Table of contents for 15 Septmber 2017 in Farmer's Weekly

Labour relations in the farming sector made headlines again these past few weeks after news broke of an unscrupulous labour broker operating from a farm in Wesselsbron in the Free State (read the story on pg 22). Free State Agriculture (FSA) was quick to distance itself from the matter, stating during a press conference that the labour broker was not a farmer and also not in any way affiliated to FSA. The real question that FSA has to answer, though, is whether any of its members made use of the labour broker’s services, because in this instance the principle of ‘die deler is so goed soos die steler’ (a person not involved in a crime but who benefits from it is as guilty as the person who committed the crime)…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 14 TO 16 SEPTEMBER AGFO (Agri & Forestry) Expo, White River Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre, Nelspruit. Visit agfo.co.za. 18 TO 21 SEPTEMBER The Silo Expo 2017, Mojalefa Lephole Convention Centre, Maseru, Lesotho. Phone Tjonane Matla on +266 6306 3606, or visit thesilo.co.ls/expo. 19 TO 21 SEPTEMBER Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA) 55th Annual Conference, Elangeni Hotel, Durban. Visit aeasa.org.za. 20 SEPTEMBER MPO National Congress, Protea Hotel King George, George. Email Julie McLachlan at julie@mpo.co.za. 20 TO 22 SEPTEMBER Drones Africa Summit 2017, Johannesburg. Visit smart-link.co.za/index.php/drones-africa-summit-2017/. 28 SEPTEMBER Potatoes SA Congress, Premier Hotel OR Tambo, Rhodesfield, Gauteng. For more information, visit potatoes.co.za. COURSES & TRAINING 11 TO 15 SEPTEMBER Introduction to Small Stock Management, ARC - AP, Irene. For more information, email Aloubser@arc.agric.za. 11 TO 22…

Hamlet Hlomendlini is a senior agricultural economist at Agri SA. Email him at hamlet@agrisa.co.za. I often emphasise that government must make agricultural development a national priority. Historically, agriculture has played, and currently continues to play, an instrumental role in shaping the patterns of the South African economy. This is despite the many challenges this primary sector faces, and the fact that its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) has shrunk significantly since 1995, from 3,9% to 2,3% in 2016. However, it is important to note that this is not a phenomenon unique to South Africa. Most Organization for Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries have experienced the same trend with regard to their primary agricultural sectors’ contribution to GDP. According to the World Bank, countries such as Botswana, Colombia, the…

The KwaZulu-Natal chapter of the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (KZN AFASA) has indicated that it could possibly resort to protest action if serious issues at the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (KZN DARD) were not urgently attended to and resolved. This was after media in the province recently began highlighting allegations of corruption, mismanagement and incompetence at KZN DARD, prompting the department’s MEC, Themba Mthembu, to hold a media conference in Durban. Mthembu acknowledged that there were serious long-term shortcomings within KZN DARD, but vowed to address them as a matter of urgency. He was appointed MEC in mid-2016. He said that KZN DARD had experienced a high turnover of MECs and heads of department over the past 15 to 20 years, resulting in it “being…

Sales of organic produce in the UK grew 7,4% year-on-year, according to the country’s Soil Association, despite a decline in the number of organic farms in operation. Dairy was the largest overall market sector for organic produce, with an increase in sales of 2,3%, while fruit sales rose 12,6%, and vegetable sales grew 1,9%. More than 8 000 retail stores in the UK stock organic products, with the market valued at more than £2?billion (about R33,4 billion). “The demand for organic food is nearing an all-time high, with ever more research showing the potential benefits of organic [produce],” the Soil Association’s head of farming, Liz Bowles, said. However, the UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s annual organic report indicated that 508 000ha of land were being farmed organically in the…

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has said it believed South Africa’s health authorities were managing the H5N8 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as best they could. Dr Catherine Bertrand-Ferrandis, OIE spokesperson, added that South Africa’s veterinary health authorities had also been sharing up-to-date information on the outbreaks with other countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and globally. “The OIE does not doubt the competence of the South African veterinary authorities. As you may be aware, the presidents of the [OIE] scientific commission [for Animal Diseases] and of the general assembly of the OIE are both South Africans [Dr Gideon Brückner, a former chief state veterinarian, and Dr Botlhe Modisane, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ (DAFF) chief director of animal production and health],…

Nicholas James is an ichthyologist and hatchery owner. Email him at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Aquaculture. Many people get involved in aquaculture experimentally; they are keen to try it out and hope to develop it further if it proves attractive. There is nothing wrong with this. But problems can arise if it is done the wrong way. A small recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) is often the preferred option for people reluctant to commit to something with a larger footprint. The trouble is that a small, but complex system, like this may not be viable because there is no economy of scale. A small, earthen pond of 0,25ha, which is both simple and cheap to build, is likely to provide a better annual return than a small RAS system. A PROVEN SUCCESS…

KwaZulu-Natal White Dorper Champions Dorper Champions Contacts: Corrie Avenant: 084 207 8445 | Tracy Low: 082 908 7317 Dormer Champions KwaZulu-Natal Suffolk Champions Contacts: Scheepers Lamprecht: 082 807 3152 | Tjaart Steenekamp: 072 313 2232 | Hennie Geldenhuys: 084 514 1607 KwaZulu-Natal Hampshire Down Champions KwaZulu-Natal Boer Goat Champions Contacts: Janine Leimer: 082 491 2790 | Carlisle Family: 083 284 8798 Hennie Terblanche: 082 550 5506 | Cailein Dytor: 071 883 2815 | Danie Theron: 082 414 2169…

By now Ayanda Kanana, the new CEO of the Joburg Market, will be firmly in the driver’s seat and working hard. He started on 1 September, after having held various senior posts within the city’s structures. What little I’ve heard about him has been positive and bodes well for the future. Certainly, he takes the helm at a crucial juncture in the life of the market. The past few years have been challenging, even tumultuous. A number of officials were implicated in fraud worth millions of rands, and suspended. Political appointments, involving people who were clueless about the market, were made. And senior managers have come and gone. Those managers left behind, while doing their best, were crippled by the inevitable dysfunction caused be these ructions. It is to their…

Good news for your eyes Research suggests that astaxanthin is a ‘super nutrient’ that can help protect your eyes against ultraviolet (UV) light. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid; it belongs to the same family as beta-carotene, which is found in orange-coloured fruit and vegetables. Carotenoids are precursors for Vitamin A, which is vital for eyes, skin and mucous membranes. Studies show that a diet high in carotenoids can reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in people over 50. Astaxanthin is thought to enhance blood flow to the eye and repair damage from excess UV light. It also protects retinal cells from free radical damage while reducing harmful inflammation. HOW TO TAKE IT Astaxanthin is produced by microalgae called Haematococcus pluvialis. When these are…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly. For more information, visit davepepler.co.za. I first realised that climate change was a reality while on a trip to Iceland. We visited Vatnajökull, one of the largest glaciers in Europe by volume. It spans over 8 000km², averages 500m in depth, and has a total volume of about 4 500km3. It was obvious that the glacier is melting. Moreover, it’s melting at an unprecedented speed, much faster than anybody predicted. South Africa is also affected by climate change. I recently drove past a dam in Nuy in the Western Cape. It’s usually filled with flamingos at this time of the year, but there weren’t any flamingos; the dam was too shallow because of the…

Tinashe Kapuya is an agribusiness trade specialist at the Southern African Trade and Investment Hub. I recently attended the National Agricultural Fair in Malawi, and my conversations with private sector players, research scientists and non-governmental organisations gave me a fuller appreciation of the typical challenges facing agriculture in Africa. The two biggest problems facing the African continent thus far have been extraordinarily low yields, and the enormously high level of post-harvest losses. Usually, these two issues are addressed as separate conversations. However, while that is conceptually acceptable, both issues ought to be discussed simultaneously in practice, at least from a policy perspective. If farmers produce more, but have neither the mechanism nor the infrastructure to store their crops, they will still lose these commodities and remain food insecure. ACCESS TO…

The Competition Commission (CompCom) has given the FMC Corporation the go-ahead to acquire DuPont’s crop protection business. The CompCom compelled DuPont to divest of this business as a condition of the company’s international merger with the Dow Chemical Company (Dow). This condition included the divestiture of DuPont’s crop protection business, together with any research and development activities related to the business. This, according to the CompCom, was to prevent the overlap of crop protection products that Dow and DuPont had separately owned prior to merging, and to prevent a reduction in competition within South Africa with regards to the marketing and availability of these particular products. According to a statement by the CompCom, FMC, a US-based speciality chemicals firm, established a SA subsidiary to obtain and maintain its preexisting product…

The arrival of genetically modified organism (GMO) technologies in Australia years ago, prompted the government to establish the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) to regulate the safety of new GM varieties. AUSTRALIA LOST R4,3 BILLION BY REFUSING TO PLANT NON-GM CANOLA However, in the Australian political system, state governments are allowed a fair degree of independence to make major decisions. The OGTR, therefore, left individual states to decide on the herbicide-tolerant GM vs non- GM options. The states of Victoria, New South Wales and, later, Western Australia, placed a moratorium on planting GM canola in order to enable export of canola oil to European anti-GM crop countries. This ultimately led to losses for Australian farmers, the states and the environment. At the same time, Canadian wheat producers were…

Dawie Maree is head of Information and Marketing for Agriculture at FNB Business. For any queries, email fnbagricomms@fnb.co.za, or visit fnbagricomms.co.za. It is well-known that the value of farmland in South Africa has increased substantially over the past decade. Arable land acquired for R6 000/?ha in 2001 sold for R50 000/ha in 2013, and as much as R70?000/?ha in 2015. Over the same period, the cost of grazing land increased from about R800/ha to R5 000/ha or more. As an example, the appreciation in land values in the Eastern Cape between 2002 and 2016 is indicated in Table 1. On average, the value of agricultural land has increased tenfold over the past 15 years. Is is therefore pertinent to ask whether farmland in South Africa is currently overvalued. There is…

In his book, Veld management: principles and practices, Frits van Oudtshoorn states that plant cover increases the effectiveness of rainwater. Plants and other organic matter at ground level slow down the speed of runoff water, thereby improving infiltration. “Poorly covered land will experience drought even when there [is] good rain. Plants break the impact of raindrops and decrease the possibility of crust formation and soil erosion. Plant cover also controls soil temperature extremes and so improves seedling survival, and decreases evaporation and maintains healthy microbial life in soils.” Plant cover also decreases wind speed at the soil surface, decreasing erosion. Plants die off and leave organic matter, which acts as mulch or is worked into soil by invertebrates, improving water retention. Bush encroachment results in ‘splash erosion’. Here, muddy water…

Dark green vegetables help strengthen bones and are generally excellent for health, especially in older people. Swiss chard, in particular, is a powerhouse of nutrition. It contains at least 13 polyphenol antioxidants and is an effective blood sugar regulator. It is also very high in vitamins K and A, and contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C, as well as magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, iron, choline, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, foliate, selenium and protein, amongst other minerals. Swiss chard can be harvested over a long period, and will continue to grow new leaves when not harvested for a time. Simply ensure that enough leaves are left on the plant so that it can continue gathering sunlight for growth, or the recovery after picking will be slow. PLANTING Space the plants…

LAST NIGHT AT THE BASSLINE by David B Coplan & Oscar Gutierrez (Jacana, R280) Johannesburg’s Bassline club can make a good claim to be South Africa’s Rainbow Era answer to the 1950s Sophiatown shebeen, Back of the Moon. It’s the perfect place for jazz lovers and all those who like to be with the right people in the right place at the right time. After making so many memories, and launching so many careers, it merits this memoir by Wits music professor, Coplan, with its evocative photographs. DYING TO LIVE by Michael Stanley (Orenda, R195) The price we put on indigenous knowledge is a hot topic nationally and internationally, and at the heart of the skulduggery facing Botswanan series detective, David ‘Kubu’ Bengu. The?largeframed detective faces challenges of his own.…

Free State Agriculture (FSA) has called on the SA Police Service to deploy a task team to the border between South Africa and Lesotho as a matter of urgency. FSA CEO, Henk Vermeulen, said that this followed a dramatic increase in crime in the region, including a spike in farm attacks in the Clocolan, Ficksburg, Ladybrand and Marquard districts in the past six months. According to FSA statistics, 11 of the 49 farm attacks that occurred in the Free State this year took place in these districts. Livestock farmers on the border were experiencing ongoing problems with livestock from Lesotho illegally grazing on their land, according to Johann Stadler, chairperson of the Free State Stock Theft Prevention Forum. He said a recent inspection along 485km of the border from Phutaditjaba…

Food manufacturing group, RCL Foods (RCL), recently reported that various challenges within its chicken business had severely undermined the company’s profitability for its financial year ended 30 June 2017. This was according to RCL’s latest financial report, which showed that group headline earnings declined 34,1% from R832,9 million to R548,5?million year-on-year (y/y). The report also showed, however, that the group’s normalised headline earnings (NHE) had increased 7,7% from R550,7?million to R593,1 million y/y. According to the report, the group’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) declined 0,8% from R1,76 billion to R1,74??billion over the period under review. CEO of RCL, Miles Dally, said that the ongoing chicken dumping saga by foreign countries had been a major contributor to the significant decline in the company’s latest annual financial results.…

The agribusiness sector’s confidence in business conditions in the country experienced a marginal decline in the third quarter (Q3) results of the Agbiz and Industrial Development Corporation’s (IDC) quarterly Agribusiness Confidence Index. “After declining by one index point in the second quarter of this year, the index declined further by two index points in the third quarter to 54 points,” Wandile Sihlobo, agricultural economist at Agbiz, said. The slight downward trend pointed to the agricultural sector’s uncertainty about the economy, compared with sentiment in the second quarter, he added. However, despite the decline, the business and investment environments for agribusiness remained mostly positive. Sihlobo said that what made agriculture different from other industries was “the impact that conditions outside of businesses’ control could have on the operating environment”. “Agriculture, for…

Despite the drought and other challenges, diversified agricultural services company, BKB, posted what its management described as “a solid performance” for the financial year ended 30 June 2017. However, the full financial report for the year could not be released publicly until after the company’s annual general meeting later this month, said Jacobus le Roux, BKB spokesperson. The interim statement, which highlighted aspects of the report, showed that the value of BKB’s business had increased 14% to a “solid” R9,9?billion, compared with the R8,7 billion achieved during the preceding financial year. BKB’s gross profit increased approximately 60% to R203,5 million from the R127 million of the preceding financial year, according to the statement. The statement also said that BKB was recommending that a pre-tax dividend of R0,47/share be paid out…

Peter Hughes is a business and management consultant with 30 years’ farming experience. Email him at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Managing for Profit. I’ve written about it many times. ‘Integrity’ is the bedrock on which any successful organisation is built. Integrity begets trust, and without trust between its members and those it serves, no organisation survives for long. The second vital component needed for success is a ‘common vision’. As management scientist, Peter Senge, says: “Few, if any, forces in human affairs are as powerful as a shared vision.” The corollary, of course, is that few, if any, forces in human affairs are as destructive as conflicting visions. When you have an organisation led by people bereft of integrity with a wide range of conflicting visions, its days are numbered. And…

FAST FACTS • Louis and Nadine Kuys farm leaf vegetables using an urban aquaponic system in Vredenburg. • About 4 000 plants are densely planted in the 30m x 10m tunnel. • Production is kept as natural and simple as possible, and produce is marketed locally. For years, Louis and Nadine Kuys toyed with the idea of producing their own nutritious food and living off the grid. This, however, was not possible on their 45ha farm on marginal land near Hopefield in the Western Cape. Finally, in early 2016, they sold the farm and bought a house with 1ha of land in the small town of Vredenburg, closer to the coast. Here they decided to break new ground with an aquaponic farming venture. “We always wanted to do tunnels, but…

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) became a major problem for growers in South Africa with the accidental introduction of the western flower thrip via chrysanthemums. The virus does great damage: new shoots bend over, spotted lesions appear on the leaves, and the plant pales to a lighter green. The plant’s growth and productivity both suffer. As its name suggests, this thrip targets flowers. The pollenbearing anthers of a tomato flower are fused into a cone with the base covering the ovary. This is the first stage of what will eventually become the tomato. This cone hides and protects the thrips, which feed on the ovary and surrounding area by scraping it with rasp-like left jaws. This causes zipper-like and ‘cat face’ markings on the fruit. At the same time, they…

Polenta is coarsely ground yellow maize, and in this cake it replaces flour. Don’t use instant versions as these are designed for porridge and are truly useless for baking. Take care to check the date of packing. Fresh is good, freshest is best. Note that you will use different constituents of the same three oranges, with zest (the outer layer of the peel scraped off with a zesting tool or sharp knife) for the cake and juice for the syrup. In a bowl, hand-mix the polenta, orange zest, ground almonds and baking powder. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar for as long as it takes to combine them into a light, fluffy mass. Slow the machine and add the eggs one at a time. Using a wooden…

What hardship can teach us Pain can either make us better or bitter; the choice is ours. As I write this, I am recovering from a knee operation. While sitting quietly in the garden, I realise that we get nowhere if we don’t grow through our pain and hardship. This is especially so for farmers, who have to endure drought, continually fluctuating prices, uncertainty, and so much else. Paul, in Romans 5:3-4, writes: “[…] We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Here is a strong statement from a man who suffered immensely for the sake of the Gospel, yet could say that he rejoiced in his tribulation. IT’S ONLY WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU START TO APPRECIATE ITS TRUE…

As discussed in the previous issue, Agersens’ eShepherd (agersens.com) allows you to create and move an unlimited number of virtual fences on a smartphone and relay this information to a sender unit, which in turn sends the data to collars worn by livestock. The virtual fencing system enables you to easily set up grazing fronts or cell grazing. It also facilitates grazing of forage crops and improves pasture allocation, landforms and biomass availability. FARM MANAGEMENT The eShepherd system allows you to: • Increase carrying capacity through controlled grazing; • Reduce the number of workers needed to move livestock; • Automatically herd livestock to handling facilities, minimising vehicle usage; • Save time. Your farmworkers have to walk both ways, whereas eShepherd simply herds livestock home; • Monitor the location of each…