Table of contents for 13 December 2019 in Farmer's Weekly

One of the things I find most frustrating about politics is that what politicians say and promise can differ almost completely from what they do and deliver, yet there are zero consequences. The South African government, like almost every other government on the continent, frequently declares the importance of agriculture in serving as the bedrock of rural economies and food security, as well as being the catalyst for economic opportunity and job creation in downstream and upstream value chains. I could fill entire books with quotes from our politicians expressing their appreciation of, and support for, agriculture. In just about every major developmental plan published by government during the past decade, agriculture has been one of the main themes. There is no shortage of recognition of the important role that…

African countries must act faster to purge corruption in the land sector by harnessing technology and innovation, said Charles Boamah, senior vice president of the African Development Bank. Boamah, who was speaking to policymakers and stakeholders at a conference on Land Policy in Africa in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, also called for the deployment of more financial and human resources to land policy development, “especially in rural areas and among the most vulnerable”. The biennial conference, hosted by the African Development Bank this year and organised by the Land Policy Centre, provides a central platform for African stakeholders to network and deepen their commitment to land policy development. The theme for 2019 was ‘Winning the fight against corruption in the land sector: sustainable pathways for Africa’s transformation’. CORRUPTION According to Transparency…

This year has been eventful to say the least, both from a domestic and international market perspective. Internationally, outbreaks of African swine fever significantly affected both the Chinese and global markets. The disease outbreaks in China came amid a trade war with the US, which had also affected global trade in agricultural commodities in a major way, particularly soya bean. The effect of these events is yet to be fully determined, but economists have already started predicting a global economic recession. Domestically, outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) curtailed beef and wool exports, due to export bans from major international markets. The FMD outbreak was compounded by an African swine fever outbreak, which also affected the domestic market, but with less negative impact on international trade. Notable domestic events were a…

In some good news for consumers, no significant impact is expected on red meat prices and supply during the festive season, despite the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Limpopo. According to Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO), “it would be business as usual” and there might even be slightly higher supply levels, due to red meat imports being suspended by some of South Africa’s bilateral trade partners. Schutte said the year-on-year producer price of beef was 2% lower, and for mutton and lamb it was 8% down, which was also good news for consumers, but not for producers. “We usually see an increase in prices [in the run-up to] the festive season and are hopeful that it will happen [again]. [Furthermore], if we receive…

Urgent action is needed to prevent further deterioration in the sustainability of African agriculture and biodiversity due to the indiscriminate and preventative use of neonicotinoids. This was according to Enock Dankyi, a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Ghana, who recently took part in a workshop to assess the potential impact of these insecticides in Africa. Previous studies by the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council and other organisations on the harmful effects of neonicotinoids on ecosystems had resulted in regulatory action, and eventually the ban of several neonicotinoids in the EU, he said. According to a recent report published by the Network of African Science Academies, based in Nairobi, Kenya, increased use of pesticides such as neonicotinoids in Africa was harmful to the environment and reduced…

The Competition Commission (CompCom) recently conducted an extensive inquiry into the impact that the high concentration of relatively few supermarket chains in South Africa is having on the prices and availability of groceries. In its submission to the CompCom’s Grocery Retail Market Inquiry, the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) stated that South Africa’s national supermarket chains held major market power over farmers, the products that they produced, and the prices paid to them. PLAAS’s submission added that while larger and better-resourced farming operations could largely meet the demands of national supermarket chains, developing and smaller-scale farmers were often unable to meet these demands. “Research done by PLAAS and its partners suggests strongly that the highly concentrated nature of South Africa’s supermarket sector plays a central role in…

Adverse weather conditions continue to affect farmers across the country. A hailstorm that hit parts of the Brits district in North West late last month resulted in significant losses for vegetable farmers in the area. According to Dr Quintin Muhl, product development manager for vegetables at Nuvance, the 4ha of vegetables on the 15ha farm that was going to be used for demonstration purposes at the Nuvance Farmers’ Day outside Brits was destroyed during the storm. The company had intended to showcase its new and existing maize, sorghum, beans, lettuce, beetroot and squash cultivars to farmers in the region. Boeta du Toit, CEO of Agri North West, said turbulent weather and heavy thunderstorms accompanied by hail was quite common for this time of year, although the intensity differed from season…

November fruit drop in the citrus industry can substantially reduce the income of farmers as trees shake off excess fruit. However, a market has now opened for the fallen green fruit in the medical field. Dropped fruit of 3cm in diameter and smaller from mandarin, grapefruit and orange trees (but not lemons, limes or kumquats), which would normally be removed as part of orchard sanitation, is being bought to extract cells from the rind. The extracts are then used by pharmaceutical companies in France in the formulation of medicines used in chemotherapy for cancer patients. CELLS ARE EXTRACTED FROM THE FRUIT’S RIND Vincent Keesenberg, marketing and export director of Origin Fruit, one of the agents contracted to procure the fruit, said the fruit could be supplied either fresh or dried.…

Strong demand for avocados has ensured good prices are paid for the fruit, despite increasing volumes on the market. “There are not many commodities that can say that supply and prices have increased simultaneously,” said Zac Bard, managing director of Westfalia. Speaking at the recent South African Subtropical Growers’ Association (Subtrop) marketing symposium in White River, he added that the success story of avocados meant that more plantings were taking place. “We need to prepare for high volumes on the market going forward, especially from other countries that share a marketing window with us. We need to understand what the market can handle.” Consumption in the US and EU had increased substantially, and Bard said there was thus even further scope to grow. “South Africa’s per capita consumption of avocados…

Global pecan production in the 2018/2019 season is estimated at more than 140 200t (kernel basis). Mexico and the US make up 92% of global production, with Mexico contributing 52% and the US 40%. South Africa, the third-largest pecan nut-producing region, accounts for 7% of global production. In 2018, the US was hit by Hurricane Michael before the main harvest in the largest pecan-growing state, Georgia. As a result, production there dropped to its lowest level since 2006. This meant a 27% drop in overall production in the US. In addition to the hurricane damage, wet conditions in summer increased disease susceptibility, affecting many trees in the growing region. This saw Mexico move up to become the global leader in pecan nut production for the 2018/2019 season. Due to the…

Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) is a perennial crop that can be harvested a number of times once first growth and regrowth have reached maturity. Deon Schröder, who farms in KwaZulu-Natal’s Dalton area, grows 600ha of dryland sugar cane, of which about 55% is harvested in an 18-to 24-month rotation. “We get roughly five harvests from a field, which means we plough out and replant a field every 10 years,” he says. “Traditionally, a field would lie fallow for three to six months between ploughing out and replanting. Like many other South African sugar cane growers, I struggle with an increase in soil acidity over the life of a field. Even though sugar cane can tolerate soil acidity to some degree, it’s commonly a severely limiting factor, resulting in serious yield…

I appreciate that it can be difficult and often financially prohibitive for many farmers to embark on a new project. However, allowing your thoughts to expand and exploring various ideas is a stimulating mental exercise, and a potentially profitable one too. Obviously, it doesn’t mean that you have to act on every idea you get, but thinking like this can help you discover that there are always alternative ways of doing things. NO FRESH SOLUTIONS TO OLD PROBLEMS Small-scale farmers frequently ask me to market their crops. Over time, I have detected similarities in most of the requests I receive. These show that people are following well-trodden paths instead of investigating new possibilities. For one thing, I find that almost without exception they grow the same crops, with spinach being…

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Mother of two Claire Tucker didn’t despair when she was unable to find children’s books that related to her family’s rural lifestyle on the Wild Coast. Instead, she started writing her own, based on stories about a neighbour’s Friesian horse, George. As George is now “an elderly lad with a kind heart and a fear of pretty much everything”, Claire has to “protect him from monsters that cross his path” while riding him. The real George was found wandering in the bush, but in GORGEOUS GEORGE (6), this magnificent but clumsy hero is given a fresh backstory. GEORGE FINDS A FRIEND (7) marks the next stage when George finds his own, special, devoted human being. Illustrated with great humour and narrated in bouncing rhyme, with added colouring-in pages at the…

Huge congratulations to Farmer’s Weekly journalists Lloyd Phillips and Sabrina Dean for their outstanding achievements in the field of agricultural journalism in 2019. Phillips recently won the CropLife SA Crop Protection Article Award at the SA Agricultural Writers’ national awards evening for his article, ‘How to win the fight against the eldana sugar cane pest’ (FW, 28 September 2018). The article focused on the use of modern integrated pest management to reduce the impact of this pest on sugar cane yields. Dean was one of the regional winners of the Vodacom Journalist of the Year for her article, ‘Face to face with the drought in the Free State’ (FW, 15 March 2019). The article explored the destruction the drought has caused farmers in Bultfontein. Here’s to 108 years (and counting!)…

Due to its competitiveness, South Africa’s commercial agriculture sector continues to be the envy of the world. The world-renowned and highly sophisticated commercial farming sector, which has some of the most tech-savvy farmers in the world, continues to be the backbone of the agricultural economy, and contributes significantly to South Africa’s overall economic growth and development. Unfortunately, like all farmers around the globe, our farmers continue to face great challenges in their daily lives, and sometimes some of those leave them a bit concerned and uncertain about the future. This year has proved to be another year in which many farmers continued to face challenges and domestic issues outside their control, resulting in widespread and frustrating operational problems for them and their financial well-being. IT’S QUITE REMARKABLE TO SEE THE…

Unfavourable weather conditions such as heavy rain and hail experienced in some parts of the country in recent weeks have put pressure on tomato production, according to Keitumetse Moagi, sector analyst at Absa’s South Africa Retail and Business Banking division. “In the past couple of weeks following the heat, there has been rain with hail in North West and Limpopo. These challenges have affected the quality and yield, causing gaps in supply,” Moagi said. However, she said that due to warmer weather conditions, tomato crops could ripen quicker, which meant farmers could harvest earlier, thus resulting in an increase in supply. “Since September, prices have been lower than the previous year, and our projections, based on our seasonal index, indicate that they will remain below previous years’ prices for the…

Rural crime is escalating worldwide and is not confined to South Africa, despite ever-increasing stock theft cases in the country. This was according to Willie Clack, chairperson of the South African National Stock Theft Forum. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, he said more than 29 670 cases of stock theft had been recorded locally in the 2018/2019 financial year. This represented a 2,9% increase from the previous year. “Rural crime and safety are increasingly being compromised globally. For instance, 84 presentations on rural safety and crime was delivered during a recent conference of the American Society of Criminology. In the past, it was unheard of for much time [to be] allocated to rural safety,” he said. Growing rural crime in Australia, for example, led to the formation of the Institute of…

UNITED STATES There has been a 24% increase in bankruptcies among farmers in the US since September 2018, a few months after US trade disputes with China and other countries led to higher tariffs on key agricultural commodities. These included soya bean, cotton and dairy, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. This could pose a potential threat to US President Donald Trump’s re-election ambitions, as he won the previous election with strong backing from states with large farming constituencies, the federation said. SERBIA A recent audit report by the European Commission’s unit for policy on food safety and health has found that most soft fruit exported from Serbia to Europe are not subject to official controls at primary production levels. According to the report, official controls to detect potential…

Signatories to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement should tread with caution to avoid replicating the pitfalls that have beset similar trade agreements. This was according to Peter Setou, chief executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund, speaking at the African Agri Investment Indaba held in the Cape Town in November. The conference was organised by the African Agri Council in partnership with African governments and government agencies, and was attended by more than 700 decision-makers from across the agricultural value chain. One of the topics of conversation was how the acceleration of the implementation of AfCFTA would lessen reliance on both China and the US, and would therefore mitigate the far-reaching impact of the trade dispute between the two countries, while also offsetting the potential effects of the…

‘A PACK OF CIGARETTES SHOULD COST AT LEAST R20’ The R200 million in outstanding duties and taxes that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is seeking to recover, via civil court cases from various players in South Africa’s tobacco industry, is very welcome, but remains a mere drop in the ocean. This was according to Francois van der Merwe, chairperson of the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa (TISA), who explained that the fiscus had already lost tens of billions of rand in potential income, due to the extensive trade in illicit tobacco products. While SARS representatives would not provide Farmer’s Weekly with information relating to the civil cases while the matters were before the court, Van der Merwe said that much more needed to be done, and that better coordination…

The need for a functional, long-term plan to keep the agriculture sector sustainable was recently discussed at a meeting between Agri Western Cape and various financial institutions and agribusinesses. According to Jannie Strydom, CEO of Agri Western Cape, the aim of the meeting was to discuss the risks with regards to the ongoing drought in the province, and to seek a functional model for managing the drought. Strydom said as producers of long-term crops, ostriches and game did not qualify for government drought assistance, and with the need for humanitarian assistance for drought-stricken farming communities now becoming critical, all role players needed to work together to manage the economic realities of the drought. “Agriculture in the Western Cape needs a long-term plan to keep the sector sustainable. We have to…

Imagine you’re a senior officer on a small minesweeper in the US Navy during the Second World War. Your first experience of action is when your ship, the USS Caine, takes part in an attack on an island under Japanese control. The captain, Philip Queeg, has only recently joined the Caine. On the day before you enter Japanese waters, he delivers an eloquent speech to the officers calling for bravery and the need to set an example to the men. As you approach the islands, the Japanese shore batteries open fire. The US fleet, including the Caine, returns fire, and the warships, with their big guns, cause havoc on the islands. But the battle is not entirely one-sided; some of the ships take direct hits, the air is filled with…

What is South Africa doing to reduce its carbon footprint? Countries that have signed the Paris Agreement of 2016 are legally bound to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As a signatory, South Africa has drawn up nationally determined contributions to achieving these targets by significantly reducing its emissions from the current level of 600 million tons of carbon dioxide to 200 million tons by 2050. This is a big ask for our industries. As a result, South Africa’s government has instituted a carbon tax to try to shift the country to a low-carbon economy. The tax is based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle, and the idea is not to generate more tax, but to change behaviour. As far as globally required tax rates go, South Africa is very far behind. The…

• Fertility is the single most important economic aspect of a livestock farming enterprise. • Fertility has both a management and a genetic component. • Farm breeds or types that are adapted to your area and environment. • Good veld and pasture management are prerequisites for good fertility. • Although fertility is only 10% heritable, it is highly repeatable. • The days-to-calving estimated breeding value is a direct measure of fertility. Use it in conjunction with indirect measures such as scrotal size and ideal mature weight. • Structured crossbreeding produces hybrid vigour, leading to increased fertility, growth and longevity.…

The following are some of the main tomato pests encountered in South Africa: • African bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) The bollworm is a major pest of many crops. On tomatoes, the larvae feed mainly on the flowers and fruit, and can cause huge losses if not controlled. AVOID USING PESTICIDES THAT HARM BENEFICIAL INSECTS The moth lays creamy-white eggs of about 0,5mm in diameter singly on the flowers and leaves. They hatch within three to five days under good conditions. The young caterpillars are hairy, and vary from black to dark beige in colour. When fully grown (after two to three weeks), the larvae are up to 40mm long, with a characteristic broad white to pale yellow stripe on either side of the body and small black spots on the upper side.…

Did you know that taking a cold shower every day has a number of health benefits? We tend to associate bathing or showering in hot water with relaxing and unwinding, but there are a number of unexpected benefits from taking a cold shower. Proponents say that cold water, especially in the mornings, gives them an unexpected energy boost, even equal to that of a cup of coffee (but without the jittery, stimulating effect of caffeine). Some people say the benefits relate to those of ‘old-fashioned’ self-discipline: in other words, sticking with what is good for you, such as exercising and eating healthily, in spite of the temporary discomfort. DOPAMINE There is scientific evidence that such activities can boost dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that is intrinsically…

OneSoil is a free app that enables any farmer to keep track of the condition of his or her croplands. It is available for Android on Google Play and for iPhones on iTunes. Users can also use the program from their PC or laptop via the website onesoil.ai/en. Log in using your email address, and all your information can be accessed on any platform. EASY TO GET STARTED After downloading the app, you create an account using your email address. Turn on the location setting and a detailed satellite map will appear, and you can start creating your ‘fields’. This can be done by uploading files or selecting an area on the map by tapping on the screen. Having used many apps that enable the user to create selected areas,…

Global wine production dropped 10% this year to 263 million hectolitres (mhl), according to the first estimate report of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), bringing it back to average levels. Unfavourable climatic conditions in Italy, France and Spain, that together account for 80% of the EU’s wine production, resulted in below-average production. There were also production declines in wine-producing countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Argentina and Chile, the two largest wine producers in South America, recorded drops of 10% and 7%, respectively. Australia and New Zealand showed slightly lower production levels than in 2018. “In South Africa, where drought significantly impacted the harvest, wine production is estimated at 9,7 mhl,” the report said. Meanwhile, production conditions for the 2019/2020 wine grape season seemed to be more positive…

The commitment of Namibia and its people to the agriculture sector is underscored by the R10 million that has been contributed to the country’s Dare to Care drought alleviation fund over a period of nine months, according to Piet Gous, Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) president. “This makes me so proud to be a Namibian citizen. We Namibians have to be as hard as steel to survive in this vast and extensive country, but we have the best hearts on Earth. This is evident from the contributions that have made it possible for us to subsidise 200 000 bags of feed for drought-stricken farmers so far,” he said. The Dare to Care fund was initially established in 2000 to provide assistance to victims of veld fires in the agriculture sector. In…

Stakeholders in the South African horse racing and breeding industries have welcomed news that EU officials have agreed to an audit of the country’s bloodstock export protocols. Cape Thoroughbred Sales (CTS) said in a recent statement that the news had been shared by South African Equine Health and Protocols (SAEHP), which had been involved in the protocol review application process since the formation of an import/ export task team in 2015. According to the statement, the CEO of SAEHP, Adrian Todd, had received notification from the Department of Trade and Industry’s International Trade and Economic Development Division. The notification stated that officials had held a follow-up meeting with the EU, which had confirmed an audit would be carried out. The date was expected to be confirmed in the next few…

While most of the hectares earmarked for grain production in Mpumalanga and the northeastern part of the Free State have been planted, very little rain has so far fallen in the southeastern and western Free State. Johan van den Berg, manager of specialised crop insurance at Santam Agriculture, said that, in addition, very little rain had been reported in North West so far this season. According to him, good rain had fallen earlier in November in the Lichtenburg and Setlagole districts. “Showers of up to 80mm occurred [near] Lichtenburg and Setlagole. However, farmers who had planted maize at the time now desperately need follow-up rain to save their crops. Indications are that showers could be expected in the first two weeks of December,” he said. The southeastern part of the…

A court case brought by farmworkers against Oak Valley Estate near Grabouw cannot be heard by the Equality Court, as it does not have jurisdiction over the matter. This was according to Judge Owen Rogers, presiding over the case in the Western Cape High Court. According to the news agency GroundUp, Rogers rejected the farmworkers’ application, adding that he was not sure whether he had the power to refer the case to another forum in terms of Section 20 of the Employment Equity Act No. 55 of 1998. The lawsuit stemmed from alleged discrimination by Oak Valley Estate against its workers. In the lawsuit, 11 full-time workers and 34 seasonal workers from the Eastern Cape argued that they were being discriminated against because of the single-sex hostels in which they…

As the end of the year approaches, it is important to look back and assess how well your farming enterprise has performed. A business performance review serves as a benchmark to evaluate an operation’s trading performance from one year to the next, and paints a picture of where the company is headed. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS The following pointers should help you make strategic decisions on the future of the entity. • Financials If your financial year end is approaching, ensure that you have all your monthly management accounts on hand and that they correlate with the year’s statements and invoices. The last thing you want is to have to scramble around searching for the relevant documentation when it’s time for your submissions to the South African Revenue Service. • Customers Think about the…

The Beefmaster Group, based near Christiana in North West, is involved in the entire beef value chain: breeding, feedlot, abattoir, and distribution (including exports) of beef products. According to supply-chain executive Roelie van Reenen, the company employs over 1 000 permanent staff at its various operations. “The abattoir is the largest employer within our group and is also the biggest private employer in Kimberley [an hour from Christiana],” he explains. BUSINESS STRUCTURE The Van Reenen family has been involved in the beef industry since Jacob van Reenen arrived in the Cape of Good Hope in 1722 and started supplying beef to ships docking there. Nearly two-and-a-half centuries later, in 1965, Van Reenen’s father, Lourie, set up a small, on-farm feeding system for his own cattle. In 1983, he decided to…

As the sun slowly rises over Van Rooyenswoning farm in the Reitz area of the eastern Free State, a 500-head herd of predominantly commercial Drakensberger beef cattle lines up expectantly along a 100m-long strand of portable electric fencing. At exactly 6am, an automated system lifts the strand to above head height and, with excited bellowing and surprising bursts of speed, the cattle stream into the adjoining temporary grazing block to start grazing the maize crop residue. This is a typical start to a day in Danie Slabbert’s ultra-high-density grazing (UHDG) system. He implemented it almost two years ago as an addition to his sustainable agriculture toolbox, which already comprised of no-till practices and planting multiple species of cover crops. ‘NON-SELECTIVE GRAZING STIMULATES PREFERRED GRASS SPECIES’ In addition to running cattle,…

While treats are recommended for training dogs, their use in the training of horses is very controversial. Many traditional trainers frown on the use of treats, and also recommend that riders avoid giving their horses carrots or horse biscuits. However, the variety of different horse treats available at tack shops and horse feed distributors indicates that horse owners and riders are definitely feeding them to their horses. Trainers who feel treats should never be fed, say that horses fed treats become demanding and are more likely to bite at their owners, or charge at them and knock them over. PRESSURE TREATS CAN BE USED AS POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT IN TRAINING To train their horses, many trainers use the ‘release of pressure’ method. This is, in effect, negative reinforcement training. Examples of…

Dear Jonno, We recently bought a 1ha site in the Bushbuckridge area of Mpumalanga. The site is full of indigenous trees, and we would like to build a home with an upstairs attic bedroom, from where we can overlook the trees to the Drakensberg Mountains. The site is on a 10° slope, so will need to be levelled to accommodate the house and garage. Please find attached a rough layout of the house and outbuildings. The rooms should be of reasonable size, as we need to accommodate all our furnishings and collectables. The attic master bedroom must have a fireplace. The roof of the house should be typical of a thatched roof, but covered over to resist fire. Please let us know which products we can use as a thatch…

1. THE STORY OF GARDENING by Penelope Hobhouse with Ambra Edwards (Pavilion, R490) This new, updated edition of Hobhouse’s 2002 classic coffee-table book is perfect for enjoying gardens from the comfort of your lounger without having to roll up your sleeves. More than 450 pages long, it’s packed with beautiful photographs of plants and gardens from around the world and is a fascinating guide to gardening from 2000BCE to the 21st century. Intriguingly, it traces the impact of classic gardening styles from some of the great palaces and parks on today’s garden designs. A glorious and inspiring collection. Just make sure you hang onto your copy! 2. BIBBY’S KITCHEN by Dianne Bibby (Human & Rousseau, R420) Bibby uses inspired flavour combinations, spicing and presentation to do…

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’d expand my sheep farming enterprise from 2 000 to 10 000 ewes under a semi-intensive farming system, and develop an additional 200ha of land of irrigated pastures. This is my dream. What is the best advice you have ever been given, and who gave it to you? “If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” This is the best advice on farming I’ve ever received, and it was from Eddie Lupnow, my livestock agent and mentor. If you were given carte blanche to effect one major change in South Africa tomorrow, how would you use this power? Stopping corruption would…