agriculture’s general adaptability, with the sector having evolved over the past decade from an almost exclusive emphasis on field crops and livestock to more investment in horticulture. Groenewald cites a number of…

DREAMS, BETRAYAL AND HOPE by Mamphela Ramphele (Penguin, R220) Unsurprisingly, Mamphela Ramphele first tackles the question she has more or less refused to answer for the past couple of years: what went wrong with Agang?SA and how she feels about it. Bitter and horrified, generally, is the answer, and these emotions flow over into her review of how she believes her generation of student activists has been betrayed by history and today’s youth. Despite this, Ramphele’s impassioned and deeply felt hopes for the country’s future should resonate and inspire widely. MIDWINTER by Fiona Melrose (Corsair, R295) This fascinating novel about the clash between father and son on a farm revolves more around a midwinter of the soul than the seasons, although these are well evoked, both in eastern England and…

The inaugural International Rural Crime Conference will be hosted in South Africa as a joint enterprise by UNISA’s School of Criminal Justice and organised agriculture (Agri SA, RPO and AFASA) on 27 September 2017 at the Royal Elephant Lodge and Conference Centre in Centurion. The conference aims to provide a research forum for the rural criminological sciences and applied criminal justice studies. International keynote speakers already committed to deliver papers are: • Dr Joseph Donnemeyer: Professional Emeritus, Ohio State University, US; • Dr Elaine Barclay: University of New England, Sydney, Australia; • Emmanuel Bunei: Mount Kenya University, Kenya; The theme of the conference is ‘The Challenges of Rural Crimes Affecting Agriculture’. Papers on this general theme are invited, but submissions should blend in with the following sub-themes: • Crimes in…

Tinashe Kapuya is an agribusiness trade specialist at the Southern African Trade and Investment Hub. Email him at Tinashe_Kapuya@satihub.com. Can the value of the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) be estimated and its impact determined? This question has been at the back of my mind since 2012, when I worked on an assignment to answer it. During the assignment, I realised that although AGOA offered thousands of product lines with potential export opportunities for South Africa, the preference programme remained underutilised, especially for agriculture. Even if an agricultural product can receive preferential tariffs under AGOA, it can only be eligible to do so after onerous standard operating procedures are implemented, and then it has to meet stringent US food safety standards. For products such as citrus and subtropical fruit, the…

Health authorities are concerned about the number of rabies cases in KwaZulu-Natal, particularly in the Midlands area. This is despite extensive governmentsponsored rabies vaccination drives for domestic dogs and cats. The animal health division of the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (KZN DARD) recently reported the problem to the KZN Provincial Executive Council. Dr Dumisani Mtshali, a KZN DARD director of veterinary services, told the council that over the past five to 10 years the province had experienced an annual average of about 100 cases of rabies in animals (predominantly dogs) and humans. “Lately, in the Midlands, cases of jackals succumbing to rabies have been reported, and this phenomenon makes it even more difficult to control rabies because it’s not easy to vaccinate wild animals,” he said. A…

The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (Teagasc), has announced that 6 000 people need to enter the country’s dairy industry over the next nine years to keep it productive. The industry needs 4 000 new farmers to keep the industry going and growing as the older generation exits. This shift offered an additional 2 000 new employment opportunities in the industry. With the average Irish dairy farmer now 58 years old, the report said that the Irish dairy industry was facing a severe shortage of new recruits. Dairy cow numbers had increased by 327 000 since 2010, to more than 1,35 million head. The average herd size had increased from 54 head in 2005, to 76 in 2016, while dairy farmer numbers had remained relatively static since 2010. The…

Free State Agriculture (FSA) has joined up with Grain SA, as well as other organised agriculture institutions, to facilitate feed donations for farmers in need in Northern Cape and Western Cape. Farmers who are in a position to donate maize can deliver to an agribusiness or silo in their region so that it can be transported to where it is needed. “The agribusinesses have specific account numbers via which people can deliver the grain,” FSA CEO Henk Vermeulen said. FSA is also coordinating with members who had surplus fodder, ranging from tef or eragrostis to peanut hay. “What we have done is to arrange with the managers of Agri Northern Cape and Western Cape, Henning Myburgh and Carl Opperman, that we will send all donations that come via our office…

Malnutrition, which has a particularly adverse effect on babies and small children, remains a problem in many parts of the world. Globally, various scientific approaches and food production systems have been introduced in an effort to reduce its impact. Here in South Africa, it has been estimated that about 26% of the population suffers from food insecurity. Malnutrition, however, is more than shortage of food. It is the lack of a balanced intake of essential micro-nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, calcium and minerals. The so-called New Green Revolution is designed to boost balanced nutrition to counteract ‘hidden’ hunger, which affects an estimated 850 million people worldwide. Research into improved human health include conventional plant breeding for more nutritious plants. Wealthy countries can afford fortified foods, milk, and bread with folate…

Advocate Peter O’Halloran is a tax specialist. Email him at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Tax. An Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is defined by the Department of Trade and Industry as “a purpose-built industrial estate linked to an international seaport or airport that leverages fixed direct investments in value-added and export-oriented manufacturing industries”. The idea is, of course, to encourage exports. There are currently five IDZs in South Africa: at Coega (the largest IDZ in Southern Africa), Richards Bay, East London, Saldanha Bay and Durban (Dube TradePort). The tax incentives for qualifying companies include: VAT and customs relief, if located within a customs-controlled area; the employment tax incentive; a building allowance; and reduced corporate income tax rate. The latter equates to a 15% corporate tax instead of the usual 28%. This rate…

Pieter Prinsloo and seven producers have undergone peer review and audits by the Grass-Fed Association of SA and the SA Meat Industry Company to ensure they comply with trademark protocols. Quality indicators for grading beef do not exist in the SA beef industry. Australia’s Meat Standards Australia system educates the consumer about rib-eye muscle size, meat colour, fat colour, dry ageing period, marbling, and meat pH. “Some feel this information is withheld from local consumers and they can’t make informed decisions when buying meat,” Pieter says. A-class beef does not age very well due to the alkalinity of the meat. Pieter supplies Gary Jackson of Jackson’s Real Food Market and Chris Paulsen of the Bull and Bush butchery with B- and C-class beef with an average live weight of 360kg…

The brinjal (Solanum melongena) is a warm-season crop grown for its edible fruit. Climate is one of the most important factors that determine planting times, and the wide climate variation in SA means that good-quality brinjals can be grown in open lands across various parts of the country year-round. The brinjal cannot tolerate very low temperatures; the minimum it can withstand is around 10°C, and the maximum is 34°C. The optimum temperature for brinjal cultivation is between 26°C and 29°C. The earliest seedling establishment period is when soil and air temperatures meet the minimum requirements for plant growth. The latest seedling establishment period should allow for growth and harvesting to be completed before adverse conditions set in. Generally, establishment periods for the main production areas are: • Lowveld (frost-free areas):…

In 400 BC, the Greek physician Hippocrates proclaimed: “Let food be thy medicine”. In 2017, we know from extensive research that he was right: fresh fruit and vegetables have remarkable health benefits. Scientists continue to uncover additional benefits from fresh produce as it becomes the basis for a healthy lifestyle for many people. The avocado, for example, is probably one of the most nutritious foods available. The perception that avocados are fattening has been shown to be false. The list of other fruit and vegetables with remarkable health properties is extensive. In my training classes, I refer to fresh fruit and veggies as the ‘frontline troops’ in fighting disease. I tell market agents – only partly tongue-in-cheek – that one day they’ll wear white coats like pharmacists when selling fresh…

As I have noted before, a number of gastrointestinal conditions can occur due to bad oral hygiene. The molars, in particular, should be brushed regularly as plaque tends to build up on them fairly quickly, and the surrounding gums can easily become inflamed due to germs. When brushing your dog’s teeth, use a child’s toothbrush with softer bristles. Do not use human toothpaste, as this may contain dangerous substances such as xylitol. While dog toothpastes are available, I prefer using coconut oil as a cleaning agent and then rinsing with water infused with parsley.…

Winter: season of renewal I love winter. It’s a very special season that God has given us. Remember Ecclesiastes?3:1, where the Lord says: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Winter is a season where everything slows down (with the exception of humans, perhaps). Animals grow long coats, insects hibernate, leaves fall from the trees and everything becomes quiet and peaceful. WE NEED TO TAKE TIME OUT TO REST IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR THE NEW SEASON We need to take careful note of this, because many of us live life at a pace that is simply unsustainable. We cannot carry on at this rate. Why? Because God did not create us like that. We need to take time out to rest in order…

Scientists at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, in the US, are applying drug delivery technology to control nematodes. These pests cause significant crop failures in maize, wheat, rice, coffee, soya bean, potatoes and fruit-bearing trees worldwide. They attack the roots of plants and are difficult to reach with pesticides. As a result, farmers tend to apply larger and larger amounts, which can increase the chemical concentrations in food, as well as contaminate water sources. Biomedical engineering researchers at Case Western think that they may have found a solution to the problem by using biological ‘nanoparticles’. (‘Nano’ is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘dwarf’.) Crystal violet and the tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV) lie at the heart of the new breakthrough. Crystal violet is used to treat…