Table of contents for 29 September 2017 in Farmer's Weekly

One of the greatest frustrations farmers face in modern agricultural value chains is that they are, to a large extent, relegated to being price-takers. From both the input and supply side, they have limited bargaining power over what they pay and get paid. However, by working together, farmers can have greater influence over the distribution of profits along the value chain. In his column this week, Tinashe Kapuya, agribusiness trade specialist at the USAID Southern African Trade and Investment Hub, presents the case for agriculture in Africa to become better organised (see pg?14). Although they are unpopular in some parts of Africa, Kapuya says farmer cooperatives have been the bedrock of organised agriculture in many other parts of the developed world. A paper by Ayub Kiranda, research fellow at the…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 28 SEPTEMBER Potatoes SA Congress, Premier Hotel OR Tambo, Rhodesfield, Gauteng. For more information, visit potatoes.co.za. 3 TO 4 OCTOBER Trade and Export Finance (TXF) Cape Town 2017, Table Bay Hotel. For more information, visit txfnews.com/Events/Event/81/ TXF-Cape-Town-2017. 9 TO 11 OCTOBER East & Southern Africa Fertiliser Agribusiness Conference 2017, Maputo, Mozambique. Visit events. crugroup.com/eastafrica/venue. 12 TO 14 OCTOBER Agri-Expo Livestock, Sandringham, Muldersvlei, Stellenbosch. For more information, visit livestock.org.za. 19 OCTOBER 2nd Goat Agribusiness Conference, Durban Botanic Gardens. Phone Nokwanda Mavundla on 082 562 9014, or visit goatsunlimited.co.za. 20 TO 21 OCTOBER AGRI 5 Commodities Workshop & Expo, East London Showgrounds. Email info@atoneworks.co.za. COURSES & TRAINING 25 TO 27 SEPTEMBER Pigs: Artificial Insemination, George. Phone Lily Isidoro on 078 546 7985, or visit rltsafrica.com. 26 TO 28…

Hamlet Hlomendlini is the chief agricultural economist at Agri SA. Email him at hamlet@agrisa.co.za. The two largest economies in Africa, Nigeria and South Africa, have what is often described as ‘sibling rivalry’. Certainly, the two have spent the past two years battling it out for the number one spot in the world’s second-largest continent, a position that South Africa, in no uncertain terms, still occupies. Economically, Nigeria and South Africa are the dominant countries in their respective sub-regions; combined, they account for around three-quarters of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP. In both countries, and as with most African states, agriculture remains the backbone of their economies. More than 32% of the continent’s GDP comes from the sector, and both Nigeria and South Africa make a significant contribution towards agricultural growth on the…

After experiencing a month-and-ahalf of no duty protection against imports of cheap sugar, the South African sugar industry was pleased to be notified recently that a duty of R2 131/t of sugar had been gazetted. According to a statement issued by the SA Sugar Association (SASA), the zero duty on imported sugar was an error resulting from the International Trade Administration Commission of SA (ITAC) having calculated its 28 July 2017 duty based on the October 2016 world raw sugar price. However, SASA said it was also not in agreement with the outcome of ITAC’s review of the variable tariff formula system, which proposed no change to the dollar-based reference price used to calculate duties on sugar but imposed the use of a real effective exchange rate to modulate exchange…

Retailers need to explain why food prices are so high, according to Fanie Brink, independent agricultural economist. Speaking at the recent TAU?SA annual congress in Pretoria, Brink said: “A disturbing trend is that food manufacturers and traders raise food prices when agricultural commodity prices are higher, but are not always willing to lower their prices as quickly for consumers when prices decline again.” He said that maize prices for producers were at least 60% lower than last year, but the maize meal price in June was only 8% lower than a year ago. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Brink said that if the maize meal price was reconciled with the cost of maize per ton, using the current cost of R29,90 for a 2,5kg bag of maize meal, the maize price…

The emergence of citrus greening on the continent was a major worry, according to Jan Hendrik Venter, manager of Early Warning Systems at the Directorate for Plant Health at the department of agriculture. The Asian strain of citrus greening, Liberibacter asiaticus, began spreading to Europe and the Americas in 2005. The vector for the virus is the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri). “When both the insect and the disease are in the country, you have huge problems,” Venter said. The virus had wreaked havoc in the Americas, virtually destroying the citrus industry in Florida in the US and wiping out 27 million trees in Brazil, he added. Once infected, trees were rendered useless for future production. “We don’t even have 27?million citrus trees in South Africa,” Venter said, referring to…

New research conducted by the Tourism Research in Economic Environs and Society (TREES) at North-West University, showed that poorer people in Asian and Southeast Asian countries saved as much money as possible to buy rhino horn products. Prof Melville Saayman, director of the research unit, said it had been previously believed that only the very wealthy bought and used rhino horn. For the report, TREES conducted 53 interviews with rhino horn consumers in Hanoi, Vietnam, and found that respondents believed that rhino horn products possessed magical properties, and were suitable for medicinal uses. “We chose to do the interviews in Vietnam because the country is one the largest destinations for rhino horn smuggling,” Saayman said. He added that one of the toughest challenges for rhino conservationists was to dispel the…

This page is sponsored by the red meat industry The economic impact of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak manifests in five ways: loss in export earnings for directly and indirectly affected industries; reduced sales of livestock-related products; loss of market share; damage to local production capacity; and disruption in local value chains. If a ban persists for 12 months, the total loss in export revenues in upstream and downstream linkages within the red meat value chain could be as high as R6,4?billion (calculated using the value of exports in 2016.) A drop in demand due to fewer animals available for market could lead to further losses for the red meat industry. The impact at local level would be difficult to determine, as other factors, such as pressure on cash flows,…

Nicholas James is an ichthyologist and hatchery owner. Email him at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Aquaculture. While the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is undoubtedly the best species for aquaculture, there is a real threat of hybridisation with South Africa’s indigenous blue kurper (O.?mossambicus). Yet in the 17 years since the Nile tilapia was first recorded in the Limpopo River, no efforts have been made to establish sanctuaries for blue kurper, an inexplicable omission by all conservation departments. Apart from the hybridisation threat, Nile tilapia have no other documented negative impact, as the species’ ecological footprint broadly overlaps with that of the blue kurper. Therefore, the urgency is simply to ensure that the latter is not lost as a species. PROTECTING THE SPECIES Elephant, lion and other large animals are not compatible…

If you have ever bought preprepared phyllo pastry in South Africa, chances are that it came from BM?Food Manufacturers’ factory near Lanseria Airport in Gauteng. The business consists of Bettafresh Prepared Foods, which produces fresh convenience foods such as salads and soups under its own brand, as well as for large supermarket chains’ in-house brands. The second arm of the business is Mediterranean Delicacies, which produces delistyle products such as olives, cheeses, seafood and various dips. The most notable, as far as the author is concerned, is its line of hummus spreads. Both Bettafresh and Mediterranean Delicacies were started 30 years ago and the companies merged in 2006. In 2016, BM Food Manufacturers also acquired Tuna Marine Foods, which produces, amongst others, a well-known line of olive products and Judy’s…

Limpopo Grey Brahman Champions Limousin Champions Contacts: Louis Trichard: 082 856 3199 | Gerrie Roos and Derrick Louw: 083 324 0989 | Llewellyn and Corrie Labuschagne: 082 579 5479 Willie Jacobs: 083 631 6373 | Willie Britz: 082 807 9275 | John and Tracey Devonport: 083 454 3095 Dorper Champions White Dorper Champions Contacts: Larry Dietrich: 082 783 6991 | Annelie Jonker: 071 351 5486…

Northmec Implements constantly strives to add affordable, high-quality equipment to its product line-up. The recent expansion of the company’s Jacto Uniport range is an outstanding example of this. JACTO UNIPORT 4530 The Jacto Uniport 3030 selfpropelled sprayer is fitted with a 3000l chemical tank and either a 28m or 32m boom. This popular model is now joined by the larger Jacto Uniport 4530, which can spray significantly more cropland per day. Despite its higher capacity, it is remarkably affordable. Jacto Uniport 4530 has a 4500l chemical tank and 36m boom, yet weighs only 10 500kg when empty. It offers exceptional operational efficiency: up to 80ha/h. This is up to 30% higher than that of a typical self-propelled sprayer with a 3 000l chemical tank and 30m boom, while crop damage…

Styling: Ailsa Uys Photo: FJ Potgieter To make Thai-influenced prawn cakes for four lucky diners, you will need: 450g frozen prawns 10ml Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce ½ an onion 1 egg Dhania sprigs to taste 1 large fresh chilli 20mm fresh root ginger 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs 120g white flour Canola or sunflower oil Coarsely ground black pepper and salt to taste 2 limes Rice or ultra-fine pasta Limes are sometimes hard to find, but are always worth the effort. Failure can be averted by substituting lemons, dolefully recognising that even the best-looking lemon is never a lime. Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce is a staple in my kitchen and can easily become so in yours. Start with the smallest bottle you can find and keep it in the fridge…

OLIVER TAMBO by Hugh Macmillan (Jacana, R160) This short biography will be welcomed by those looking for an alternative to the detailed biography of the struggle hero, Oliver Tambo, or an overview of current thinking on his work and legacy. Inevitably, there are omissions. For example, Macmillan does not mention Tambo’s role in sending Kader Asmal to Ireland to found the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, which played a major role in ensuring that Ireland was the first country in the then European Community to impose sanctions on South Africa. On the other hand, the author has managed to include references to dissent and controversy within ANC ranks. A useful addition to the history shelf. CURRY by Ishay Govender-Ypma (Human & Rousseau, R395) Govender-Ypma has produced a fascinating SA tribute to a…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly. This article was written by Dr Renu Modi, lecturer in African Studies, University of Mumbai. The article was first published by The Conversation and is available at: bit.ly/2wCGWzK. ub-Saharan Africa has huge potential to become a global food basket, but this is far from being realised. The region is estimated to have 60% of the globally available, but neglected, arable land, yet it remains deficient in food. Even where arable land is cultivated, hurdles such as limited irrigation, small farms, and a lack of fertiliser and modern agro-technology have kept productivity low. Currently, Africa’s shortfall in agricultural output is met by food imports that are expected to grow from US$35 billion (R460 billion) in…

Tinashe Kapuya is an agribusiness trade specialist at the Southern African Trade and Investment Hub. The more organised a country’s agricultural sector, the more effective it is in influencing government policy, because governments tend to listen to powerful interest groups. In turn, the sector becomes more competitive and more successful. The lack of a highly effective agricultural lobby has been identified as one of the fundamental problems keeping Africa in a state of under-development. In colonial Africa, organised agriculture segregated large swathes of the population across the continent, and the traditional communal structures of smallholder farmers were not quite adapted to regulated single marketing channels. The deregulation of markets in the 1990s created a new set of challenges – prices were to be determined by the market, but pervasive and…

TAU SA does not agree with government’s definitions of land reform and radical economic transformation, according to its president, Louis Meintjies. Speaking at TAU SA’s congress in Pretoria, he said: “TAU?SA’s definition of land reform is taking land lying fallow from failed reform projects, and state land, and putting it into production.” Meintjies said TAU SA defined radical economic transformation as creating policies that enhanced economic growth. “Commercial agriculture has to create a plan for new entrants to be successful, no matter what the colour of their skin. “An economic plan for agriculture has to be developed by agriculture. We play for an economic outcome, not a political outcome,” he said. Prof André Duvenhage, research director for social transformation at North-West University, said the state was neglecting primary duties such…

Agriculture has become Australia’s fastest-growing economic sector after achieving growth of 23% over the past financial year. Agriculture was also the largest contributor to national GDP growth in 2016/2017, contributing 0,5% to the total GDP growth of 1,9%. The gross value of farm production was estimated to have reached a record A$62,8 billion (R647,8 billion) in 2016/2017. Minister of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in Australia, Barnaby Joyce, attributed the sector’s good performance to steps taken by the current government to “turn the show around and transform agriculture” through the delivery of “practical policies and genuine investment”, as well as increasing access for Australian producers to some of the country’s most important export markets, including obtaining free trade deals with China, Japan and South Korea. “While grains and…

Newly appointed CEO of NWK, Theo Rabe, said he was very excited about the opportunity to head up the agribusiness, describing it as the culmination of a lifelong goal. Rabe was officially appointed as CEO on 5 September, after having acted as managing director for the group over the past nine months. According to NWK chairperson, Hein Krüger, Rabe was an excellent choice for the position. “The board is of the opinion that his financial expertise, firsthand knowledge of the group and his agriculture-specific exposure over 24 years, corresponds with NWK’s focus on core business, but also on future expansion opportunities,” he said. Rabe said that the next few years were likely to be spent looking inward and taking advantage of existing opportunities for growth within the current business model.…

South African beef company, Beefcor, has denied that it was engaged in anticompetitive behaviour with Cape Fruit Processors (CFP). This follows the Competition Commission’s (CompCom) recent decision to prosecute Beefcor and CFP for alleged anti-competitive behaviour in the sale and utilisation of wet fruit peels and citrus peel pulp. Head of communications at the CompCom, Sipho Ngwema, said that Beefcor and CFP had specifically been charged with division of markets by allocating customers in contravention of Section 4(1)(b)(ii) of the Competition Act No. 98 of 1998. BEEFCOR HAS WELCOMED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ITS CASE BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL Ngwema added that the two companies had allegedly entered into a use agreement and a supply agreement, in which they had agreed not to compete against each other in processing the wet…

While successful restitution claimants of sugar cane lands across KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga were generally satisfied with the pace of land restitution, they often felt shortchanged by private sector partners involved in post-settlement models. This emerged during a dialogue session between government, land claimants and representatives of South Africa’s sugar, forestry and conservation sectors, hosted by the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights in Durban. Successful claimants in the sugar industry alleged that farm lease partners, farm co-management partners, and joint venture partners often compiled relevant agreements or managed the sugar cane farming business with or on behalf of the sugar cane farm’s restitution owners, in a manner that benefited themselves significantly more than the claimants themselves. Other allegations included agreements being concluded without claimant community input, and that promised skills…

Globalisation, food insecurity, climate change and economic downgrades may have prompted some compromise on food safety, but new technologies are helping eliminate lingering food pathogens. Amongst such methods is cold plasma treatment of perishable fresh products, an approach used by Dr Brendan Niemira, research leader at the US Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, and his team. ADAPTED FOR PRODUCT Speaking at the 22nd South African Association of Food Science and Technology’s international congress in Cape Town, Niemira said that cold plasma jets were used to inactivate E. coli bacteria and viruses on food products. Moreover, the technique had been adapted to suit the type of product treated. For example, cold plasma was augmented with chemical treatment in a partial vacuum to maintain the quality of more tender produce such…

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. At some point in their careers, most farmers reach a stage where they have to expand to benefit from economies of scale. But how do you know when it is the right time to to do so, or even if expanding is really the answer to increasing profitability? The most obvious time to grow your operation is when the market dictates it. If you produce a product at a sustainable price and the market is growing, it means that the demand for your product is sustainable in the medium and long term. This will enable you to expand and still operate at a profit. But you need to be…

At a recent meeting in Pretoria, the South African Vegetable Industry Forum (SAVIF) took another step towards rationalising our country’s fragmented vegetable sector. This is no easy task considering the size and scope of vegetable farming in South Africa. With vegetable farmers ranging in size and professionalism from giant producers supplying the big retail chains all year round to small growers scattered far and wide, bringing them together under one umbrella is a daunting task. It has been tried in the past without success. Currently, Potatoes SA is the leading organisation in the sector. It is followed by a handful of regional organisations, mainly representing onion growers. The fledgling SAVIF enjoys good support from industry stakeholders, which gives me hope for success. The Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum and Produce Marketing…

The Gauteng-based partnership of Johan Schmidt and Roland Bouwer needs little introduction. Their astounding performance in pigeon racing will be an inspiration in the fraternity for many years to come. Racing from Johan’s loft in Alberton, the partners were members of the Alberton Homing Society, the Transvaal Homing Union, and the Transvaal Racing Pigeon Federation (TRPF). ‘TO SELL OUR CHAMPION PIGEONS WASN’T EASY FOR US’ Roland recently decided to focus on his horse breeding farm in the Western Cape, and the partners agreed that Johan would retain a few youngsters for future stock and continue with pigeon racing, but on a smaller scale. STELLAR ACHIEVEMENTS Johan’s and Roland’s performance highlights over the past 12 years include: • Winning seven federation races in the same season, competing against 6 000 to…

Time to meditate In Matthew 14:14-23, we read that the Lord Jesus was constantly followed by large crowds of people when He walked on the Earth. Because He had such compassion, He continually ministered to them. He healed the sick, encouraged the poor and the needy, and worked tirelessly, because the multitudes never stopped arriving. However, there were times when even He would go up the mountain by Himself and spend time with His Heavenly Father in prayer, often right through the night. WE NEED TIME TO MEDITATE ON GOD’S MANY BLESSINGS TO US ‘First the mountain, and then the ministry’ goes the old saying. There is a great danger that we can get too busy and not spend enough time in rest and contemplation. This applies to farmers as…

Launched on 1 September, TheTreeApp contains information on more than 1 100 South African trees, including all the larger indigenous species and many of the wellknown alien invasives. “Unlike many apps used for identification in wildlife, TheTreeApp is far more than an e-book,” explains project IT development and systems analyst, Herman van den Berg. “What differentiates it is the incredibly powerful search engine, which allows the user to easily and accurately filter trees into very short identification lists, or even identify an individual tree by name in any of the 11 local languages.” A highlight of the app is that it uses GPS functionality to hone searches. Select your location on a map, and the app will tell you how many tree species are likely to be found in that…

We don’t know where our food comes from The Editor’s comment titled ‘What growing up on a farm taught me’ (FW, 25 August) refers. I also grew up on a farm. It is a wonderful life, not only for children. I had guinea pigs, pigeons, bunnies and bantams. When I got older, I helped with the dairy and fed the calves. Our two sons are in farming. They recently invited their church congregation to view a film on farming. They then used a live cow to show where milk comes from. They milked the cow and asked the children to drink directly from the stream from the cow’s udder. But the children said, ‘No, it’s not fresh.’ It shows that town children miss out on a lot. A farm lover…

The Institute of Race Relations recently outlined four possible futures for agriculture in South Africa. Speaking at the annual TAU?SA congress held in Pretoria, Prof André Duvenhage, research director for social transformation at North-West University, said these were based on several possible government actions: support for agriculture; nationalisation of the economy; support for private ownership; and failure to support private ownership. Also speaking at the event, Louis Meintjies, TAU SA president, said policy certainty could ensure economic growth, and growth in agriculture could bring stability to SA. The four scenarios are as follows: The ‘good harvest’ scenario assumes that government supports free market principles and respects private land ownership. There are no government subsidies, so commercial producers chase profit and became more productive. Food security is ensured, and agriculture grows.…

Early indications were that a major increase in the gerbil population could be expected in the 2017/2018 grain production season, according to Dr Gerhard Verdoorn, director of the Griffon Poison Information Centre. Verdoorn said that since the beginning of summer, the centre had received a significant number of notifications about growing gerbil populations in South Africa’s summer grain production areas. There had also been reports from game farms, where the pests had destroyed vast grazing areas. Gerbils (Gerbilliscus spp.) were found in South Africa’s grasslands, savanna, Karoo, and fynbos biomes, and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization had estimated that up to 20% of the grain produced annually in Africa was lost to the rodent. “The animals start digging out seed just after planting, but the most damage is…

Hendrik Reyneke (41), arrested in connection with human trafficking and child labour charges in Wesselsbron in the Free State, would remain in custody until his case appeared before the Wesselsbron District Court on 25 October. The Free State spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Phaladi Shuping, said that Reyneke had been denied bail on 15 September. The case had been postponed pending further investigation. Nomfundo Douw-Jack, chief director of provincial operations for the Department of Labour in the Free State, said that on the department’s first visit to Driehoek Farm on 28 August, inspectors had found several underage workers and adults occupying unfit housing. Reyneke had allegedly been working as a labour broker, recruiting labourers from North West, and had paid these labourers less than the minimum wage. According…

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. When I was at school, we had an annual ‘Best Speaker’ competition. Each class had to nominate an entrant, but when the teacher called for volunteers there was much shuffling and bowing of heads as we tried to become less conspicuous. The thought of speaking in public was terrifying. As life moved on, however, it became necessary for me, as it does for everyone, to occasionally speak in public. My early terror slowly abated, but my palms were always moist, no matter how low profile the event. Yet, no matter how much I stuttered and stammered, I was always paid a few compliments afterwards. Never did anyone say,…

This once-in-a-lifetime prize will allow you to have the wedding of your dreams, without the price tag. The prize includes a wedding reception at the beautiful Warm Karoo, a romantic, honeymoon getaway at a Thornybush lodge, and custom-made wedding bands from the design team at Preez Designers. The bride will be spoilt for choice at Rêve Bridal when choosing her dream wedding dress, while your spectacular day will be planned by a professional planner from Trunk Events, and captured by RS Photography. Two runner-up couples will be spoiled by The Cavern, which will provide each couple with a weekend getaway that includes all meals and guided hikes. The main prize is valued at R 130 525. The two runners-up prizes are valued at R6 000 each. MAIN PRIZE INCLUDES: Warm…

According to stone fruit farmer, Johan Esterhuyse, converting from manual to mechanical production methods demands a radically different approach to farming. “The use of platforms requires a shift from a traditional planting system, where trees are planted at row densities of approximately 5m x 3m, to higher density planting systems where trees are planted at 4m x 1,5m or less. Trees need to be planted to form a hedge to ensure optimal sun penetration, as well as ease of picking and pruning,” he says. Some cultivars require trellises to keep the trees upright. Whereas these newer production systems might cost more to establish than orchards planted at lower densities and without any trellising, these modern orchards start producing commercial yields up to two years earlier. This helps make up for…

Lyme disease is a tickborne disease caused by the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. It gets its name from the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in the US, where it was first identified. It affects mostly humans and domestic animals, including horses. Fortunately for us, the disease is rare in South Africa. Nonetheless, a horse with a weak immune system can be at risk of contracting the disease. The transmission mechanism is the same as for tick bite fever. The tick feeds on the host’s blood for three to four days, depositing the bacteria into the bloodstream. Signs of Lyme disease include general weakness and lethargy; a temperature above 38°C; stiffness in the whole body with swollen joints; lameness that comes and goes; poor appetite; and temporary facial paralysis. PREVENTION I am…

Holy basil for stress Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is a member of the mint herb family. It is known as an ‘adaptogen’, a type of plant that reduces stress in the mind and body. When we experience unrelenting stress from whatever cause, the adrenal glands above the kidneys produce large amounts of cortisol to put our bodies in ‘fight or flight’ mode. A typical sign of stress overload is going to bed tired and waking up tired. Ideally, we should have high cortisol levels in the morning to help us wake up, and low levels in the evening to ensure maximum rest. Too much cortisol ends up damaging our organs by suppressing the production of other hormones necessary for the body’s normal maintenance. NO SIDE-EFFECTS, AND EASY TO TAKE Holy…

A new South African record price of R255?000 was achieved at the National Merino Ram Sale held in Graaff-Reinet on 18 August. The sellers were Theo and Jaco Potgieter (Groep?3, Graaff- Reinet) and the buyers were Jan and Jaco Wiese of Biesiespoort Merino stud, Loxton. The previous record, of R250?000, was set in 2011, when Kerneels and BP Greyling of Wakkerstroom bought the ram, Barrier, from Fairworld Merino stud. Groep?3 achieved an average of R58?750 for the seven rams on offer. Wellwood Merinos (Robert Rubidge, Graaff-Reinet) achieved a highest price of R165?000 and a second-highest price of R105?000 for two rams, both sold to Phoenix Merinos of Graaff-Reinet. Wellwood Merinos achieved an average of R56?000 for the seven rams sold. Trumps Merinos (Andries Pienaar, Hanover) sold three rams to buyers…