Table of contents for 12 April 2019 in Farmer's Weekly

With the South African table grape harvest nearing its end, it is expected that this year’s crop could be somewhat smaller than initially anticipated, or might just conform to the lower level of the South African Table Grape Industry’s (SATI) estimate. SATI’s initial forecast for volumes in the 2018/2019 season was between 63,2 million and 70,1 million cartons of 4,5kg each. “We’re not going to reach our crop estimate this year. It seems as if vineyards, especially in the Olifants River [region], still haven’t fully recovered from the years of drought,” said Willem Bestbier, CEO of SATI, who recently addressed members of the Agricultural Writers South Africa’s Xhariep region. He said it was a disappointing year for the Olifants River region, which expected to produce between 3,5 million and 4,1…

South Africa is expected to export its second-highest volume of avocados ever, despite this being an ‘off year’ in the crop’s alternate bearing cycle. Derek Donkin, CEO of the South African Avocado Growers’ Association, said that while the season had only just started, it was expected that about 16,7 million 4kg cartons would be exported this year, mostly to markets in Europe. Donkin added that this was a 25% decline from last year’s record exports of 21 million cartons, but explained that a bumper crop had been harvested in 2018 thanks to favourable weather conditions and new orchards coming into production. He said that lower production was a common trend across the world, with the industry generally having an “on year” followed by an “off year”. “The ‘off year’ that…

Higher milk production, driven by a more favourable milk-to-feed price ratio, resulted in rapid milk production growth from September 2017. This trend continued during the first part of 2018 as grain prices remained relatively low and producer prices continued at the 2017 level. Production growth as measured by the increase in milk production per month, compared with the same months of the previous year, decreased from a peak of 8% in January 2018 to an estimated -1,5% in February 2019. According to recently released Milk SA figures, milk intake in the first two months of 2019 was 1,8% below the intake in the first two months of 2018. Various factors affected milk production during 2018. The drought in the summer rainfall regions, as well as the drought in pasture-producing areas…

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), which sets international standards for trade in animals and animal commodities, also provides countries and zones within countries with official foot-and-mouth-disease (FMD)-free recognition. In South Africa, FMD is endemic to a narrow region along the northeastern border, consisting of the Kruger National Park and surrounding areas. The rest of the country is an FMDfree zone without vaccination. Following the recent outbreak in the Vhembe district, South Africa initiated steps to establish a containment zone around the infected area, so that the rest of the country could continue trading with partners that accepted the level of protection provided by the zone. A containment zone is considered effective once no new cases are reported within the zone or the protection zone for at least 28…

To make satay skewers and peanut sauce for four diners, you will need: FOR THE SATAYS: 12 bamboo skewers, broken in half 2 tablespoons of canola or sunflower oil 600g chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) Coriander leaves FOR THE MARINADE: ½ can of coconut milk 1 tablespoon of pickle masala 2 teaspoons of brown sugar A couple of dashes of red Tabasco 1 teaspoon of salt FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE: ½ can of coconut milk 1 cup of roasted peanuts 3 cloves of garlic 2 tablespoons of brown sugar ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce 2 tablespoons of Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed and strained lime juice 25mm of a fresh red chilli 1 teaspoon of sesame oil 1 We begin with the skewers. Use them full…

At the end of March, more rain fell in our area; we had over 200mm for the month! The last storm came with hail the size of golf balls, which covered the garden in a snow-like blanket. I even had to buy a new rain gauge after the hail shattered ours. Our parched garden came to life with a vengeance. Gardener Freddie went to work on the lawn with the electric mower, but his task ended up taking days because he had to fit his mowing between Eskom’s load-shedding episodes. Some of the outages were also inconveniently scheduled at meal preparation times. When we’re likely to see the end of them is anyone’s guess. The politicians contradict themselves on the timing, failing to placate the voting public, who are gatvol…

18 TO 20 JUNE Pig Farm Training THIS COURSE TEACHES DELEGATES HOW TO CARE FOR AND FEED PREGNANT AND LACTATING SOWS. IT ALSO FOCUSES ON HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT, TRANSPORTATION, MARKETING AND RATION BALANCING. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 24 APRIL Soil Preparation Workshop, Kuruman. Visit bommereaipela.co.za, or email info@bommereaipela.co.za. 5 TO 8 MAY SETAC Africa Biennial Conference, Cape Town International Convention Centre.Visit saf2019.setac.org. 14 TO 16 MAY Power Gen Africa, Cape Town International Convention Centre.Visit powergenafrica.com. 21 TO 23 MAY Southern African Manufacturing Expo, Nasrec, Johannesburg.Visit localmanufacturingexpo.co.za. 29 TO 30 MAY Agripreneurs Conference, Emperors Palace, Kempton Park. Visit agripreneurs-conference.com. 6 TO 7 JUNE Hortgro Technical Symposium, The Lord Charles Hotel, Somerset West. Email Thea van Zyl at thea@hortgro.co.za. 10 JULY Agribusiness Africa Conference, Premier Hotel OR Tambo, Kempton Park. Email Marianna…

To avert the negative impact of a potential no-deal Brexit scenario, a Southern African Customs Union (SACU)-Mozambique-UK ‘rollover agreement’ is being negotiated. The expectation is that the rollover agreement would, over time, lead to a stand-alone economic partnership agreement (EPA) over and above that which SACU and Mozambique have with the EU. The purpose of the rollover agreement would be to ensure uninterrupted trade between the UK and SACU/Mozambique after the UK leaves the EU, presumably on 12 April. Assuming that there is a ‘no-deal Brexit’, the rollover agreement could immediately come into force from 13 April, and would allow for the following: • The SACU-Mozambique-EU EPA would be residually in place for a period of six months, under the auspices of a memorandum of understanding. • This would occur…

The more than 15% average drop in apple production and resultant income due to the drought in the Western Cape did not accurately demonstrate the severe impact it had on growers in the Karoo region during the past season. This was according to Attie van Zyl, group managing director of Two-a-Day, a wholly grower-owned apple and pear packing and storage business near Grabouw. The production of growers between Worcester and Villiersdorp, for example, was 46% down year-on-year, he said. He said despite reduced volumes, the company managed to achieve good results by reducing costs along the value chain. “More than 80% of growers consequently voted to contribute a per-carton amount towards the drought-stricken growers in the Karoo, where the drought’s impact was most severely felt.” According to Van Zyl, the…

Zimbabwe’s tobacco marketing season has started on a subdued note, with fewer farmers attending the auctions and lower prices realised for the crop. The official opening of the trading season of Africa’s biggest producer of flue-cured tobacco was this year presided over by Zimbabwean Vice-President Kembo Mohadi. The first bale of tobacco was sold for US$4,50/kg (about R63/kg), which was US40c (R5,60) lower than the price realised by the first bale in the previous season. “In 2018, a record 252 million kilograms were delivered to the auction floors. This is a significant achievement for the country’s economy. It is also pleasing that there has been an increase in the number of women farmers that have gone into tobacco production in the past few years,” Mohadi said. The beginning of the…

The Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) animal recording and improvement schemes’ Certificate of Quality has been renewed by the International Committee on Animal Recording (ICAR). The ARC was awarded the Certificate of Quality following an audit that was conducted at the ARC Animal Production campus in Irene recently. The Certificate of Quality was another milestone for the ARC in its efforts to assist emerging livestock farmers to adopt and apply beef recording and improvement technology to increase the productivity and profitability of their herds. This is achieved through improved management practices and the accurate selection for economically important traits, a statement issued by the ARC said. Many South African livestock (beef, dairy, small stock, pig and poultry) farmers took part in the animal recording and improvement schemes, which aimed to record…

South Africa’s subsistence farmers are getting a helping hand from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to move towards growing agricultural produce to generate personal income. The agency will be working with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) to implement the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion initiative, which has already achieved substantial success in other parts of Africa. The spokesperson for JICA South Africa, Brigette Kgaphola, told Farmer’s Weekly that the initiative was the result of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe’s call to subsistence farmers in Africa to “move away from agriculture that merely enables farmers to eat, to agriculture that enables farmers to earn an income”. He was speaking at the 2013 Tokyo International Conference on African Development. Kgaphola added that one of the initiative’s achievements since…

Small businesses in South Africa are often hampered by a lack of finance due to the difficulty of saving money in this country. As a result, many small businesses fold, while others never even get off the ground. Increasing the number of small businesses in operation grows the tax base and improves the overall economy. For this reason, government promulgated Section 12J under the South African Income Tax Act a number of years ago. Within the rules of Section 12J, it is possible to buy shares in a venture capital company, and for the entire contribution for those shares to be tax-deductible in the year of investment. If the shares are held for five years or more, the tax deduction becomes permanent. FARMING QUALIFIES FOR VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDING Anyone able…

WHAT IS THE STATE OF TROPHY HUNTING IN AFRICA? Now that game ranching has stabilised and auction prices have dropped to acceptable levels, hunting in South Africa is set to gain ground. In contrast, in African countries to the north, where most land is owned by the state, game numbers are declining and hunting concessions and hunting have become expensive. Further, unpredictable government policies have caused havoc in the international hunting world, to such an extent that some concession holders in Tanzania have cancelled contracts. Even those South African outfitters and their professional hunters who have traditionally purchased hunting concessions in other African countries are now encountering resistance from hunters because of the greater availability and affordability of game in South Africa. So, despite South Africa’s red tape and the…

Byron Booysen developed a fondness for land and nature while growing up in Burgersdorp in the Eastern Cape, where his family farmed on a small scale. Five years ago, he decided to turn his interest into a business and applied to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture for funding to start a hydroponic farming operation. He was particularly interested in hydroponics, he says, as this type of farming offered good returns even on limited land. STRICT CONDITIONS In December 2014, with the help of the Cape Agency for Sustainable Integrated Development in Rural Areas (Casidra), an initiative of the Western Cape government, four multi-span tunnels were erected on the farm Avon-De-Rust in Kraaifontein near Belville, where Booysen rents land. “This is where everything started for me and my business, Booysen…

Chicken satay skewers and Thai street food make me think of a cold, refreshing beer straight away. And that’s exactly what I lined up to pair with this meal. The skewers are delicious, with a tiny bite, a buttery character from the peanuts, and a slight sweetness. I was expecting fruitier, bolder beers like an India pale ale to work well, but the drier, malty and more bitter styles were the ones that paired best. So, your favourite lager will do just fine with this meal, but try it with an ice-cold Stella Artois because it has an IBU (bitterness rating) of over 30, the highest of commercial lagers. The extra bitterness balances the hint of sweetness on the skewer perfectly. Hazeldean Breweries in Pretoria bottles a Vienna lager, a…

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO RETIREMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA by Bruce Cameron & Wouter Fourie (Zebra, R270) In this updated and much-expanded version of award-winning financial journalist Cameron’s 2008 Retire Right, he is joined by 2015 Financial Planner of the Year Fourie. They’ve produced 250 pages of clear and detailed strategies for helping you plan financial goals for your retirement. The book also gives you access to a suite of web-based tools to calculate budgets, savings, debt, annuities, tax and life cover. MEALS by Christine Capendale (Human & Rousseau, R325) Subtitled ‘Effortless food for every occasion’, this is the book you need if you’re feeding a houseful of guests. Capendale’s choices are hearty family food with flair. She suggests one-pot meals such as harissa chicken with chickpeas and spicy lime yoghurt,…

The South African Giant Pumpkin record has been smashed again at the Livingseeds Giant Pumpkin Competition, held on 9 March at the Walkerville Agricultural Show. The new record was achieved by Peet Joubert, who produced a pumpkin that weighed a whopping 613kg. The second prize was awarded to Wykus Lamprecht, who produced his personal best with a pumpkin weighing 357,5kg. Third place went to Hugo le Roux, with a pumpkin of 331kg. The junior category was won by friends Johan du Plessis and Ruan Maritz, who produced three impressive pumpkins this year. Their personal best, a pumpkin weighing 212,5kg, took first place in this category. This is the second year that Du Plessis and Maritz have dominated this category. Joubert is new to pumpkin-growing, and says that growing his giant…

One of the most important consequences of climate change is the changes brought about in the quality and quantity of water resources and the resultant impact on crop production. Climate change models indicate that the world is becoming drier and warmer, with sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Southern Africa, becoming drier and warming up at a much faster pace. Due to its world-class commercial sector and the general resilience of farmers, agriculture has always been central to the South African economy. The sector is expected to remain one of the key drivers of the country’s economic recovery and growth. Unfortunately, as in any other country, South African farmers must contend with risks such as policy uncertainty and competition from farmers abroad, many of whom enjoy significant subsidies from their respective governments. However,…

Farmers fighting current outbreaks of African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) in South Africa have been urged to refrain from using insecticides containing chlorpyrifos. Dr Gerhard Verdoorn, CropLife SA’s operations and stewardship manager, said chlorpyrifos was one of a class of insecticides called organophosphates. It was toxic to many bird species and could result in large-scale deaths. “There’s a host of other insecticides that could be used without any impact on birds,” he said. The outbreaks of armyworm had occurred mainly in KwaZulu-Natal and had been reported from the Lüneburg area in the north to the Kokstad area in the south. According to Verdoorn, although the worms targeted mainly planted pastures, the pest had occurred only in patches in cash crops such as maize to date. The worms were voracious eaters, and…

Numerous policy documents have identified the need to develop industries such as agroprocessing, as well as integrate markets, to enhance trade for countries that are members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This was according to a report titled, ‘Profiling of the Regional Agro-Processing Value Chains in the SADC region’, recently released by Imani Development International in conjunction with the SADC secretariat and the German Development Corporation. Agriculture and mining were listed as the primary sectors in the SADC region, contributing about half of the GDP in most countries. However, most commodities produced on the African continent were exported in raw form and processed elsewhere, with very little value added to the economies in the producers’ countries, the report said. The report also found that the level of agro-processing…

All maize planted after December in the central and western parts of South Africa’s summer grain regions can be considered “high-risk maize” that is vulnerable to cold and frost damage. This was according to Johan van den Berg, weather analyst at Santam Agriculture. Van den Berg told Farmer’s Weekly that the majority of maize lands to the west of the N1 had been planted from January onwards. The N1 was generally accepted as the dividing line between the country’s western and eastern summer grain production regions. The maize planted in the west represented a considerable proportion of the national maize harvest. There was a real danger of frost damage in the Bothaville, Viljoenskroon and Wesselsbron districts in the western Free State, Van der Berg said. These low-lying districts also had…

UNITED STATES An import alert issued by the US Food and Drug Administration will remain in place for papayas imported from Mexico. The alert permits US ports of entry to detain the produce without physical examination. This follows concerns about the potential for widespread salmonella contamination on the US market from Mexican-grown papayas. In 2017, the fruit was associated with four outbreaks of salmonella, with more than 250 people becoming ill. – Staff reporter AUSTRALIA Sheep slaughter rates in Australia’s eastern states have increased 31% to 154 000 head a week due to the devastating drought in that country, according to Meat and Livestock Australia. “This level of sustained elevated slaughter has a growing impact on the national flock size and available lamb supply in the coming years,” the association…

The impact of climate change on weather patterns has become evident and producers will have to adapt their farming businesses in several ways to this new reality, including preventing heat stress from affecting the reproductive capacity of bulls. This was the message from Dr Michiel Scholtz, a specialist researcher at the Agricultural Research Council’s Animal Production Institute in Irene, Gauteng. Scholtz was speaking at a recent Tuli Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa fundraising event in Bloemfontein. “The forecast is that by the end of the century, Southern Africa could be about 3°C warmer,” he said. This would mean less rain, drier conditions and increased heatwaves, according to Scholtz. “We’ll also get much more [extreme climate] variation, such as floods followed by drought years.” Scholtz said higher temperatures and heatwaves…

The consequences of the recent widespread drought conditions are still having a negative impact on crops in the Western Cape. Smaller berries, and vineyards that have not yet fully recovered from the effects of a three-year drought, are some of the factors that could result in an even smaller wine grape crop this year. According to Vinpro, close to two-thirds of the 2019 wine grape harvest had already been completed, but recent indications were that this season’s harvest could be smaller than that of last year. In 2018, the wine grape harvest amounted to 1,23 million tons, which was 14% lower than the previous year. It was also one of the smallest crops in more than a decade, mainly as a result of the drought. “This year’s smaller crop can…

Antibiotics can become ineffective if stored or used incorrectly. For example, if the instructions on the packaging state that you should store the medication away from direct sunlight and at a temperature of below 25°C, then this is exactly what you should do, or the product will no longer work properly. Some penicillin brands, for example, must be refrigerated; if they are not, their efficacy can be severely affected. If the expiry date has passed, don’t use the medicine; it may be ineffective or even dangerous to the sick animal. DOSAGES AND THE PROBLEM OF DISEASE RESISTANCE Make sure you understand dosage rates. For example, if a manufacturer advises you to “inject 2ml of the medicine, subcutaneously [under the skin], per 10kg of live animal weight”, then an animal weighing…

Some blunders can be rectified without too much damage, but the biggest mistake a farmer can make is to leave crucial long-term decisions too late. An aspirant farmer should think carefully about the future and not base his or her decisions only on a desire to farm. At the top of the list should be an analysis of the farm’s long-term potential, irrespective of management acumen, to sustain a family and financial growth. If the farm fails on these counts it might be best to consider selling up and buying more productive land elsewhere. Another option would be to look for extra sources of income such as adding value to produce or starting up a venture unrelated to the farm.…

In a recent popular article, ‘The ins and outs of agricultural markets’, WA Lombard of the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of the Free State points out that unless a farmer can afford to grow vegetables under cover, he or she has no alternative but open-land production, and this will always expose the farmer to some measure of risk. Lombard’s suggestion for minimising this risk is to seek a fixed-price contract with a buyer rather than supply a local fresh produce market, where prices fluctuate constantly. A GOOD IDEA, OR NOT? Now, contract farming is fine under certain circumstances and it sounds like a good way of mitigating risk, but is it really? Let’s consider just one of many issues that can influence a contract: the price. Any…

To make one loaf, you will need: FOR THE LOAF: 550g cake flour ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup sugar 375ml lukewarm water 10g packet active dry yeast 15ml canola oil FILLING: 200g streaky bacon, chopped 100g basil pesto 100g mature cheddar, plus grated extra to serve FOR THE EGG WASH: 1 whole egg 15ml milk 1 In a pan on medium heat, fry the bacon for about five minutes or until cooked. Set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a 73cm x 13cm bread-loaf tin with baking paper and set aside until needed. 2 To make the bread dough, combine the lukewarm water and yeast in a large bowl. Set aside for about five minutes. 3 In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer,…

The Japanese have a life expectancy that is among the highest in the world. The connection between the amino acid taurine and a long life is so strong that researchers have dubbed it “the nutritional factor for the longevity of the Japanese”. Taurine is found abundantly in healthy bodies, but disease states, including liver, kidney, or heart failure, diabetes, and cancer, cause a deficiency. Most ageing bodies cannot produce optimal levels of this amino acid. Taurine has a powerful effect on the heart and blood vessels; people with high levels have a lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease. They also have a lower body-mass index, lower blood pressure, and lower levels of dangerous lipids. A study of patients requiring coronary bypass surgery showed that consuming a drink containing…

As noted last week, the Strava app (strava.com) helps you track your fitness. In addition, it is a social network; once you have activated your account, you can search for athletes or friends online and follow them, as you would with Facebook. Recording an activity using Strava can be done by using either a smart watch or a phone. If you prefer your phone, open the Strava app and select the orange plus sign in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. You will be given four choices: • Post. This can be used to ask fellow athletes a question, give race tips, discuss a route, and so forth. • Photos. Upload one and add your comments. • Manual activity. This enables you to record an activity not recorded by…

With the many challenges in agriculture these days, no livestock farm can afford to have animals that fail to add value to the operation. This is why breed choice is a decision that needs to be taken only after serious consideration. Every breed is marketed as having a number of advantages, but not all can back these with proven facts and figures. The Bonsmara has its origin in an intensive crossbreeding programme that started in the 1930s. The main focus was to develop a breed that could adapt to South Africa’s diverse environment, and be more profitable in areas where natural grazing and veld were often challenging. After 55 years as a registered breed, the Bonsmara can lay claim to having the crucial characteristics needed to qualify as an adaptable…