Table of contents for 26 October 2018 in Farmer's Weekly

South Africa’s latest minister of finance, Tito Mboweni, will have the unenviable task of trying to find at least some good news to share with financially exhausted South Africans when he delivers the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement in Parliament on 24 October. Having so far this year already endured an increase in the VAT rate, massive fuel price increases, which have seen the price of petrol soar to its highest level ever, rising unemployment, as well as a technical recession, following two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, most South Africans are at the end of their rope. Johannes Möller, a farmer from the Northern Cape and the former president of Agri SA, who received an honorary presidency from the organisation at its recent annual congress in Pretoria, said in…

Since the Constitutional Court legalised the private use of cannabis, many have raised concerns about what this means with regard to cannabis use in the workplace. Employers want to ensure that people do not come to work under the influence, while employees fear that they could be subjected to unsafe behaviour from colleagues who may expect to be exonerated from their actions because of the cannabis legalisation. This is according to Michael Opperman, CEO of Omni Labour Consultants. In the following letter, he explains that employers must have policies and procedures in place to ensure that employees are sober at work. While delivering the judgment in the Constitutional Court, Judge Raymond Zondo said that “the limitation [of cannabis] is not reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society based…

The most efficient way to transport agricultural commodities, such as maize or sunflower grown in South Africa’s inland areas, is by rail towards the country’s harbours. This is also true for moving other commodities such as petrol, or heavy shipments such as iron ore or equipment. Rail transport takes the weight off the roads, making them safer and less congested, and you benefit from the faster movement of goods with less risk. In fact, an efficient rail and harbour system is one of the criteria countries are ranked on for anything from their so-called development level to investment potential. In South Africa, railway tracks span 20 000km, but virtually all of this is technically obsolete narrow-gauge. The advantage of these over standard gauge tracks back in the day was that…

The second land conference held in Namibia recently was a good example of how the sensitive issue of land could be debated in a peaceful manner and in a spirit of unity between all stakeholders. This was according to Ryno van der Merwe, president of the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU). Speaking at the recent NAU annual congress, he said it was a challenge to balance the political expectations of the landless with the economic reality. “Although NAU could not agree with all the resolutions, such as the abolishment of the willing-buyer willing-seller principle and some other resolutions that may, in our view, negatively affect the economy of the country, we will live with these resolutions in a spirit of accord.” Van der Merwe said NAU took note of the Namibian…

The agriculture sector has reacted positively to the appointment of former SA Reserve Bank governor and labour minister, Tito Mboweni, as South Africa’s new finance minister. President Cyril Ramaphosa recently made the announcement after he confirmed the resignation of outgoing finance minister, Nhlanhla Nene. According to media reports, it had emerged during Nene’s testimony that he had met members of the Gupta family at their home in Saxonwold, despite previously denying this. Agriculture role players, including Agbiz CEO Dr John Purchase and agricultural economist Prof Johan Willemse, described Mboweni as someone with a good grasp of the economy and global money markets. Agri SA’s head of economics and trade, Dr Requier Wait, said the organisation believed that Mboweni had the necessary experience. “He has strong credentials and experience, making him…

The biological control agents released by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in the fight against invasive famine weed (Parthenium hysterophorus) are all well established. This was according to Lorraine Strathie, a researcher at the ARC Plant Protection Research Institute, who said that although there was no miracle cure, it was expected that the agents would spread of their own accord in the next 10 years. Famine weed was one of the most prolific terrestrial invaders in the world. “It continues to spread and it is of utmost importance that landowners keep a constant lookout for the weed. In small quantities, it can be effectively managed [with chemicals],” she said. Strathie said famine weed had formed dense infestations, particularly in northern KwaZulu-Natal, eastern Mpumalanga, North West and, to a lesser extent,…

Bayer South Africa has donated R1 million to assist the Agri Securitas Trust Fund in aid of rural security. Speaking at the recent Agri SA congress in Pretoria, Jesus Madrazo, head of agricultural affairs and sustainability at the crop science division of Bayer, said: “You cannot build a better future for farmers by ignoring the needs of society or the health of the planet. Likewise, you cannot improve people’s lives without helping farmers produce more food in a sustainable manner.” Madrazo added that he hoped the donation would contribute to the improvement of rural security and safety to protect farmers and farmworkers and their families.…

When an individual or a company sells an asset, and a profit is made on the sale, the resulting income is taxable. This is called capital gains tax (CGT) and it was introduced in South Africa in 2001. The amount is included in taxable income and is then subject to normal tax. But there are exceptions to the taxing of capital: • If the taxpayer experiences a tax loss or assessed loss situation when the gain is included in the taxable income, the loss offsets the taxable gain. It doesn’t work the other way around, though. If there is a capital loss, that is, if the asset is sold at a loss, the loss cannot be offset against taxable income. It gets carried forward. • Transfers of assets between spouses…

WILL SOUTH AFRICA EVER BECOME A BIG EXPORTER OF GAME MEAT, GIVEN THE DISEASE PROBLEMS AND THE ECONOMICS OF MAINTAINING SUPPLY OF PREFERRED CUTS? We must. There are said to be 21 million head of game in South Africa, with an estimated two-thirds of these on private ranches. By comparison, there are only seven million cattle and 15 million sheep and goats in our commercial herds, and yet we import about R6 billion worth of meat annually. Now that there has been a downward adjustment and what seems to be a levelling off in the price of game animals for the breeding sector at auction, many ranchers are returning to trophy and even biltong hunting, as well as ecotourism, to bolster their income. Logically, game meat for both export and…

If you don’t have a hole-digging auger, you will need the following to get the job done properly: • A tape measure, to measure the hole breadth and depth; • A good spade; • A pick, particularly when digging in hard or stony ground; • A straight crowbar with chisel-type foot. This is used to dig deeper when the spade is no longer effective in harder ground. • A spirit level to ensure that the pole is plumb (vertical); • A bucket of water, so that you can add water if deeper soil needs to be softened or your dry concrete mix needs to be watered. Use tar or ‘green’ treated poles that are SABScertified. These will be able to withstand wood rot. If building a structure supporting corrugated iron…

Readers know that I’m a strong supporter of the many health benefits found in fresh produce. Fruit and vegetables are, after all, “the frontline troops in fighting disease”, as the slogan has it. I also often remark that one of the few constants in this industry is change. These facts were highlighted for me once again in a recent FreshPlaza.com article describing a new line of potatoes with amazing health benefits. These have been developed by a Canadian company, and I predict it’s only a matter of time before we see these or similar cultivars in South Africa. SLOW ENERGY RELEASE I’ve always thought that potatoes are pretty healthy as it is. But in the article, the company spokesperson says they responded to consumer demands for a healthier potato by…

Built for durability and functionality Specifically made for the outdoors and construction sites, CAT phones have proven their hardiness and reliability down the years. The CAT S31 is the company’s entry-level smartphone. While boasting military-grade toughness, it is smaller and thinner than its predecessors, making it more ‘pocket-friendly’. The primary selling points of the S31 are durability and functionality; aesthetics and performance are secondary considerations for the manufacturer. While the S31 is not as technically advanced as other smartphones on the market, it is a perfect tool for farmers or farmworkers who perform physical labour and thus need a more durable phone. The S31 handles email, web browsing and photography very well. It has a bright 4,7’’ display screen that offers acceptable contrast and viewing angles. The HD resolution of…

Dear Jonno, My husband and I want to build a house in the Waterberg. It needs to accommodate us, as well as visitors who come to explore the many game reserves in the region. Your layout in the 25 October 2013 issue of Farmer’s Weekly is more or less what we have in mind. We would like three separate rondavels for accommodation purposes. One rondavel will be for my husband and me, and the other two will be for our visitors. Each rondavel must have one bedroom with bathroom en suite. The two visitors’ rondavels should each have a kitchenette for self-catering as well. I would also like another, larger rondavel for catering and entertainment. Kind regards, Anneka Dear Anneka, I’ve improvised on the layout to make it more functional…

THE JERSEY by Peter Bills (Macmillan, R295) For fans of those teams regularly trounced by the All Blacks, this book appears to be a convenient way of getting to “know your enemy”. But it’s more than that; it’s a highly readable account of the All Blacks’ growth and glories by a legendary rugby writer who has written on more than four decades of New Zealand rugby. It combines something of a love letter to the All Blacks with nuggets provoking you to debate its assumptions. Was it ethical for New Zealand to poach and mentor Polynesians to boost its own national team? Has this sport-crazy nation become a country of sedentary fans rather than participants in their national game, let alone aspiring to wear The Jersey themselves? You…

In the first certification of its kind outside Japan, the Wagyu Society of South Africa (WSA) has started implementing its Certified Wagyu Beef (CWB) programme after extensive consultation with all stakeholders. Ensuring the integrity of the beef product is one of the strategic goals of WSA. The main tasks of the CWB programme will be to ensure product integrity and provide a consistent message to consumers regarding Wagyu beef as a product. CWB will also provide the Wagyu industry with the opportunity to market and brand the Wagyu product appropriately and protect the investment made by WSA members. All sectors of the Wagyu supply chain will be included, and this will ensure the product is traceable throughout the value chain. The society is in the process of creating a Section…

“This article deals with the key findings of a report on a research and development project funded by the Water Research Commission and conducted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal to investigate entrepreneurial pathways for smallholder irrigation farming businesses. The study focused on smallholder farmers on selected irrigation schemes and independent irrigators in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). It generated new knowledge on psychological capital as an asset within the sustainable livelihoods framework. The research was conducted at and around four irrigation schemes: Makhathini, Ndumo-B, Tugela Ferry and Bululwane. Stratified random sampling was used to select the participants, and a total of 674 smallholder farmers were interviewed: 342 scheme irrigators, 99 independent homestead food gardeners, 68 independent irrigators, 76 community food gardeners and 89 non-irrigators. Recognising the importance of understanding farmers’ decisions and behaviour…

The rates for freighting goods around the world are set to increase as global shipping companies gear up for a new regulation aimed at lowering the environmental impact of shipping. According to Mitchell Brooke, logistics development manager at the Citrus Growers’ Association, from 2020 the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will ban ships from using fuel with a sulphur content of more than 0,5% particulate matter emission, compared with the current limit of 3,5%, to curb pollution produced by the world’s ships. “Although it is the most environmentally friendly solution in the short term, the move to low-sulphur fuel is expected to cost the entire shipping industry up to US$60 billion [R861 billion a year],” a statement by German ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd said. According to Brooke, the effect of the low…

South Africa’s macadamia industry could be unprepared to meet any shifts in demand in the future, as it is overdependent on cultivars that are only suitable for a specific market. Alex Whyte, general manager of Green Farms Nut Company, said it would be remiss of the industry to assume that the strategies that resulted in its current success would get producers to where they need to be in 10 or even 20 years’ time. Market demand had shifted and there were significant changes in what customers in the US, Europe and China wanted. ‘PLANT A WELL-BALANCED SPREAD OF CULTIVARS’ Red Sun Hortitech nursery director, Mark Hassenkamp said global tree nut consumption had increased 24% over the past 10 years. “This, along with the 473% increase in their value over the…

US farmers are beginning to feel the impact of President Donald Trump’s trade war with the country’s trading partners, and according to the organisers of the Tariffs Hurt the Heartland campaign, all US citizens will soon be paying the price. “The fact that China is our number one soya bean customer makes us very vulnerable. Our farm and many others like ours have already been the first casualties of the trade war,” Indiana farmer Brent Bible said at a recent meeting in Indianapolis. Tariffs Hurt the Heartland is backed by more than 100 of the largest trade organisations in the US. “The administration seems determined to snatch failure from the jaws of success by escalating its trade war with our top trading partners,” the leaders of Tariffs Hurt the Heartland…

New provisions have been gazetted in terms of the constitution of the South African Sugar Association (SASA) and the Sugar Industry Agreement of 2000. These ‘transitional provisions’ recognise the SA Farmers Development Association (SAFDA) as a second sugar cane grower representative organisation and will facilitate the allocation of industry and government funding to SAFDA. In the recent notice in the Government Gazette, Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies said the period for SAFDA’s transition into the sugar industry would extend to at least 31 March 2020 if necessary. Davies added that during the transitional period, SASA would comprise the SA Sugar Millers’ Association (SASMA), the SA Cane Growers’ Association (SA Canegrowers), and SAFDA. While SASMA would have 24 representatives in SASA’s millers section, SA Canegrowers and SAFDA would each…

Conservation agriculture (CA) needs to become a mainstream production method favoured by farmers, the agriculture sector, governments and the private sector. This was according to Amir Kassam, visiting professor at the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development at the University of Reading in the UK, speaking at the recent second Africa Congress on Conservation Agriculture, held in Johannesburg. The private sector in particular was embedded in the paradigm of conventional tillage, despite numerous studies proving that conventional tillage led to a greater loss of topsoil, and that less water was needed in areas where CA was practised. CA also led to healthier soils and fewer inputs, such as fertiliser, were needed, he said. According to Kassam, people were still “mesmerised” by the input/ output mentality of the ‘green revolution’ that…

Organised agriculture has a large role to play in attracting young people to the sector, Gideon Hefer, CEO of InteliChem, told delegates during his address to the Agri SA congress held in Pretoria recently. Hefer said that when he joined the agricultural sector six years ago, he learnt that contrary to popular opinion, the sector offered diverse career options ranging from farm manager to geneticist and soil scientist. “Chances [of achieving] success are great in this industry as [more and more] food needs to be produced due to population growth.” According to Willem de Chavonnes Vrugt, president of Agri North West, one of the keys to success in the industry was creating good partnerships. “Young people need to use organised agriculture to network and find people, who will assist [them…

Consumer education, says Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the national Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO), involves providing answers to the following questions: • Where did my food originate? • Has my food been produced sustainably? • Is there anything artificial in my food? • How was the animal treated before slaughter? • What is the impact of my food consumption on the environment? THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY IS STRENGTHENED BY ITS VALUE CHAIN APPROACH Against this backdrop, it is important to note that the demand for red meat is growing in South Africa and internationally, says Schutte, who recently addressed the Aldam Stockman’s School near Senekal. Indeed, South Africa’s red meat industry is internationally competitive, with red meat currently being exported to 42 countries. This, of course, contributes to job creation.…

In previous articles on sheep management, I discussed the importance of scheduling lambing to occur during summer, when green grass helps increase milk production. This, together with the milder temperatures, ensures a higher survival rate and stronger lambs that grow faster. The rams should be joined to the ewes for only about six weeks of the year. This will allow for at least two heat cycles. Put one ram to between 25 and 30 ewes. Ewes gestate for five months, so if you want them to start lambing in mid-December, you need to put the rams in on 15 July, or as close to this date as possible. MATING The following are important tips for joining rams to ewes: • Your ewes and rams should be in good condition. Ensure…

Driving through Bathurst, you are in no doubt that you have crossed the frontier into pineapple territory. On the edge of the town is a giant, man-made pineapple: a remarkably realistic fibreglass and steel structure 16,5m high. SMOOTH CAYENNE PINEAPPLES ARE GROWN MAINLY FOR JUICING According to Mark Harris, the largest pineapple producer in South Africa, this is the most southerly pineapple production region in the world. It accounts for 70% of South Africa’s pineapple crop by weight, with the focus on production of Smooth Cayenne, a cultivar used primarily for juicing. Queen, the most popular variety for eating, is produced mainly in the Hluhluwe area of KwaZulu-Natal. The southerly Bathurst pineapples take longer to grow than those produced by the world’s major growers, such as Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.…

To make potato samoosas as a main dish for four spicy diners, you will need: 6 medium potatoes 25mm fresh root ginger 4 cloves of garlic 2 medium onions 1 bunch fresh coriander leaves 2 medium tomatoes 1 level teaspoon of coriander seeds 1 level teaspoon of cumin seeds 1 big red chilli (say 75mm long) 50mm cinnamon 3 cloves ½ level teaspoon of ground turmeric 3 tablespoons of canola or sunflower oil Samoosa pastry 1 Bring a clean, dry frying pan up to medium heat on the hob. Pour in the cumin and coriander seeds. Shake the pan as they begin to darken to ensure they toast all over. This should take 90 seconds at the most. Pour them out onto a room-temperature plate to cool. When cool, break…

Your Facebook account has been hacked when: • Your personal information gets mysteriously updated; • You get new friends you didn’t send requests to; • Your bona fide friends get messages from you that you didn’t send. Typically, the hacker will have used photographs from your Facebook account to create a fake Facebook profile. The hacker can then send friend requests to people on your friend list, thus gaining access to your friends’ accounts. This person can then start sending messages claiming that the recipient has, for example, won a large sum of money. Retrieving it will involve the target providing his or her bank details. Alternatively, the hacker will try to dupe the victim into donating money to a ‘deserving charity’. You can check to see whether your account…

Water-Energy-Food Nexus for South Africa 31 OCTOBER TO 1 NOVEMBER  THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL ENERGY ASSOCIATION WILL HOST THIS TWO-DAY CONFERENCE AS A PLATFORM FOR SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE LINKAGES BETWEEN WATER, ENERGY AND FOOD. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 8 TO 10 NOVEMBER Agriculture & Forestry Expo, White River, Mpumalanga. For more information, visit agfo.co.za . 22 NOVEMBER International Conference on Agriculture, Food and Aqua 2018, Cape Town. Email Lily Smith at agriculture2018conference@gmail.com . 26 TO 28 NOVEMBER African Agri Investment and Trade Indaba, Cape Town. For more information, visit agri-indaba.com . 28 TO 29 NOVEMBER Smart Farming/Precision Agriculture Conference 2018, Radisson Blu Le Vendome, Cape Town. For more information, email Vusi Xaba at vusi@empiretraining.co.za .…

The global wheat market is going through tough times, from both a supply and demand perspective. The drier weather conditions that played havoc with harvests in parts of the European Union (EU) and the Black Sea regions are mirrored in the 2018/2019 global wheat production estimates. At the beginning of this month, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised its 2018/2019 global wheat production estimate down 0,3% to 731 million tons in anticipation of lower yields in parts of Russia. This is 4% lower than the previous season’s harvest. BEARISH OUTLOOK The International Grains Council is also bearish, placing its estimate for the 2018/2019 global wheat production at 717 million tons due to variations in the Black Sea region’s estimates. The key message is that both agencies forecast a decline…

Although a basic basket of food was slightly more expensive than at the same time last year, “dramatic decreases” in the price of maize had prevented a more severe impact on consumers. Dr Christo Joubert, manager of agro-food chains at the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), said this decrease had been good news for consumers. SUPER MAIZE MEAL IS NEARLY 22% CHEAPER The latest NAMC Food Basket Price Monthly report revealed that the average price of its 28-product food basket had dropped about R10 month-on-month, from about R844 in July to R833 in August. In August last year, the same basket cost less than R830. The report stated that super maize meal was nearly 22% cheaper than in August last year. White and brown bread were also cheaper, dropping 1,8%…

The Cape Wools Market Indicator increased 3,7% to close 821 points higher on R232,16/kg (clean) at the second sale of September. The firmer market was due to a slightly weaker rand and the end of the Chinese holiday season. Modiano bought most of the 6 312 bales on offer, with wool of 20 to 20,5 microns trading up to 6,1% higher. The highest price on the OVK sale was R231,40, achieved for a three-bale AFFH lot of 16,9 microns, from the clip of Doringkuil Farming, Middelburg, and bought by New England Wool. “The auction eased the nervousness that had crept into the market in recent weeks,” said Heinrich Victor, OVK’s operational manager for fibre. “There is still an obvious demand for good-quality, long, fine Merino wool.” The worldwide decline in…

Food and fibre production in Africa is likely to be particularly negatively affected should average global temperatures increase 1,5°C above pre-industrial levels. This was according to a statement issued by the Global Strategic Communications Council (GSCC), following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) recently released ‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1,5°C’. A statement by IPCC said that if the planet’s climate continued to warm at its current rate, average annual global temperatures would rise to 1,5°C above pre-industrial levels between 2030 and 2052. “Without immediate global cuts in carbon dioxide emissions, average [annual] temperatures in Africa will rise more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels by 2050. By this time, heat extremes never experienced before by humans in this part of the world could affect 15% of sub-Saharan Africa’s…

SWITZERLAND Promoting insects as tasty, or even as an exotic delicacy, could help change attitudes and achieve more sustainable food production and healthier diets, according to researchers at the University of Bern in Switzerland. “Insects have numerous health benefits as a source of protein and dramatically outperform conventional meat in terms of greenhouse gas emissions,” project leader Prof Sebastian Berger said in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition. “Insect-based food might help in the fight against climate change.” BELGIUM The world’s most advanced sweet pepper harvesting robot recently made its debut at the Research Station for Vegetable Production in Belgium. Developed by a consortium that includes Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, it is designed to operate in a single stem row cropping system with non-clustered fruit and little leaf…

More than 20 wildfires razed approximately 70 000ha of farmland in the Free State during September. Free State Agriculture (FSA) has called on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to properly investigate these wildfires and fine or arrest anyone who either negligently or deliberately started them. The recent wildfires resulted in the death of 18-year-old Dian Terblanche, while some farmers and their families suffered severe burns. In addition, farmers suffered losses amounting to an estimated R35 million when wildfires destroyed their infrastructure and farmland. Dr Jane Buys, a safety and risk analyst at FSA, said farmers needed to report cases of wildfires suspected to have been started through malicious intent or caused by negligence to the police. The SAPS also needed to fine farmers who made firebreaks in violation of…

Japanese paint manufacturer, Kansai Plascon, recently launched an improved version of its anti-mosquito paint. A statement issued by Kansai Plascon explained at the recent launch in Lusaka, Zambia, that the permethrin-impregnated paint had an efficacy of 24 months. Dilip Munasinghe, general manager of Kansai Plascon Zambia, told Farmer’s Weekly that while the company had developed an anti-mosquito paint a number of years ago, it had been discontinued while scientists developed the new and longer-lasting version. The statement said the company’s Professional Anti-Mosquito Paint White (PAM 1) and Pastel (PAM 1000) would add to the existing arsenal of anti-malaria interventions. The disease results in more than one million deaths in Africa every year. “The paint is specially designed [for] safe use in residential homes, public and commercial buildings. The [paint’s] ‘knock…

Agriculture has the means to create food security, create jobs and boost the eco-tourism sector, according to Nedbank chairperson, Vassi Naidoo, speaking at the recent Agri SA congress in Pretoria. At 2,6%, the sector made a relatively significant contribution to the country’s total GDP, while it also directly employed 6% of the workforce. Rapid population growth was creating further opportunities for South African farmers, he said. “In Africa, [South Africa] remains the largest [agricultural] producer. Over the past 10 years, the country has produced on average 13,5% of Africa’s [total] maize production,” he said. The current unemployment rate in South Africa was about 25%, which increased to about 35% if the number of discouraged jobseekers was included, with youth unemployment estimated at 57%. These people needed to be absorbed into…

Farmers are frequently blamed for food inflation. But if you compare retail ex-factory prices with consumer food prices, it is clear that retail prices are largely independent of producer prices. Food inflation decreased from 4,6% in January 2018 to 2,9% in August. The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy at the University of Pretoria has developed a balanced food basket for low-income, four-person households. According to this, the price of the monthly balanced thrifty food basket was R2 714 in 2017 and R2 764 in the first quarter of 2018. It was projected at R2 786 for the rest of the year, and R2 928 for 2019, thus growing at an annual rate of 3,9%. This is the same as the increase in the consumer price index (CPI) for food.…

The world’s macadamia production is expected to increase by just over 12% during 2018 to reach an estimated 209 601t nut-in-shell (NIS). This is a continuation of the upward trend that started in 2012. The growth is due, in part, to new plantings coming into production in a number of countries. With the rapid uptake of macadamia farming, the annual production figure is expected to reach 500 000t by 2020. South Africa is the world leader in macadamia production (52 412t NIS), followed closely by Australia (47 500t NIS). But there is growing competition in the export market from Australia, Kenya and China due to increased production expansion. Established growing regions continue to increase their plantings, and emerging regions, particularly China, feature heavily in production forecasts. The area planted to…

The main difference between Aerobotics and FruitLook is that Aerobotics primarily uses drones to gather data, whereas FruitLook uses satellite imagery, says Dr Albert Strever, senior lecturer in grapevine cultivation and remote sensing at the AgriSciences Department of Stellenbosch University. A drone supplies data at a higher resolution than satellite imagery. Aerobotics can supply farmers with data on individual trees, whereas FruitLook’s imagery, which is acquired at a 20m x 20m spatial resolution, gives an indication of variation in blocks. Another major difference is that FruitLook is sponsored by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, which means this technology is available free of charge, but only in the Western Cape. “Farmers need to weigh the cost of using different kinds of aerial technology and then decide which would work best…

Wooden poles are used for fences, handling facilities, animal housing and other structures. If not correctly planted into the ground, they will eventually work loose, and the structure will become unstable and unsafe. For maximum strength, a pole must be planted perfectly upright. A leaning pole causes structural weakness, which is difficult to fix afterwards. Consider the type of soil you plant the pole into, the water drainage in the area, and the length and thickness of the pole. All poles planted in sandy soil should be set in concrete. If you are building a fence or other structure in harder soil or clay soil, you need set only the main or corner poles in cement; the rest can be in secured in soil, provided this is properly compacted. A…

With the addition of a single chilli, this vegetarian curry does not tip the spicy scale. It is more aromatic, with warming aromas of the coriander seeds, cumin, cinnamon, clove and fresh ginger. All of this makes for a good opportunity to have a drier wine, and a traditionally made bubbly using the same method as French Champagne would be perfect. Krone Rosé Cuvée Brut Méthode Cap Classique is dry, and with just 8g of sugar it’s fresh and fruity, full of ripe red berries, and a very fine, soft mousse on the tongue. It’s made mainly from Pinot Noir, with 15% Chardonnay giving it structure and depth. Or you could try a wine style that’s a little different: Fragolino, an Italian wine with a distinctive strawberry character. Historically it…

Many South Africans enjoy rice with their meals. But some rice, especially from the US, it appears, contains high levels of arsenic, a dangerous chemical element. Arsenic occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust, therefore a certain amount of exposure is unavoidable. Certain areas, however, have elevated and thus problematic arsenic levels. Some factories connected to mining or refining appear to release arsenic into the environment. The process of treating timber uses arsenic. Coal power plants spew arsenic into the air if polluted material is not filtered first. Arsenic can end up in water and soil, and then in the food grown there. Some pesticides and other agricultural chemicals contain arsenic, which builds up over time in the soil where they are used. Most of these chemicals are now banned, but…

Nampo Vleisfees, Calvinia…