Table of contents for 4-11 January 2019 in Farmer's Weekly

Dr Lindiwe Sibanda, vice-president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, tells a story with which many people who grew up, like her, in rural Zimbabwe or in South Africa’s rural areas, can identify. Speaking at the recent launch of the African Research Universities Alliance’s Centre of Excellence in Food Security at the University of Pretoria, she recalled weekends and holidays spent at her grandmother’s house, where her family would eat rich meals consisting of fresh grains, greens, eggs, chicken and goat meat that came from the small parcel of land on which they farmed. It wasn’t a life of abundance, but it was one of sufficiency and satisfaction. But then progess happened. Inspired by the Green Revolution, a period in the 1960s when agricultural productivity took a…

Dried fruit lowers blood sugar Researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada have found that dried fruit helps lower the blood sugar response to food with a high glycemic index (GI). Despite evidence that certain dietary patterns, particularly those rich in fruit and vegetables, may help decrease the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, global consumption of fruit and vegetables is lower than that recommended by health agencies. Increasing consumption of dried fruit is thus an effective way to incorporate more fruit into your diet. Dried fruit has a low to moderate GI, and has been shown to improve blood glucose control in clinical trials. Researchers at Toronto University thus assessed the effect of combining dried fruit with white bread, a commonly eaten food with a high GI. The…

From an agricultural economic perspective, 2018 ended on a mixed note. The sentiment in the sector remains subdued as reflected in the consistent deterioration of the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index, which fell to its lowest level in nine years in the fourth quarter of 2018. Conversely, the agricultural GDP rebounded in the third quarter of 2018, growing 6,5% on a quarter-on-quarter and seasonally-adjusted annualised basis, due to increased output of horticulture and animal products. TEMPORARY RECOVERY However, this uptick in agricultural GDP is no call for celebration as the recovery could be temporary. The weather outlook, which initially painted a positive picture, could again prove to be a key challenge for summer crop production regions and thus the performance of the agriculture sector in 2019. LIVESTOCK SECTOR GROWTH DEPENDS ON…

Mixed expectations for grain production in 2019 The South African maize industry is expected to enter 2019 with a carry-over stockpile of about 3,3 million tons, according to Grain SA agricultural economist, Luan van der Walt. Given the Crop Estimates Committee’s (CEC) forecast that 2,44 million hectares of maize will be planted in the 2018/2019 season, along with the current high supply levels, maize prices would likely remain on export parity during 2019, he said. Production conditions in the latter half of the maize production season would be the determining factor in terms of the maize price. Should the drought conditions continue into 2019, the price may increase. “It is, nevertheless, important to keep the fairly large carry-over stocks in mind as it will add to the next season’s supply,”…

Uncertain economic conditions have a direct impact on the game industry, but there is hope that market forces will bring balance this year. This was according to Wiaan van der Linde, deputy president of Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA). Van der Linde said consumer spending had been limited by the local economic climate and that this had a direct impact on the game industry. He said there was currently an oversupply of some species, especially rare game, which had a negative effect on prices. However, some relief could be on the horizon as lower prices meant that game farmers could no longer breed these species in intensive, high-input conditions. This forced producers to keep these animals under semi-intensive conditions, which resulted in lower birth rates as fewer feed inputs had…

Organisations representing South Africa’s sugar cane growers are hoping that 2019 will see legislation being introduced to allow farmers at all scales of production to achieve greater value from each stick of sugar cane they supply to sugar mills. Sugar cane growers are currently only paid for the sugar and molasses content of their crops. Representatives of the South African Cane Growers’ Association (SA Canegrowers) and the South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA) said that in addition to sugar and molasses, sugar cane farmers needed to be allowed to generate income from value-added products such as ethanol for biofuel, electricity cogeneration, and other biomass-based products. Dr Thomas Funke, SA Canegrowers commercial executive, said the industry was in need of diversification, and ethanol offered a large-scale opportunity to convert export sugar…

The real market price of potatoes has been flat in recent years, while real production costs are rising. The production cost squeeze will therefore continue in 2019, according to Dr André Jooste, CEO of Potatoes South Africa (PSA). The area planted to potatoes would probably not change much for the 2019 harvest, he said. “Since 2015, national plantings have varied between 52 000ha and 54 000ha. Last year 53 000ha of potatoes were planted, which is about 2% more than the 2017 plantings. Although annual plantings fluctuate, it is climatic conditions that determine the size of the national crop,” he added. SPORADIC RAIN MAKES PRODUCTION MORE DIFFICULT According to Jooste, the implementation of the national minimum wage resulted in a sharp increase in labour costs. Coupled with an expected 19%…

Winemakers have expressed satisfaction with the quality of wine produced during the 2018 season, despite dry weather conditions and limited water resources, according to Francois Viljoen, Vinpro consultation services manager. He said the dry, warm weather resulted in healthy, small berries with good flavour intensity. Greater variation between night and day temperatures during the ripening stage gave the colour and flavour formation a further boost, which resulted in wines of remarkable quality. The South African wine industry expected the 2019 wine grape crop to return to normal levels in most regions, thanks to good rainfall after a three-year drought. The Klein Karoo was, however, still experiencing a serious water shortage, he said. At the beginning of November, the levels of the most important dams in the Western Cape were as…

Last year was a challenging year for South Africa’s stone fruit industry, due to the ripple effect of the drought, the heatwave experienced in October, as well as hail and untimely rain. As a result, the peach harvest was estimated to decline 3%, while plum and nectarine volumes were expected to only increase 3%, according to Jacques du Preez, Hortgro’s general manager for trade and markets. Moreover, the apricot harvest was expected to be 11% smaller than the previous season. Du Preez said that despite apricot trees having a tendency for alternate bearing, the drought and other climatic conditions had resulted in apricot volumes dropping for a second consecutive season. The area planted to apricots had also declined dramatically over the past few years, while orchards producing fruit destined for…

A healthy demand for good-quality wool was expected in 2019, according to Heinrich Victor, operational manager for fibre at OVK. He said an integrated animal health regime would, nevertheless, be critical, and producers needed to take note of the import regulations set out by Chinese importers, as the country was the world’s largest buyer of greasy wool. In this regard, wool from areas where Rift Valley fever outbreaks had been reported would not be allowed to be shipped to China. “It is therefore vital that producers vaccinate their flocks against [the disease in 2019],” he said. According to Guillau du Toit, chairperson of the National Wool Growers’ Association, expectations were that the lower supplies from South Africa’s wool-producing areas, due to the drought, would benefit trade to a certain extent.…

The employment relationship between the employer and the employee is based on trust, integrity, mutual benefits and respect. Each workplace is a unique environment and should be evaluated accordingly in terms of labour relations. People are diverse, and not all employees have the same ethical values and work ethos. The employer has the responsibility to balance all these differences and create an environment that promotes the profitability and sustainability of the business. Any activity that negatively affects the relationship of trust between the employer and the employee is serious. Negativity in the workplace can easily spread and affect other employees, to the detriment of the business as a whole. Employers should be alert to the red flags that warn of possible underlying problems in labour relations. Early red flags are…

Global circulation models (GCMs) have been developed to assess the causes of past change, and more importantly, project long-term future change. The following changes in weather patterns are expected to occur by 2060: • An increase in annual rainfall over south-east South Africa, a decrease in rainfall over southern Zambia and Zimbabwe during summer, and a decrease in rainfall over central Zambia during spring. • Drying over Namibia and Angola extending south-eastwards to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, the southern region of Mozambique, and Limpopo. • Significantly drier winters in the southwestern part of the Western Cape. • A general increase in the frequency of extreme rainfall events (at least 20mm of rain falling within 24 hours) over the eastern parts of Africa and the western parts of Madagascar. Reviews of the…

Jacques Terblanche, who co-founded Graceland Garlic Seed with his father, Dereyck, produces seed for growers on 3ha in Springs, Gauteng. According to Terblanche, many factors have to be considered when planting garlic. Although the crop can be grown successfully in a wide range of soil types and in almost any climate, it fares best in well-drained soils with a pH of between 6 and 7,5. “Sandy loam is ideal. Soils with high organic matter content are preferred, due to their increased moisture- and nutrient-holding capacity. These soils are also less prone to crusting and compaction,” he says. GARLIC PREFERS MOIST SOIL, BUT DO NOT SOAK IT Very heavy soil types hinder bulb expansion, particularly if allowed to dry out, resulting in irregularly shaped bulbs. Intensive soil management practices are required…

In today’s fresh produce marketing environment, producers and packers need to be constantly aware of developments in the marketplace, be they locally or abroad. With the rapid pace of change, however, staying abreast of innovations becomes a real challenge. It is impossible, for example, for a single farmer to visit all the trade shows, seminars and farmers’ days on the calendar. Big companies have an advantage here, as they send representatives to these events in an ongoing effort to develop an ‘edge’ to their products. SMALL PRODUCERS, BIG IDEAS Innovation is by no means confined to the major players. Numerous smaller producers have found ways to differentiate their products from the rest. I can think of several excellent examples of local producers who have met market demands through innovation. Innovation…

A good cup of coffee would be ideal with this delicious recipe, but a glass of bubbly is so much better. With the festive season upon us, this breakfast (or brunch for late risers) is a wonderful way to start a lazy day. The only question is: which bottle of effervescent joy do we pop open? That depends on the big, red chilli; the spice and acidity from the tomatoes mean that more fruit or sugar is needed in the glass. I was torn between a fresh and fruity Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) Rosé and an Italian Prosecco with a little sugar. Both, however, paired beautifully. The MCC I enjoyed was the Villiera Tradition Brut Rosé, bursting with red berries, crisp pears and citrus. Prosecco is the sparkling wine made…

First there was Google Street View, which provides panoramic views along city streets around the world, enabling a viewer to navigate the street. Then, in 2012, Google began capturing virtual tours in areas inaccessible to vehicles, focusing on countries with the best wild landscapes and well-known tourist destinations. All this was done using the Google Street View Trekker, a custom-made backpack weighing 22kg with an extension protruding above the carrier’s head. At the end is a sphere housing 15 high-definition cameras pointing in all directions. When the Trekker is recording, the on-board technology captures the precise location of the person, and each camera takes an image every two seconds. These high-resolution photographs are stitched together digitally, creating a 360° panoramic view. Later, by simply moving the mouse, a viewer can…

No one wants to have a stomach bug at this time of the year. It’s time to unwind and enjoy meals with friends and family. But the December heat can be the cause of an upset stomach or even food poisoning. Food spoils easily in the heat, and certain food types, particularly fish and chicken, can become the source of infection. Even mayonnaise, when made with raw eggs, can be dangerous if not refrigerated. Fortunately, there is an easy, cheap and well-proven way to prevent this from happening: apple cider vinegar. In his book, Folk Medicine, Dr DC Jarvis put apple cider vinegar on the map as an effective medication. Apart from all its other qualities, it is useful as an aid to prevent the effects of food poisoning. Jarvis…

EFF leader Julius Malema recently criticised members of the media for forming part of what he called the “Ramaphosa Defence Force”, while addressing a crowd of supporters outside the venue where the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture was conducting hearings. During his address, Malema denounced members of the media for spreading false information or “fake news” on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Minster Pravin Gordhan and “White Monopoly Capital”. He said that the EFF needed to “deal with them decisively”. JOURNALISTS UNDER ATTACK IN AGRICULTURE WE CANNOT EVEN AGREE ON THE NUMBER OF FARM MURDERS In a further development, Malema hit out at investigative journalist Pauli van Wyk in an angry tweet after she shared an editorial from the Mail & Guardian on social media that…

With local soya bean production expected to continue expanding, oilseed processing capacity needed to be addressed, and secure soya bean export channels would have to be put in place. This was according to Luan van der Walt, economist at Grain SA, who said that South Africa’s soya bean production had reached record levels for the past two consecutive marketing seasons. “Production for the seasons was 1,32 million tons and 1,58 million tons respectively,” he said. Van der Walt estimated that the 2018/2019 season would end with a soya bean surplus of about 600 000t, which was nearly four times the “preferred end-season stock level”. He added that South Africa was still importing too much soya bean oilcake, despite producing sufficient volumes of beans. The Crop Estimates Committee’s (CEC) latest forecast…

High-tech wood-based products such as nanocrystalline cellulose, timber-derived sugars, bioplastics and green chemicals are set to create significant added domestic and export market opportunities for South Africa’s commercial forestry sector in 2019 and beyond. This is in addition to the increased local and international demand for conventional timber products that is anticipated for the new year. Michael Peter, executive director of Forestry South Africa (FSA), said that many national and international vertically integrated producers of wood products were investing significant capital into further processing and manufacturing, which would generate increased demand for local timber. Peter said that demand was also driven by the expected increase in social housing projects in South Africa. “[Overall] we expect that 2019 will be better due to the anticipated increased demand for timber and lower…

The South African citrus industry harvested record volumes this season and it was expected that the 2019 season’s crop would be at least of a similar size or slightly larger as trees reached maturity, according to Justin Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa. The record harvest of especially lemon and soft citrus did, however, result in various logistical problems. “It was a big challenge to get the fruit from the farms to the ports and shipped to various markets. Although these logistical problems cannot be solved overnight, it will be a matter of priority in the 2019 season. A RECORD CITRUS HARVEST CREATED LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES “If we gain market access for all our citrus at reasonable returns, the industry and its value chain will grow and…

China is set to be a thorn in the side of South African pecan and macadamia nut farmers in 2019 as circumstances in that country are expected to have a negative impact on the global nut market. Andreas Snyman, head of nuts and international trading at agribusiness GWK, said the pecan nut price was expected to fall US$1/kg (about R14/ kg) in 2019. “There is around 20 000t of [carry]-over stock from the 2018 season due to the higher prices and subsequent lower appetite for pecans. Considering [Chinese consumers] only consume around 50 000t annually, it will have a significant impact on how much [that country] is willing to buy and spend on pecans this year. The price decline is, however, expected to stimulate consumption. “Furthermore, China’s trade war with…

Few jobs test your skills like business management, and few businesses can be tougher than farming! Nature is a harsh taskmaster, and any farm manager aspiring to make a success of farming needs a wide range of balanced skills, not to mention some rare character traits. South African farmers’ production skills are generally extremely high. The success they achieve in one of the world’s most water-stressed countries says it all. There is little you can teach local farmers about extracting high yields and quality products from their farms, and they seem more than willing to spend money on expert advice to fill in the knowledge gaps. Unfortunately, the same cannot often be said about marketing and human resources. But it is accounting where there’s a real black hole. To put…

FruitLips is a small fruit-processing factory on the family-owned farm Achtervlei at Piket-Bo-Berg in the Swartland. Here a staff of 17 process jams, marmalades, chutneys and fruit in syrup, entirely by hand, from fruit that has been rejected for fresh sales and cannot be used for other types of processing. ‘WE PROCESS 70 TONS A YEAR FROM A VARIETY OF FRUIT’ “Starting a business to create jobs that would transfer skills was always at the back of my mind. However, I didn’t expect it to take off so quickly,” says Liebré Jacobs, the force behind FruitLips. The company was established five years ago when a neighbouring farm came up for sale. This had a well-established jam factory on it, but the facility had stopped production after a few years. “My…

As the scale and effects of climate change become increasingly alarming, meat has become a popular target for action, with advocates urging the public to eat less meat in order to save the environment. A key claim underlying these arguments holds that global meat production generates more greenhouse gases (GHG) than the entire transportation sector. This research, produced in 2006 by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has long since been proved incorrect, with the organisation admitting to skewed methodologies. Yet the misconception persists. Prof Frank Mitloehner, animal science and air quality extension specialist at the University of California in the US, states that the global transport sector is in fact responsible for 14% of direct emissions, while agriculture accounts for only 5%. The skewed methodologies used in the…

Every year, invasive plants rob South Africa of an estimated 1,44 billion cubic metres of water. According to Henko Vlok of the Sustainability Initiative of South Africa, this is enough for 3,38 million households of four inhabitants each for a year, or to irrigate 120 000ha of cropland. With South Africa a water-scarce country, controlling of invasive alien plants (IAPs) is key to protecting our water resources. IAPs are exotic, non-indigenous or non-native to an ecosystem. Due to resistance to local control factors and a lack of natural enemies, these plants tend to spread aggressively. The Alien and Invasive Species Regulations of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 (NEMBA) divides invasive plant species into four categories: • Category 1a IAPs that may not be owned, imported into South…

MID-JANUARY TO END MARCH STELLENRUST STELLENBOSCH, WESTERN CAPE Visitors have the opportunity to pick, stomp and make their own wine, and receive six bottles of their own handmade wine after a year following the appropriate barrel ageing. They are also treated to a full wine tasting experience, and are taught the essence of winemaking.Visit stellenrust.co.za. 26 JANUARY DELHEIM HARVEST FESTIVAL STELLENBOSCH, WESTERN CAPE Delheim is traditionally one of the very first Stellenbosch wine estates to ring in the new vintage in high spirits. The theme for the harvest festival in 2019 is Pinotage Rosé. Visitors pick and stomp their own grapes, and can enjoy a family-friendly harvest feast with fresh salads, dolmades, baked bread, cheese and preserves, pickles, and a variety of meat and fruit. There will also be vineyard…

‘PASSION IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE YOUR FARM A SUCCESS’ Marius Corbett runs the Corbett Beefmaster Stud in Sterkstroom, Eastern Cape. The home farm, Sherwood, was bought in 1953 by Corbett’s grandfather, Kruger. Kruger originally ran a sheep and goat farm, and had a few cattle on the side. However, over the years, as labour and input costs increased, cattle became a major part of the business. In 2001, Corbett ended his athletics career and joined his father, Faan, on the farm. As there are so many challenges in the agriculture sector, including political, economic and safety issues, as well as drought, fire, disease and the cost of labour, Corbett believes that farmers have to love their jobs and be passionate about their businesses to make them a success. His passion…

17 YEARS AGO Sour prickly pear has a negative economic impact for landowners as it renders viable grazing and agricultural land useless. Here are some tips on how to get rid of it. Sour prickly pear invades dry savanna and spreads primarily by seeds, and secondly by vegetative means. Fruits are eaten by many animals, mainly baboons, monkeys, antelope, birds and elephants. Humans are the main distributors of the weed, as they are often planted in gardens from where they spread. Full name : Australian pest pear, sour prickly pear, suurturksvy, or Opuntia stricta. Origin : Florida, United States. Description : • Spreading, highly branched succulent shrub (0,5m to 1,5m high). • Cladodes are green to blue-green and flattened (longer than broad). • Spines are up to 40mm long, usually…

Keeping abreast of the local red meat market’s preferences is still the main priority for the red meat sector. This was according to Gerhard Schutte, the CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO). Schutte said that despite growing export opportunities, especially for beef, 95% of South African beef and lamb were still sold to local consumers. IF WEANER PRICES REMAIN AT R30/KG, PRODUCERS CAN STILL PROFIT Tough economic conditions and a high unemployment rate did, however, mean that red meat producers could not expect local consumers to pay exorbitant prices for red meat in the coming year. Schutte said that there were a number of concerns for the coming season, including a possible El Niño weather event that could result in high maize prices. Producers were still rebuilding their…

The South African broiler industry has had a good year, mainly on the back of low maize prices. As a result, there has been significant investment in the industry and there are plans for further investment, according to Ziyanda Majokweni, acting general manager of the South African Poultry Association’s Broiler Organisation. She said some of the challenges faced by the industry that would remain key risk areas in 2019 were the importation of cheap bone-in leg portions, the rand dollar exchange rate, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), and the negative perception of food safety in South Africa created by the recent listeriosis outbreak. “Poultry meat imports remain high despite the excellent competitiveness of the South African broiler industry. Bone-in leg portions remain the biggest contributor to imported meat cuts at…

The South African ostrich industry was continuing to suffer the impact of the ban on fresh meat exports to the EU, which had, for the past year, also been expanded to heat-treated meat. This was the result of avian influenza outbreaks in South Africa, as well as the country not being able to comply with stringent residue monitoring standards set by the EU, according to Francois de Wet, managing director of Mosstrich. While sales in the domestic market had been growing steadily over the past few years, the market was limited and generated much lower income than the export market. “The ban on heat-treated and fresh meat had resulted in the contribution of meat to ostrich income declining from 60% to 25%,” he said. Improved leather and feather prices due…

Table grape production is expected to return to normal growth patterns this season, thanks to good winter rain that helped break the severe drought experienced in the Western Cape over the past three years. In its first forecast for the 2018/2019 season, the Southern African Table Grape Industry (SATI) estimated that production would reach between 63,7 million and 70,1 million 4,5kg cartons, compared with 62 million cartons in the 2017/2018 season. Fanie Naudé, chairperson of SATI, who farms in the Hex River Valley, said producers were cautiously optimistic due to the improved climatic conditions, but that there was some uncertainty about market conditions in the coming year. ‘FARMERS ARE CONSOLIDATING THEIR POSITION’ This included uncertainty about trading conditions as production changed over from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere season.…

The spillover effect of the drought and the heatwave during flowering in October last year could have a negative effect on pome fruit production, according to Hortgro’s general manager for trade and markets, Jacques du Preez. However, thus far everything pointed to an average pome fruit crop, he said. “But, we aren’t ready to celebrate quite yet, because it is still too early to make any accurate predictions and things can change quickly over the next few months. “Although producers have more water than [the previous] year, it does not mean that the drought is over,” said Du Preez. He cautioned that water restrictions were still in force in certain production areas and that producers would still have to work frugally with their water this season. In 2019, the focus…

South African olive producers can expect a good harvest this coming season, both in terms of quality and yield, due to “good flowering” taking place in most areas following sufficient rainfall, according to Karien Bezuidenhout, manager at SA Olive. She said producers now needed to manage their water resources well so that the trees could receive adequate water during critical fruit development stages. The past year had been challenging as rain had been delayed, which resulted in lower yields. However, an excellent-quality crop was harvested, with about 1,5 million litres of olive oil being produced compared with approximately 1,4 million litres in 2017, Bezuidenhout said. As demand still exceeded supply, prices would likely remain stable, she said. “On-shelf prices have increased due to increased production costs and general economic conditions,…

Off-the-shelf aquacultural equipment may be convenient, but it is often unsuitable. I discussed this problem in an earlier article, highlighting the use of circular plastic tanks rather than the preferable custom-made ones. Let’s look at other equipment. Except for the rare cases of gravity-fed aquatic systems sometimes found in trout culture, the vast majority of warm-water systems rely on pumping water. As these are typically recirculating systems housed in tunnel structures, a large volume of water needs to be moved continuously, but over short distances and low heads. The design, size and cost of the pump therefore all need to be considered. Industrial pumps, typically made of metal, offer high head flows. However, they are expensive, and spares, such as seals and impellers, are not always readily available. The specs…

The impact of climate change continues to have devastating effects on countries across the globe, and South Africa has not been spared. The Western Cape has experienced one of its worst droughts in decades, while the Free State and Northern Cape have seen substantial depletion of livestock as well as crop failure due to persistent drought conditions. Prof Francois Engelbrecht, chief researcher for climate studies, modelling and environmental health at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), says the increase in temperatures across Southern Africa over the last five decades can be directly attributed to the enhanced greenhouse effect, or anthropogenic forcing. “The effects include temperatures in the interior regions of Southern Africa that are increasing at about twice the global rate, and increases in the number of high…

As a schoolchild growing up in Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo, Cornel Landman, the owner of Karoo Lusern, always kept a few sheep or cattle. He started making venison biltong for hunting parties when he was only 16, and even had a few goats that supplied the milk for the milk tarts his grandmother used to sell. After finishing school in 2009, he was unable to afford tertiary education, let alone realise his dream of owning a big sheep feedlot. Instead, he started working for Willowmore farmer Gerhard Janse van Rensburg, from whom he learnt much about the practicalities of livestock production. In 2012, however, Janse van Rensburg received a good offer for his land, leaving Landman without a job or a place to keep the 80 Boer goats, 120…

To make a shakshuka for four diners, you will need: FOR THE PRELIMINARY CHARRING: 1 medium onion 3 cloves of garlic 2 big, red sweet peppers 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar FOR THE FINAL PROCESS: 2 cans of whole tomatoes 1 big, red chilli 2 teaspoons of freshly ground cumin 1 cup of mixed fresh coriander (25%) and basil (75%) 50mm chorizo sausage, cut into thin slices 4 eggs 8 depipped black olives 1 or 2 rounds of feta Freshly ground, coarse black pepper Salt 1 Prep the preliminary char by peeling and thickly slicing the onion; crushing, peeling and finely chopping the garlic; and topping, tailing and deseeding the sweet peppers, then cutting them into 5mm slices. Place the onions and peppers…

1 THE LOST FLOWERS OF ALICE HART by Holly Ringland (Pan, R180) Alice has grown up on the coast of Northern Australia, sharing her mother’s love for its vegetation and her father’s excitement in the elements, until a devastating fire strikes. Recovering from her injuries, Alice finds herself kilometres away being cared for by a previously unknown relative on a flower farm. The only interest they apparently have in common is adapting the traditional Victorian language of flowers to Australian indigenous species. It’s a useful stepping stone to a job as a field ranger at a nature reserve, but Alice is doomed to repeat the past until she learns from it. A first novel written from the heart by an Australian now living in Manchester, England. 2 THE OTHER WOMAN…

Happy New Year to you! May it bring peace, prosperity and plenty of rain to fill our empty dams. With an election around the corner, campaigning will flood South Africa with yet more promises of positive change in our beleaguered country. New political parties, such as Patricia de Lille’s ‘Good’ party (all others are, by implication, assumed to be bad), will emerge, but are unlikely to diminish voter opposition support. Will President Cyril Ramaphosa assert his authority to curb corruption and fraud and attract investment to revive our depressed economy as he has promised to do? December saw the lights go out as Eskom inflicted power outages on us, blaming a shortage of coal and the need for maintenance. This is despite a new management board and political promises that…