Table of contents for 01 November 2019 in Farmer's Weekly

I’m not a fan of apportioning blame where it isn’t well deserved. However, while the weather is (thankfully) not controlled by government, and we thus can’t blame it for the lack of rain, we can blame the extent of the impact the drought has had on South Africans on the almost complete breakdown of proper governance at municipal level. A research report by the Public Affairs Research Institute on the financial state of South Africa’s municipalities shows that the large majority of municipalities in South Africa are not even equipped to plug a few potholes, never mind respond to large-scale disasters such as regional droughts. According to the report, around 30 municipalities were in a state of almost total collapse, while many faced operational and financial challenges, and more than…

Farmers in the drought-stricken western parts of North West have expressed their heartfelt gratitude towards Agri North West (Agri NW) and NWK, after these organisations collaborated to supply farmers with animal feed, chicken manure, maize crop residue and beans. The last of 10 loads was recently transported and distributed. Numerous farmers in Lichtenburg, Hartbeesfontein, Skuinsdrif and Vermaas each donated loads of about 52 bales, which were transported to Jakkalskop, Leniesdeel and Tosca since late August. “Agri NW has been involved with the distribution of drought aid since 2013. North West had initially been crippled by a very bad drought and we then received plenty of animal feed from our counterparts in the Western Cape. We therefore didn’t hesitate to become involved when we were in the position to return the…

I recently came across a very interesting social media post by Mbali Nwoko, a young female farmer, also involved in public speaking and writing. “A number of businesses today are thriving in their industries because they don’t physically own the asset,” wrote Nwoko. “You don’t necessarily need to own the land to start farming, nor do you need to own the assets such as a tractor.” Is she right? Before delving deeper, it’s important to acknowledge the fact that owning an income-generating property or asset is the ultimate goal of entrepreneurs. Ownership provides security and enhances capital formation by providing better incentives and access to potential funding or credit. The granting of credit, especially by commercial lenders, often depends on the borrower’s ownership security, and is one of the common…

Citrus exporters have been warned to be more vigilant when it comes to false codling moth (FCM) control in export consignments to the EU. This followed 13 interceptions of apparently live moths so far this season. Consequently, the EU has again officially informed the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (department of agriculture) of the need for improvement in the performance of all participants in the false codling moth risk management system for exports of fresh citrus from South Africa. Dr Sean Moore, portfolio manager of integrated pest management at Citrus Research International (CRI), said the industry has assured the EU that such improvements were forthcoming. “Repeated failure to comply cannot be expected to go by without consequences. It is imperative that we heed this warning and that…

The current 1,63% average annual growth in global agricultural productivity (GAP), measured as total factor productivity (TFP), is lagging behind the 1,73% growth required to effectively meet the world’s food, feed, fibre and biofuel requirements projected for the year 2050. This suboptimal growth was largely due to the current average annual TFP in the agricultural productivity of the world’s low-income countries, which was increasing at an “alarmingly low” 1%. This data was contained in the 2019 GAP Report published recently by Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in the US. ‘AFRICAN FARMERS MUST START UTILISING TECHNOLOGIES’ The report said countries across the world needed to devise and implement strategies that would result in their agriculture sectors sustainably increasing their productivity to meet the demands of the 10 billion…

Producers of the Tochiotome variety of strawberries near Sano in Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture are struggling to recover from the damage wreaked by Typhoon Hagibis that recently devastated the region. Owners of flooded farms have expressed fears that the plants may not bear fruit in time for the harvesting season. The region has led the industry in terms of yields for the past 51 years. The Tochiotome variety, which produces large, bright-red and sweet fruit, is sought after, with demand for strawberries increasing from November. The fruit is used in Christmas cakes and in other seasonal dishes. “It was like the sea,” said strawberry farmer Fujiyuki Tani after witnessing his strawberry seedlings submerged in floodwater, following the typhoon. The greenhouse on his farm was inundated after the banks of the Akiyama…

During the past six months, the average price of watermelons has declined 6% year-on-year, but persistent dry weather could see prices sharply rebounding and increasing significantly towards December, according to Paul Makube, senior agricultural economist at FNB Agribusiness. Makube said indications were that fruit quality was not “too bad” compared with the previous year, but this could change if weather conditions did not “turn positive”. “Sales volumes for the past six months are, however, roughly 5% ahead of the same time last year.” He said that yields were dependent on rainfall, and the only concern so far had been the dry weather conditions and surging temperatures, especially for farmers in Limpopo, who had expressed concern about the impact of the high temperatures combined with a lack of water resources. “This…

Grave concern has been expressed about what will happen to farmworkers and their families as the Fourth Industrial Revolution introduces changes to South Africa’s agriculture sector. This issue received much attention during the three-day farmworker conference held at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in Cape Town recently. According to Prof Ruth Hall of the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), there were about 750 000 farmworkers in South Africa. She said the employment and livelihood of these people were already threatened by climate change, trade deregulation and other factors. “Added to this, there is new technology coming into play. Increasingly, the question is: will the services of these people become redundant, and if so, what livelihood can they have?” Hall said she believed this was an…

The influx of wildlife species into communal and commercial farming areas in Namibia is significantly exacerbating the effects of the devastating drought in that country. Species such as elephants and zebras pose a serious danger to water supplies in the western parts of the country, while elephant numbers were increasing in the communal farming areas of Kavango. This was according to Thinus Pretorius, chairperson of the Livestock Producers’ Organisation of Namibia. “The elephants cause considerable damage to infrastructure by breaking fences, damaging dams and water tanks and pushing over windmills. One elephant’s daily intake of food and water equals that of 30 head of cattle. In water-scarce areas, the loss of one dam filled with water could be catastrophic.” Hundreds of elephants occurred in the Kamanjab region close to the…

“There is no reason to be pessimistic about agriculture in the Western Cape,” said Ivan Meyer, Western Cape MEC for agriculture, during a recent beef information day at the Agri-Expo Livestock event, outside Stellenbosch. In his opening address, Meyer said that in 2018, agricultural production in the Western Cape had reached R43 billion in value terms. He added that agriculture in the province had again contributed significantly to South Africa’s GDP. “Agriculture is alive and well in the province. Despite the worst drought in 100 years, there was still R4 billion in direct investment in agriculture.” Meyer added that the drought had a major impact on Western Cape farmers and it was therefore important to provide support to them. He announced that an additional R147 million in drought aid had…

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Temperature records showed that the past month had been cooler than the same month last year. And here we were, telling each other how much warmer it had been. We farmers, especially those of us who are a bit older, pride ourselves on expounding deeply insightful observations about the weather. Seldom am I in a group of farmers without hearing someone say, “We’ve never had rain before the end of July before, but …”, or, “Autumn winds are getting worse and worse. It never used to blow like this.” THE DEVICE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A SHALLOW PAN, 1,2M IN DIAMETER, THAT IS TOPPED UP WITH WATER DAILY Yet experience shows that human ability to reliably assess present and past weather conditions is notoriously erratic.…

How did your career in agriculture begin? From a young age, I knew I wanted to be involved in farming, and since primary school, I’ve kept livestock. I didn’t want to go to a ‘normal’ academic high school, so I attended the Augsburg Agricultural Gymnasium in Clanwilliam and studied at Grootfontein Agricultural College, graduating in 2007. After college in 2008, I joined Agri-Expo as project coordinator, and have since been promoted to operations manager. You are a board member of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (RASC). What does the RASC do? It’s the voice of agriculture in the Commonwealth. It’s a confederation of more than 50 leading national and regional agricultural show societies, agricultural associations and research bodies working in 20 Commonwealth countries. It encourages high standards in…

RiHugo farm near Mkhondo (Piet Retief) in Mpumalanga is no stranger to awards. This year, Rian Maree was awarded the Mpumalanga Agriculture Young Farmer of the Year title, and will compete at this month’s national Agri SA/ Toyota SA Young Farmer of the Year competition. Maree started farming full-time in partnership with his father, Hugo, in 2008, after completing a degree in agricultural management at the University of the Free State. Within a few years, he began to achieve exceptional show results with the family’s Brahman stud. At the World Brahman Congress, held in South Africa in 2014, his Brahman bull HHM 10  24 won the Supreme Champion award for the best animal at the show. From there, HHM 14 22 was bred and went on to qualify for the World…

Beesgras or herringbone grass (Urochloa panicoides) is an annual tufted grass that can grow as high as 90cm in favourable conditions. Culms (stems) often grow horizontally along the ground and turn up at the ends (decumbent), with roots at the lower nodes. The leaf sheaths are loose, finely striped and hairy, with small knobs at the base of the hairs. The leaves are light green and wavy, even in the seedling. The inflorescence comprises two to seven spikes of up to 6cm long. The seeds are straw-coloured, ovally flattened, with fine ridges on one side, and a blunt apex. Herringbone grass can be seen as one of the four ‘land grasses’ due to its wide distribution and common occurrence in most crop species. It seems to prefer clayey soils, but…

Makes four servings BOTTOM LAYER 1 large broccoli, broken into florets A small quantity of oil 2 onions, chopped 5ml (1 tsp) fresh, chopped garlic 250g mushrooms, sliced Salt and pepper to taste 400g cooked hake, deboned and flaked 250ml (1 cup) water 187ml (¾ cup) milk 60g (1 packet) mushroom soup TOP LAYER 125ml (½ cup) fresh breadcrumbs 250ml (1 cup) cheddar, grated 15ml (1 Tblsp) fresh parsley, chopped Pinch of paprika BOTTOM LAYER 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Blanch the broccoli in boiling water. Drain and transfer to a greased, ovenproof casserole of about 22cm x 22cm. 3. Heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic until soft. 4. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms are done. 5. Add the…

Mamelodi twins Tebo and Lebo Ndala (26) are chefs on the rise. “We came. We cooked. We conquered,” they say on their website, withlovefromthetwins.com. And now they’ve launched their first book, FOOD STORIES (Human & Rousseau, R350). Here they share five key influences in their lives: 1. Mom We grew up loving to make food because our mother is a phenomenal cook, and her mother is too. Our book includes our grandmother’s specialities, such as tomato bredie tripe and creamy morogo. 2. Pop-up We love passing on our passion and excitement about food. So instead of staying in a restaurant kitchen after our training in the Cape and California, we work together in pop-up restaurants. 3. Communicate We started our blog about three years ago and began developing the book…

The depressed state of South Africa’s economy and its effect on the rand, the country’s GDP and business confidence might have you worried about how to protect your investments. In this case, David A. Joshua’s primer, THE SOUTH AFRICAN’S GUIDE TO GLOBAL INVESTING (Zebra, R250), could well be what you need to read right now. This is no bright and bouncy motivational book. It presents serious questions to consider that could make or break your later quality of life. Joshua highlights some of the demands that people face in diversifying their investments. These include motivation, setting goals, easing some of the stress from the investment process, and choosing an appropriate financial adviser. Five copies of The South African’s Guide to Global Investing to give away! TO ENTER: Email the word…

“The fresh produce industry has a saying: ‘Farmers do not go out of business because of low prices; they go out of business because of low income.’ The fresh produce market system in South Africa has played an important role in ensuring access to fair and steady income for fruit and vegetable producers. These markets are crucial to South Africa’s national economic growth and development at a micro and macro level. It is important to understand, however, that everyone in the fresh produce value chain should be aligned to serve the needs of the end consumer. Likewise, all stakeholders need to appreciate their respective roles within this dynamic environment. THE FREE MARKET IN ACTION The process of securing farmers’ income starts at the point at which market prices are discovered.…

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Thulas Nxesi, appealed to farmers and agricultural associations to start co-operating with the department and to abide by labour laws. “If they are not going to co-operate, we will come down very hard on them.” SOME EMPLOYERS WERE NOT ADHERING TO LEGISLATION Nxesi issued the warning during the national conference on the future of farmworkers, held at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) recently. The conference provided a platform for farmworkers to voice their concerns about conditions on farms across the country, and was hosted by the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), and the Centre of Excellence in Food Security, in association with the Women on Farms Project and the Institute for Social Development at UWC. During the conference, it…

Improved co-operation and liaison between all South African Police Service’s (SAPS) structures and the agricultural community are of the essence to ensure successful implementation of the SAPS’s revised Rural Safety Strategy announced earlier this month. This is according to Jakkals le Roux, chairperson of Free State Agriculture’s (FSA) Rural Safety Committee. Organised agriculture, the SAPS, the South African National Defence Force and other relevant government departments needed to follow a joint community approach to stem crime in the province. “Co-operation and mutual respect should remain the basis [for co-operation] between all role players. There is no way that we can combat crime in isolation,” Le Roux said. He welcomed the inclusion of the national Fencing Act in the revised strategy. Effective fencing was of the essence to combat the spread…

AFRICA, ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA Meat consumption has risen by more than half in Africa and two-thirds in Asia and Latin America. To meet this demand, animal husbandry has been intensified, with increasing reliance on antimicrobials to treat and prevent infections in animals raised in crowded conditions, but also to increase weight gain and improve profitability. This had serious consequences, with the proportion of bacteria resistant to antimicrobials rapidly increasing around the world, according to researchers at ETH Zürich, a science and technology university in Switzerland. SPAIN A recent steep drop in global olive oil prices is threatening the subsistence of thousands of families in southern Spain who depend fully on the production of the commodity. This follows the US’s introduction of 25% import tariffs on several European agricultural products,…

The beef industry in South Africa is at a crossroads, according to Dr Pieter Vervoort, managing director at the National Animal Health Forum. “Are we going to push this industry into the future or keep bumbling along?” he said at the recent Aldam Stockman School held near Ventersburg in the Free State. Various speakers stressed the importance of animal health and provided an update on the future prospects of the industry. Vervoort said South Africa had a very healthy beef industry, with below average prices, but with a very good-quality product. South Africa ranked 77th in the global beef production market, with consumer prices averaging about R95/kg compared with countries such as Norway where such prices were just under R400/kg. “We are not managing to [break into] international markets, because…

South Africa has shown a significant improvement in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) annual Global Competitiveness Index Report, climbing seven places since 2018. Currently, the country is ranked 60th out of 141 economies. The report is an annual assessment of the competitiveness landscape of 141 economies, ranking them under a range of socioeconomic indicators such as strength of institutions, infrastructure, information and communications technology (ICT) adoption, financial systems, macroeconomic stability, and business dynamism. According to the report, South Africa’s competitiveness regained momentum after the recent shift in the political landscape. It said that progress had been made in restoring the balance of power across different state entities, enhancing administrative efficiency of the public sector, as well as corporate governance. However, the report flagged security and insufficient labour market flexibility as…

Labour legislation sets strict requirements for establishing the employment relationship. Sectoral Determination 13 in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act of 1997 (BCEA) regulates labour relations in the agriculture sector, setting out the minimum employment conditions that an employer and employee can agree upon. Compliance is not optional; it is a legal requirement, and holds considerable business risk for the employer. The employment relationship is effective from the moment an employee commences work, irrespective of whether it is recorded verbally or in writing. If no specific fixed-term agreement is in place, the employment relationship is deemed permanent. A VERBAL OR WRITTEN AGREEMENT? The BCEA stipulates that at the start of employment, the employer must provide the employee with ‘written particulars of employment’ containing details of the employer and employee, what…

At the beginning of October, Italian show organiser Veronafiere sent a delegation of 12 Italian companies to exhibit machinery and products at a demonstration day co-hosted by Vinpro in Paarl. The exhibitors included Agro Tractors-Landini, Agrimaster-Demetra, Bgroup, Carraro Agritalia, Celli, Dondi, Grena, Ideal, La Cruz, Orizonnti and Polimetal. The event, Fieragricola South Africa, was attended by more than a hundred viticulturists, wine grape producers and industry stakeholders, and gave Italian companies an opportunity to meet existing and new agents, growers and industry representatives. The main focus of the event was on showcasing viticulture machinery and equipment. The following caught the eye of Farmer’s Weekly. CELLI The Celli Mizar mulcher (Photo 1) is ideal for mulching and cutting grass, shoots and wood with a diameter of up to 7cm. It features…

Makes eight servings ICE CREAM 250g (1 tub) fat-free cottage cheese 750ml (3 cups) fat-free natural yoghurt 125ml (½ cup) sugar substitute 187ml (¾ cup) apple juice BERRY LAYER 250ml (1 cup) of any frozen or fresh berries 187ml (¾ cup) apple juice 45ml (3 Tblsp) sugar substitute ICE CREAM 1. Mix the cottage cheese, yoghurt, sugar substitute and apple juice in a mixing bowl. 2. Place it in the freezer for two hours. Mix well. 3. Return it to the freezer for another two hours. Stir again until mixed well. 4. Transfer the ice cream mixture to a shallow 22cm x 30cm serving bowl. 5. Leave in the freezer overnight until well set. Cover the bowl with foil. BERRY LAYER 6. Place the berries, apple juice and sugar substitute…

Essential tremor: Part 2 Last week, I dealt with the causes and symptoms of essential tremor (ET). This week, I’ll look at ways of treating the condition. • Beta-blockers One of the most popular beta-blockers is propranolol. It blocks the stimulating action of neurotransmitters to calm the trembling, especially when it is a type of nervousness. Propranolol is effective in 40% to 50% of patients, but is less useful in reducing head and voice tremor, and is usually avoided in patients with asthma, emphysema, congestive heart failure or heart block. It should also be used with caution by people with diabetes who are on insulin. It may reduce exercise tolerance, lower blood pressure or heart rate, or exacerbate depression. Beta-blockers with fewer side effects include atenolol, nadolol, metoprolol and timolol. • Anti-seizure…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 29 OCTOBER AFMA Symposium, Diamond Auditorium, CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria.Visit afmasymposium.co.za. 6 NOVEMBER Subtrop Marketing Symposium, Ingweyama Conference and Sport Resort, White River. Email Lizette de Wet at lizette@subtrop.co.za, or phone her on 015 306 3676. 10 TO 13 NOVEMBER International Symposium on Moringa, CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria. Email Laila Smith at laila.smith@wits.ac.za, or phone her on 011 717 6705. 26 TO 27 NOVEMBER African Agri Investment Indaba, Cape Town International Convention Centre.Visit agri-indaba.com. 26 TO 27 NOVEMBER Management and Treatment of Domestic and Industrial Wastewater, International Convention Centre, East London.Email dev@gptc.co.za. 27 TO 29 NOVEMBER Water Security in Africa, Radisson Blu Hotel, Cape Town. Email gmahlanzi@intellect-adv.co.za. 28 TO 29 NOVEMBER 4.0 Industrial Revolution Agri Tech Conference 2019, The Lanzerac, Stellenbosch. Email Empire Training…

Unpredictable weather conditions have become a major risk for Southern Africa’s agriculture sector. Coming out of the 2018/2019 production season, which was characterised by widespread drought and floods in the case of Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique, the season ahead looks as unpredictable as the last. A few months ago, there were prospects of timely rain across Southern Africa for the 2019/2020 production season, but so far, most regions have remained dry, and plantings have been delayed. The South African Weather Service said recently that there was a chance of above-normal rainfall for the central and eastern parts of the country between November 2019 and January 2020. This would bring much-needed relief and accelerate plantings. It is unclear, however, whether this will extend to Southern Africa as a whole, which means…

With the advent of the 2019/2020 summer grain planting season, producers have to carefully manage production inputs and must have strategies in place to mitigate increasing input prices, according to Grain SA economist, Ikageng Maluleke. She said seed, coupled with fuel, remained summer grain producers’ largest input expenses. In terms of chemicals and fertiliser, she advised producers to focus on price trends and the impact of international prices on domestic prices. South Africa experienced consecutive fuel price increases over the past few months. A number of internal, as well as external factors contributed to the current wholesale price of diesel. This included international crude oil price fluctuations, the exchange rate of the rand, and international supply and demand balances for petroleum products. “The good news is that compared with October…

Free State Agriculture (FSA) has cautioned farmers in the province to be on their guard against fraudsters offering financial assistance. This was according to the CEO of FSA, Gernie Botha, who said the perpetrators targeted farmers who were under financial pressure. “It has come to the attention of FSA that there are individuals who pretend to be able to assist farmers financially by offering loans, especially when banks or other institutions can no longer offer assistance. They are apparently focusing on farmers who are struggling financially.” According to Botha, farmers who reported the incidents to FSA were contacted by the swindlers with promises of receiving financing. The victims were requested to pay an ‘administration fee’. In all the cases brought to FSA’s attention, nothing had come of the promises after…

More than 50 000 visitors attended the recent Polagra Food and Polagra Tech International Trade Fair for Food and Catering Products, as well as food technology, held at the Poznań International Fair showgrounds in Poland. In all, over 800 exhibitors from 30 countries showcased the latest products, services and technology for the food industry during the four-day event, which was the largest food service business event in Central and Eastern Europe. Among the guests was the Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, while CEOs and directors of all the industry’s leading associations and institutions were also in attendance. This year, Polagra Food was dominated by the dairy sector, which was increasingly expanding exports to international markets. According to Waldemar Broś, president of the National Association of…

If the current trend of ever-growing egg production and decreasing consumer spending on eggs continued over the next 12 months, a number of South African egg producers are likely to be forced out of business due to profitability challenges. This was according to Robin Barnsley, a commercial egg producer in KwaZulu-Natal, and chairperson of the approximately 50-member strong TopLay Egg Co-operative. Statistics provided by the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) indicated that for the period 1 January to 31 August, South Africa produced an average of just over 418 000 cases (360 eggs per case) of eggs per week. In a dataset covering 2014 to the present, this figure was substantially above the previous high of almost 407 800 cases of eggs per week reported for 2015. ‘IT’S A CASE…

It is hoped that a parasitoid imported from Hawaii will be the answer to the macadamia felted coccid infestation that is threatening the local macadamia industry. The macadamia felted coccid (Eriococcus ironsidei) was endemic to Australia and the first infestation in South African macadamia orchards was reported in Barberton, Mpumalanga during 2017. This scale-insect with its felted appearance was usually observed on the main veins and edges of leaves, and also formed characteristic encrustations on stems, leading to tree dieback. This resulted in significant economic losses as trees could go from being high yielding to dying in a matter of months. Dr Schalk Schoeman, a senior researcher at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), who headed a Macadamias South Africa (SAMAC) funded research project on the macadamia felted coccid, said that…

With increased competition from other countries, South Africa’s table grape producers are focusing on supplying their existing and potential ‘discerning markets’ with only the best quality fruit. This was according to Fanie Naudé, chairperson of the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI), who said this included replacing older varieties of table grapes with newer varieties preferred by export markets. He was commenting on SATI’s first crop estimate for the 2019/2020 season. According to the estimate, South Africa’s table grape production for the current season was expected to be between 61,05 million and 67,8 million 4,5kg-equivalent cartons. The country’s final table grape harvest for the previous seasons was just over 61,1 million cartons. Naudé added that, as a result of vines of older table grape varieties being replaced with newer varieties,…

A group of activists from the Philippi Horticulture Area (PHA) near Cape Town recently turned to the courts in a bid to prevent the proposed development of 479ha of land located within its boundaries. In a video by the Philippi Horticultural Area Food and Farming Campaign, the leader of the campaign, Nazeer Sonday, said the area supplied up to 70% of the city’s fresh vegetables, and the Cape Flats Aquifer was located within it. According to him, the PHA was the last remaining unpaved area that sustained this aquifer, one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. “The aquifer is in the soil of the farmlands. If we lose a piece here, a piece there, it will destroy the aquifer,” Sonday said. The campaign had therefore brought a case against…

Most Valencia marketers would agree that the past season was relatively smooth compared with some previous seasons. Apart from the logistics bottlenecks at a number of South African ports when harbour personnel went on strike and the ever-increasing volume of Egyptian fruit entering the market during South Africa’s early Valencia season, the 2019 season was a classic example of the effect of lower volume on price. The latest prediction for Valencias packed for the 2019 season still stands at 47,1 million cartons, 13% lower than last year’s bumper crop of 54,4 million cartons. Informed data from the industry shows the long-term average annual production for Valencias to be between 46 million and 55 million cartons, taking into account on and off years, current demand and market access. LACK OF CERTAINTY…

Marilyn Siegels ventured into farming in 2017 after leaving the corporate sector, where she worked as a medical representative for Nestlé. Despite little exposure to farming, she committed herself to the family business, for which her father had sacrificed a great deal. BETWEEN 60% AND 70% OF THEIR FRUIT IS EXPORTED According to Siegels, acquiring Protea Farm, which trades under the auspices of the Nitaflo company and is situated in the Elgin Valley, was no easy task. “It took my father [Edward van Niekerk] almost seven years to finally receive the farm from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform through the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) system,” she explains. He was granted a 30-year lease from government, with the option of buying the land after five years. “The…

Amongst fresh produce markets, Joburg Market (JM) is acknowledged as the leader and price setter. This might seem like stating the obvious, but this exalted status does not come only from dominance in the sector. There is an unseen, but very real, momentum generated by JM, due to its sheer size, as well as its location in the country’s richest economic region. THE FACTS AND FIGURES The statistics confirm this. JM is approximately twice the size of the next-largest fresh produce market, Tshwane. Its turnover in the past financial year was well over R4 billion, and an average of 450 000 sales transactions are conducted every month. The massive volumes of fresh produce sold – more than one million tons a year – are further testimony to its dominance. For…

Biliary, otherwise known as piroplasmosis, is caused by the blood parasites Babesia caballi and Theileria equi. These parasites belong to the order Piroplasmida, and as a result, the internationally accepted name for both forms of disease is now piroplasmosis. The disease is considered endemic to parts of Africa, including South Africa, South America, the Middle East, Asia and some parts of Southern Europe. In these countries, up to 90% of horses are carriers. Countries that are free of the disease insist that horses are tested prior to importation, although competition horses would be allowed to enter the country, provided they are quarantined and treated with insecticides. MIXED INFECTIONS WITH BOTH PARASITES ARE COMMON TRANSMISSION Piroplasmosis is known to be transmitted by over 30 types of ticks, but in South Africa…

FROGS & OTHER AMPHIBIANS OF AFRICA by Alan Channing & Mark-Oliver Rodel (Struik Nature, R400) Africa’s amphibian groups are summed up in a useful 10-page overview section, a good starting point for new amphibian fans. Species descriptions with distribution maps will help you identify any species you come across on your travels, while the book is equally useful as a guide to your local species. GUILTY NOT GUILTY by Felix Francis (Simon & Schuster, R305) Felix Francis inherited the Dick Francis thriller franchise from his late father, but is increasingly adding fresh twists and perspectives that make it more his own. Although there aren’t many horses or much racing in this murder mystery, the hero, Bill Russell, is a former, part-time jockey turned volunteer race steward. This explains why he…

For centuries, farmers have struggled to prevent birds from eating their crops. Now, Prof Rebecca Brown, of the Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology at the University of Rhode Island in the US, has developed a new scarecrow to scare off birds that damage maize crops. The device uses lasers to scare off the marauders. Brown puts maize losses to birds at up to 75% in some cases. The birds eat the kernels, rip the husks, and damage the tassels. HOW THE DEVICE WORKS The laser scarecrow is installed in a weatherproof plastic bucket attached to an adjustable pole. This enables the laser to be set at the same height as the maize tassels. The device has a maximum operating distance of 185m. It is relatively simple to set up,…

If you had R3 million to invest in agriculture, either in new or existing farming activities or in the agriculture value chain, how would you spend it? I would buy SenwesBel shares, which are traded on the ZAR X exchange, because of the discount they offer into the underlying Senwes share, which has a proven investment case and performance. What is the best advice you have ever been given, and from whom? I have learnt so much from a variety of role players in South Africa’s food and fibre value chains. The agriculture community is a unique business environment, in which most stakeholders are focused on achieving results, as well as on innovation, faith, and supporting each other. One of the most important lessons I have learnt is to always…