Table of contents for 29 November 2019 in Farmer's Weekly

The story of Zacharia Matli’s farming journey (see pg 36) has just reminded me again how tough it is to start out as a new farmer. It takes grit, passion, faith and a lot of support to make it in this industry. As Matli’s story shows us, you have to have the courage to fail and then try again many times over. Even farmers who have been in the industry for decades are never far from failure. For many, two consecutive bad seasons, due to drought or some other natural disaster such as disease, would be enough to ruin their businesses. But what stands out most from Matli’s experience is the prohibitively high cost of farming and the amount of practical and financial support new farmers need if they are…

Some challenges force us to change our way of life and how we conduct business. These bring with them opportunities to come up with actions for both mitigation and adaptation. Furthermore, these challenges provide us with the opportunity to develop methods to reduce current and future exposure and vulnerabilities. Because of its nature, agriculture is sensitive to many challenges that are often beyond the control of the farmer, such as the drought South Africa is facing once again. For the past four years, the ongoing drought has featured prominently in the industry and continues to be topical as its intensity strengthens. Currently, it is threating the grain production output for the 2019/2020 season, in particular, along with the livestock industry. ‘WE NEED TO FOCUS ON ADAPTION STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE THE…

Exceedingly wet, but often destructive, weather conditions experienced recently across swathes of drought-stricken KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have largely been welcomed by the province’s farmers. Representatives of various agricultural bodies in the province said that many of their members had been struggling due to the wide-ranging negative effects resulting from the late spring and summer rain this year. Thube Zondi, secretary of the KZN chapter of the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa, said the association’s members, especially in northern KZN, were grateful for the recent rain, which had accompanied often violent thunderstorms characterised by severe lightning, high winds and hail. “Following the recent rain, our members are now looking forward to being able to continue with their farming operations. Until now they’d had to put everything on hold because they didn’t…

The soya bean market is looking increasingly favourable for farmers, as domestic consumption and crushing reach record highs, with international production challenges also expected to support better prices. Grain SA economist Luan van der Walt told Farmer’s Weekly that domestic soya bean stocks were low at present following an increase in crushing since March. He said a new consumption record of over 142 000t was set in August, with consumption in September just slightly below this at over 141 000t. “Processing was also very good, and in September we saw an all-time single-month crushing record of [almost] 123 800t.” He said 30% more soya bean were processed in the country between March and September this year than during the same period in 2018. A smaller soya bean harvest was anticipated…

The African Plant Breeders’ Association was recently launched in Ghana, with the objective of helping to improve food security on the continent. The launch, hosted by the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), brought together more than 400 scientists, researchers and agriculture policymakers, as well as other public and private sector role players from 30 different countries. The interim president of the association and director of WACCI, Prof Eric Danquah, said the formation of the association would “open doors for collaborations so urgently needed to birth the ideas for the development of innovative solutions for agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa in our lifetime”. Ghana’s deputy food and agriculture minister, Dr Sagri Bambangi, said plant breeding was widely recognised as an important tool to tackle the problems of global food…

The African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA) has urged government to declare the widespread drought a national disaster. Neo Masithela, chairperson of AFASA, warned that the drought was spreading across the country and could not be viewed as “a looming disaster” because South Africa was “already living in a disaster”. The DA also called on government to stop “playing politics” and address the current drought crisis. “This drought is spreading like wildfire across all provinces; our national government has failed to take the steps that are necessary to ensure that we avoid a crisis,” said DA MP Thandeka Mbabama. She said the DA had repeatedly requested the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to address the current drought crisis and declare it a national disaster.…

The first African horse sickness (AHS) case for the 2019/2020 season has been confirmed in Gauteng. The South African Equestrian Federation (SAEF) recently released a notice on social media warning that a case had been confirmed near Nietgedacht. “[The owners of] all horses [that need] to enter the AHS-controlled area of the Western Cape will need to ascertain whether they need to go into stopover to return to the Western Cape,” SAEF said. The case was confirmed by the chairperson of the South African Equine Veterinary Association, Dr Terry Casey, who said that while no quarantine measures were in place for the disease, the controls needed would impact the movement of horses. “Movement is basically closed down out of Gauteng [to the Western Cape] within a 30km radius of that…

Produce marketers have been cautioned to first come to grips with the complexities of the middle class segment of the population before investing in marketing campaigns. Dr James Lappeman, head of projects at the University of Cape Town’s Marketing Institute, said that while a growing middle class was good for the economy, as this group was responsible for the bulk of spending, ‘middle class’ as a concept was complicated. “There is no clear cut and dried section of people who have disposable income. “There is also a difference between organic middle-class growth and a new middle class. Both groups may be earning the same income, but the former has far more assets because they have been accumulated over time. The debt ratios are also different. So, even if you use…

The bulk of the challenges being experienced at two agriculture projects in the Free State appeared to be largely due to issues with group dynamics. This was according to the spokesperson for the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Free State DARD), Zimasa Leputla, in response to allegations made by the DA in the province. Member of the provincial legislature and leader of the official opposition in the province, Dr Roy Jankielsohn, said he had conducted oversight visits to two provincial projects, the Diyatalawa and Wilhelmina agri villages. “In September, my oversight visit to Diyatalawa exposed a derelict dairy, apple orchards in ruins, and little other activity from the 50 beneficiaries. My oversight [visit to] Wilhelmina exposed mixed results,” he said in a statement. Jankielsohn said government had…

The winner of the 2019 Agricultural Writers South Africa’s Farmer of the Year is Nick Serfontein, the chairperson of the Sernick Group, a diversified agricultural business with operations near Edenville and Kroonstad in the Free State. The farming operation includes a Bonsmara stud, a feed factory, a feedlot, and a deboning facility. The winners were announced at the association’s recent awards evening, held in Pretoria. The theme of this year’s awards was ‘Farming for our Future’, and awards were presented in the categories of Farmer of the Year, Agriculturist of the Year, and New Entrant to Commercial Agriculture. Dirk Louw was the winner in the New Entrant to Commercial Agriculture category. He farms in the Groblershoop district, and his farming operation consists of vineyards for dried grape production, wine grape…

Before and after Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement delivered in Parliament in October, South Africans were bombarded with frightening concepts such as ‘currency devaluation’, ‘sovereign credit downgrades’, ‘poor investor confidence’ and ‘capital outflows’. To help the reader make sense of these financial and economic terms, here are some basic definitions, as they apply to South Africa: • Currency devaluation This means that, in a global sense, the value of the rand is decreasing. • Sovereign credit downgrades This indicates that investors worldwide see South Africa as becoming an increasingly risky client to lend money to (or invest money in, for that matter), due to the high government debt level. • Investor confidence Foreign and local investors don’t want to invest their capital in South African business opportunities as they expect…

Manure can be an effective supplementary organic fertiliser if handled and used correctly. It can, however, be very harmful if applied in excessive quantities. Dr Gerhardus Nortjé, a senior lecturer at the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of South Africa (Unisa), notes that all manures are not equal. The mineral nutrient content of manure obtained from different animals differs widely in terms of both concentration and ratios between nutrient elements. ‘CHICKEN MANURE HAS HIGHER SALINITY THAN CATTLE KRAAL MANURE’ “Chicken manure, for example, generally has much higher concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) than ordinary cattle kraal manure. It’s more than two times higher in N, three times higher in P, and more than one-and-a-half times higher than K. Caution should therefore be exercised when…

Politics, drought and veld fires have resulted in a difficult economic climate for all extensive livestock breeders, but horse breeders are particularly hard hit. GELDING TAKES THE EDGE OFF A STALLION’S AGGRESSION While the South African National Equestrian Schools Association (SANESA) has boosted the market for performance horses, this has not assisted breeders, as foals take about six to seven years, as well as a lot of expensive training, before they can be sold. As a result, there is virtually no market for stallion services, and several breed societies say the number of foals being registered has dropped over the past few years. The price of foals has fallen, and those breeders who run large herds of unregistered mares with a few registered stallions, thus making money from quantity rather…

Now you can live in a city and still take part in a farming enterprise. As noted last week (FW, 22 Nov), the MyFarmBook app, developed by Ntuthuko Shezi, uses ‘crowd farming’ to enable you to invest in a farmer’s operation. In doing so, you provide the money the farmer needs to expand his or her operation, then you are paid back, with interest. Investment opportunities currently include ‘Easy Cow’, where for about R600 you share a cow with 19 other investors; alternatively, you can invest in a macadamia tree for R2 000. Each investment has a direct impact on the farm by creating jobs and enabling farmers to produce healthy food. Moreover, the return on investment is competitive compared with conventional investment options, says Shezi. By reinvesting these returns,…

As the 2019 lemon season draws to a close, record volumes of lemons have been packed for export. According to Portia Magwaza, a research economist at the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA), 22,1 million 15kg-equivalent cartons of lemons had already been packed, surpassing the 2018 volume of 19,9 million cartons. Currently, the packed-for-exporting figure in the Sundays River Valley, South Africa’s biggest citrus producing region, was 10,2 million cartons, or 2% higher than the initial estimate in March. In the Boland, the packed-for-exporting figure was 1,5 million cartons, or 79% higher than the original estimate, while Patensie, with 1,3 million cartons, had exceeded the estimate by 36%. According to John Edmonds, the information manager at CGA, this could largely be attributed to young orchards coming into production. “There…

The ‘smart foods’ trend fulfils all the criteria for a nutritious and healthy diet, and is good for farmers and the planet in terms of being climate smart, according to consumer marketing strategist, May Krugel. Krugel was speaking at the recent Produce Marketing Association’s Retailers’ Connections lunch, held in Centurion, about the drivers influencing consumers’ buying decisions. The ‘smart foods’ trend was driven by a new “consumer consciousness” with regard to food, she said. According to the 2019 Nielsen South Africa Shopper Trends report, buyers had become far more “savvy and critical” of the retail environment, and despite being “hyper-aware” of price changes, wanted quality products and an “experience-driven” retail environment. “Retailers and producers are similarly challenged to engage and contend for space in the basket of an increasingly fickle…

CANADA Recent frost in Manitoba province in Canada has brought the potato harvest to an early end, with 12 000 acres (about 4 850ha) of potatoes, valued at about US$50 million (about R742 million), not harvested. According to a statement by Dan Sawatzky, manager of the Keystone Potato Growers’ Association, representing the province’s 52 processing potato growers, it was the second year that wet soil had prevented potato farmers from harvesting their entire crop before it suffered heavy frost damage. GERMANY Declining insect numbers in German forests and grassland, particularly near intensively farmed land, has been described as “frightening” by scientists. An international research team, led by scientists from the Technical University of Munich, collected more than one million insects at 300 sites across the region. The results, recently published…

A master plan aimed at addressing the various challenges faced by South Africa’s poultry industry was recently unveiled by the Department of Trade and Industry. The plan provided a framework to address the various challenges faced by the poultry sector through a combined strategy to propel the industry forward, the department said in a statement. It set out how the industry’s capacity would be expanded and how it would ensure that locally produced products made up an increasingly larger proportion of consumption over time. In order to achieve this, government and industry would work together to revamp the country’s certification systems so that South Africa would be able to meet the requirements of major importing countries. The plan would also encourage black participation, and particularly black ownership, across the value…

More than 6 000 farmers’ wives in the drought-stricken areas of South Africa have so far received care packages as part of the Wellington Country Women’s Agricultural Association’s (CWAA) ‘Box for a Farmer’s Wife’ project. One of the recipients, a farmer’s wife near Williston in the Northern Cape, said in a letter to the CWAA: “As I am writing, the tears are streaming down my face. I feel that my cup is running over. Thank you for doing this for the farmers’ wives.” According to Juanita Loubser, chairperson of the branch, nearly 6 000 women had received care packages so far. The CWAA received so many packages that some of the recipients were sent two boxes, depending on the size. Ten thousand boxes had been distributed from Wellington to date,…

The cost of feed in relation to the price of eggs over the past year has placed severe pressure on producer margins. This was according to Marco Torsius, CEO of El Azar Poultry Farm, which is part of the TopLay group, who said egg prices had been dropping steadily over the past year due to an oversupply on the market. “It varies from region to region, but prices have gone down 20% to 30% on average over the past year.” Tortius said feed prices, on the other hand, had increased about 20% during the same period. General manager of the South African Poultry Association’s (SAPA) Egg Organisation, Mogala Mamabolo, concurred: “The margins are getting smaller and this is affecting the profitability of producers.” Mamabolo said it was even worse for…

The summer crop planting season has commenced. However, conditions remain dry countrywide and farmers are holding off on planting in the hope that it rains soon. According to the South African Weather Service, the rainfall forecast for November to January indicates enhanced probabilities of below-normal rainfall over the far eastern parts of the country, while above-normal rainfall is predicted to be more likely in the western and central parts. The eastern maize-producing regions produce mostly yellow maize for the animal feed industry. The planting window in the eastern summer crop-producing area is narrowing due to the hot, dry conditions. As a result of the delayed rain, the intended maize-planting estimate of just over one million hectares of yellow maize, and 1,43 million hectares of white maize, may not materialise. The…

The following invasive alien plant species reproduce and spread quickly, forming dense populations in natural habitats. These replace native species and stifle their regeneration. • Dwarf umbrella tree (Schefflera arboricola) This evergreen tree, with its dark-green leaves, fans out into an umbrella form. It is shade-tolerant and invades disturbed or undisturbed forests and coastal bushland. The roots can block plumbing joints and pipes, as well as damage footpaths and building foundations. Invasive status: NEMBA Category 3; a problem in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Mpumalanga and Limpopo. • Eglantine (Rosa rubiginosa) Also known as the wilderoos, this compact, deciduous shrub reaches 2m in height and has thorny and hairy branches. The shiny, aromatic leaves are green above and rusty-haired beneath. Pink flowers varying to white appear in groups of three from October…

The World Citrus Organisation (WCO) was recently launched at an international trade show for the fruit and vegetable sector held in Spain. The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa was a key driver in the formation of the WCO. The birth of the organisation is a significant event, as citrus is the world’s largest fruit crop. The WCO is intended to promote dialogue and joint action among its members, as well as take on the challenges of a rapidly changing global trade enviroment. AMONGST THE LEADERS I find South Africa’s involvement in the new WCO encouraging, especially considering that the country has been at the forefront of similar organisations for avocado and other fruit. It confirms our role as one of the world’s top fruit-exporting countries and a leader within…

Vitamin E is a remarkable nutrient. It helps all muscle cells, including heart muscle cells, to repair themselves after any kind of exertion. This is good news not only for sports enthusiasts but elderly people suffering from muscle wasting. Vitamin E in all its forms is an excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. During a study of men aged between 50 and 69, researchers found that those given natural vitamin E supplements had up to a 70% lower risk of developing pneumonia, depending on other lifestyle habits. Excellent sources of natural vitamin E include fresh nuts, seeds, green, leafy vegetables, and raw or lightly roasted sunflower seeds. These are preferable to taking a supplement. Vitamin E comes in two isoforms, tocopherols and tocotrienols, and each in turn has four sub-forms: alpha,…

If you were given R30 million to invest in agriculture, either in new or existing farming activities or in the agriculture value chain, how would you spend it? I don’t think I would invest it in my own business. Instead, I would invest in farmers by using the money to secure title deeds for those who have been granted access to land, but not ownership, and have thus been forced to rent their land from the state for many years. If you were given carte blanche to effect one major change in South Africa tomorrow, how would you use this power? First, I would establish a platform for engagement that would serve to facilitate better understanding between people of different groups in South Africa. I think a lot of misconception…

Almost halfway into the current 10-year iteration of the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), the US and its sub-Saharan African partners have not worked out a comprehensive post-AGOA reciprocal trade agreement. Like every other sub-Saharan African country, Namibia does not adequately utilise AGOA due to several challenges. Some analysts argue that the closure of the Ramtex garment and textile factory in 2005 started the marked decline in Namibia’s exports to the US. The factory’s closure translated into lost export revenue of about US$100 million (about R1,47 billion) per year. Could the fish industry fill this gap and become Namibia’s lead sector under AGOA? Namibia’s overall exports to the US continued a downwards trend, dropping 60%, from US$192 million (R2,83 billion) in 2008 to US$120 million (R1,77 billion) in 2018. Namibia’s…

Russell Clark, a Hereford and Merino sheep breeder near Dordrecht in the Eastern Cape, was elected as the new president of SA Stud Book at the organisation’s recent annual general meeting. He took over from outgoing president Freddie Wasserfall, who had served in the role for the maximum permissible two consecutive terms. Clark told Farmer’s Weekly that his most important focus area would be to ensure that the organisation remained at the top of its game in the information technology field. “What was new today is old tomorrow, and it is frightening the way changes take place,” he said. Clark was involved with the SA Hereford Cattle Society for more than 30 years, and also served on several other committees focused on livestock improvement. He stepped into his new role…

Agribusiness investment deals amounting to R350 million have been secured during the first half of the year by the Western Cape government’s international trade and investment promotion agency, Wesgro. According to Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape MEC for agriculture, the agribusiness sector was a key component of the Western Cape’s economy, and had been responsible for the creation of more than 220 700 jobs in the province, while almost 217 000 people were employed in primary agriculture. “This equates to 16,4% of all jobs in the province.” As a result of the investments, more than 500 direct jobs were expected to be created by four companies: Almond Creamery, Felbridge, Italian Cheese Academy, and the Tomis Group. These companies had signed declarations setting out the investments they were expected to make,…

The poor road system in the Free State needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency, and Free State Agriculture (FSA) has therefore drafted an infrastructure action plan for the province, with roads as the main focus. This was according to Dr Jack Armour, operations manager at FSA, who said gravel roads in particular were deteriorating at a fast rate. One of the reasons for the disintegration of the road network was that inadequate funding was being budgeted by the provincial government for road maintenance. “The rate at which gravel road maintenance was [carried out] now will [mean it will] take about 100 years to get to all the roads that need re-graveling, given that the maximum lifespan of a gravel road is about 20 years,” he said. The…

South African authorities are hard at work to expand market access for the country’s fresh produce in Vietnam. South Africa recently hosted a high-level delegation led by Vuong Dinh Hue, the deputy prime minister of Vietnam, to discuss improved trade relations in areas such as agriculture. According to a statement from the Presidency, Deputy President David Mabuza said that following the meeting, increased market access for agricultural and agro-processed products to Vietnam would be ensured. The two countries would also work together to eliminate technical barriers for trade expansion. Vietnam was South Africa’s fifth largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and was one of the most dynamic economies in the East Asia region, the statement added. Following talks with Vietnam, the South African table grape sector…

The level of the Hardap Dam near Mariental in Namibia was down to 10%, forcing irrigation farmers to cut irrigation by 40% at the beginning of November. This was according to Dawie de Klerk, vice chairperson of the Namibia Agronomic Board. De Klerk, a farmer in the area, said if the level dropped to 4,5%, all irrigation would come to a standstill. “The devastating drought in the dam’s catchment area north and northwest of Mariental means very little inflow from the Fish River.” Lucerne was the main crop produced in the Hardap Irrigation Scheme, followed by maize and wheat, as well as oats and teff. De Klerk said all water in the dam would be allocated to Mariental to ensure sufficient water for the townspeople. At the moment, the 40%…

Since the first occurrence of African swine fever in China a little over a year ago, the viral disease has spread to Mongolia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Russia, as well as North and South Korea. Although the extent of the losses is still uncertain, in mid-November the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimated that more than 10% of the total pig populations had been wiped out in China, Vietnam and Mongolia, while Rabobank estimated in September that herd losses in China were close to 40%, heading to 50% by the end of the year. The situation was not only devastating for Asian producers, but had far-reaching international implications, as China previously accounted for almost half the world’s pig population. The loss…

As a junior manager, I once worked for a large, diversified farming organisation. Among other interests, it ran a nursery producing a unique range of ornamentals and fruit trees. I had no involvement in the nursery, but became aware that there was a fast-growing and unfulfilled demand for one of its products. A friend suggested that we set up a small nursery on his property producing the plant concerned. I readily agreed to make an investment and assist as much as I could. When I mentioned this to my older and wiser boss, he gently pointed out that my involvement would create a conflict of interest with the company. “It’s a small part of our business,“ he explained, “and while it might not create a major conflict, you’ll be involving…

Chianina National Champions Chianina National Champions (continued) Simbra Champions (haltered and non-haltered) Santa Gertrudis Champions Contacts: Christiaan de Jager 082 569 3359 | Willem van Heerden 082 893 1950 Contacts: Elmarie Rabie 072 793 0003 | Cornelis Derksen 082 415 0515 | Gawie Coetzee 072 262 7036 | Kobus Bester 083 303 4422 | Carel Annandale 082 569 3287…

A recent client of mine has expressed an interest in building a tutoring facility for wildlife students at a private game reserve in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. At the site meeting, we discussed the project in detail, drew up a comprehensive list of the facilities, and agreed on the practical aspects and styling of the proposed structures. The aesthetics have to blend in with the natural environment while catering for local and international interns performing their final practical assignments. The units have to accommodate up to 18 students for a full year, and additional accommodation is required for teachers, coordinators and administrative and maintenance staff such as cleaners, gardeners and security personnel. While a pub is shown on the layout, this will only be for soft drinks or for the use…

BEAST by Tendai Mtawarira & Andy Capostasgno (Macmillan, R290) In many ways, this is Mtawarira’s swansong, as he officially retired from rugby recently. His gung-ho personality and the talent of top South African sports journalist Capostagno make this a lively portrait of Beast’s journey from Prospect Primary in Zimbabwe via his adopted home of Durban to playing Test rugby. Their voices intermingle in a conversation that can get quite heated when discussing how the Sharks could have done better. In one chapter, the implication is that too many coaches spoil the team. The book was already at the printer at the time of South Africa’s 2019 Rugby World Cup victory. So there is always room for another . . . WILL SOUTH AFRICA BE OKAY? by…