Table of contents for 13 March 2020 in Farmer's Weekly

Isn’t it strange that we have grown so confused about something as fundamental as the food we eat? In the main feature this week, Dr Pieter Vervoort, managing director of the National Animal Health Forum, discusses some of the reasons behind the drive to implement a national livestock identification and traceability system across South Africa’s red meat value chain. As Vervoort explains, apart from improved market access, the need for such a system tells us a lot about the trust deficit that has developed between people and food, and by extension, between consumers and farmers. In the article, he says that over the decades, there has been a gradual erosion of citizens’ trust in the South African government and corporations, and even amongst citizens themselves. There has also been a…

The most important announcement that Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni made in his Budget 2020 speech was the plan to reduce the public sector wage bill by about R160 billion over three years to decrease the budget deficit, according to Prof Sean Gossel, research director at the University of Cape Town. This will entail cuts of R55 billion in 2021 and R68 billion in 2022, when the new three-year wage settlement is negotiated from June 2020. To avoid South Africa’s sovereign credit rating being downgraded, a significant policy shift was needed to signal that the country was serious about reforming public finances and restarting inclusive growth. However, many of these policies will not be popular with the factions within government and its various alliance partners. Moody’s Investors Service had already…

The risk posed to South Africa’s economy by failures and inefficiencies at the country’s main ports, particularly the damage being done to export competitiveness, was acknowledged in the Budget Review, tabled by National Treasury alongside the 2020 National Budget that was delivered by Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni in Parliament recently. The overall growth outlook for South Africa remained poor, and according to Treasury real economic growth for 2019, which one year ago was expected to amount to 1,5%, had been revised down to 0,3%. Similarly, the GDP growth outlook for 2020 has been revised down from 1,7% to 0,9%. Within this weak growth environment, government needed to implement interventions that would “jump-start growth”. This would entail, the Budget Review stated, “stronger investment by, and partnerships with, the private sector”,…

The recent permanent ban on the consumption of wildlife imposed by the National People’s Congress in China would have an immediate impact on bringing the importation of wild animals to a halt, according to Fiona Miles, director of Four Paws Animal Welfare Foundation in South Africa. “However, the legislature is still defining special circumstances under which wild animals may be used for purposes other than consumption as food, such as for scientific research, medical use, and display.” This could mean that the use of lion bones for traditional Chinese medicine could be made exempt from the wildlife consumption ban. Miles said Four Paws nevertheless believed that the ban sent the right signals, and that it was something that could be successfully enforced by Chinese authorities. Considering the quarantine measures imposed…

The Spanish government has approved a series of measures to ensure that farmers are not forced to sell their produce at a loss. This follows weeks of protests against low food prices and difficult working conditions by agricultural producers, who have staged marches in dozens of towns across the country. Reuters reported that the protests in Spain formed part of a broader pattern of discontent among farmers across the EU, with farming subsidies emerging as a point of contention in budget negotiations. Agriculture minister Luis Planas said a proposed new bill would give farmers more power in negotiations with supermarkets and large distributors. The bill would aim to limit heavy discounting by supermarkets, as retailers would only be allowed to sell perishable produce below cost of production if it was…

For the first time in 20 years, the producer prices of small grains in Zimbabwe have been set higher than that of maize as a way of encouraging the growing of these crops. This was according to a recent statement by the Zimbabwean minister of information, Monica Mutsvangwa, who was speaking at a media conference in Harare. However, farmers’ unions have reacted with caution to the price review, saying that while they welcomed the move, it was only an interim measure as a new maize price would be announced after the next harvest had been completed in April. It was expected that high inflation rates would erode the payments received by farmers. “The maize floor producer price [has been] reviewed to encourage deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and…

The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) and its supporters have vowed to continue their fight for a ban on exports by sea of live animals from South Africa. This followed the Grahamstown High Court recently dismissing, with costs, the NSPCA’s urgent application to interdict the expected exporting of live sheep to Kuwait later this month. Farmer’s Weekly reported in November last year that the NSPCA had been unsuccessful in attempting to stop the October 2019 export of approximately 60 000 live sheep aboard the Al Shuwaikh, owned by the Kuwaiti company, Al Mawashi. The sheep were loaded at South Africa’s East London harbour. At the time, and also as the basis for its recent urgent application to the Grahamstown High Court, the NSPCA…

Climate change and water scarcity were the decisive factors in a court decision against a proposed development of 479ha of land located within the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA). In October last year, the Philippi Horticultural Area Food and Farming Campaign brought a case against the City of Cape Town and the MEC for Local Development, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning for the protection of the PHA. According to campaign members, the area supplied up to 70% of the city’s fresh vegetables, and the Cape Flats Aquifer was located within the PHA. “This is a victory for the Cape Flats Aquifer and the PHA farmlands against future developments and land speculation in the area. This is a victory for thousands of jobs and livelihoods dependent on the agricultural economy of the…

Countries in Africa are facing a range of barriers to collecting and reporting accurate data on the use of animal antimicrobial agents within their borders. This was according to the recently released fourth World Organisation for Animal Health’s (OIE) annual report on antimicrobial agents intended for use in animals. The report stated that of the 54 African countries that were members of the OIE during the fourth round of data collection, 44 responded to the organisation’s questionnaire on their national animal antimicrobials usage. Of these, 27 provided quantitative data and 17 provided only qualitative data. The report said eight African countries had responded that the main impediment to reporting was the lack of a regulatory framework for monitoring these products. Other factors that hindered the monitoring and reporting of animal…

Access for high value crops such as blueberries to Asian markets is of great importance to the blueberry industry. “If we limit ourselves to our existing markets, this will limit the growth opportunities in the future. Limited options also equal limited pricing. With the high cost of investment into berries, this will always be an issue,” said Justin Mudge, chairperson of the South African Berry producers Association (SABPA). Mudge said that although mention was made during Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s recent National Budget address of funds being allocated to support exports, he would have preferred if it was directed specifically to improve the market access process, as the statement could also have referred to existing exports. “Market access for exportable agricultural products is vital if Treasury is to meet its…

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), economic growth in advanced economies will stabilise at 1,6% in 2020/2021. In emerging economies, growth will increase to 4,4% in 2020 and 4,6% in 2021. Emerging economies in Africa will continue to grow at relatively high rates. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the world’s most youthful population, and the rate of urbanisation in Africa is the highest in the world. IMF expects the economies of SSA to grow 3,5% in 2020 and 2021. The demand for food in the next decade will change drastically. More than 70 million new consumers will enter the middle-class bracket each year, with emerging markets such as China, India and SSA countries providing the majority of the new consumers. As consumer income increases, there is a shift from largely…

What is Tiger Brands’ enterprise supplier development fund, and why was it started? SMALLHOLDERS HAVE TO OPERATE IN COLLECTIVES TO PRODUCE THE QUANTITIES WE NEED We established it to drive our enterprise and supplier development agenda. The fund, which is called the Dipuno Fund, will support black smallholder farmers, with particular focus on women, black suppliers providing goods and services within the supply chain, and black distributors supplying the market with Tiger products through its value chain. Tiger Brands wants to help these farmers develop a solid asset base and liquidity to enable their operational and technical capability to deliver on market opportunities. The Dipuno Fund was established against the backdrop of a serious lack of access to finance for many black suppliers of Tiger Brands (including smallholder farmers) and…

Feel the beat The BEATS POWERBEATS PRO in-ear wireless headphones are the perfect accompaniment to a workout. The bendable, adjustable ear hooks offer a secure grip to avoid slippage while you are exercising, and the headphones feature an intuitive control system and a long battery life. The earbuds come in a solid black charging case that won’t accidentally open up, thanks to the magnetic catch. When full, the headphones’ battery can last up to nine hours. A single tap of the button on either side allows you to take calls and play/pause music, a double tap skips forward a track, and a triple tap goes back. The earbuds feature a sensor that detects whether or not you are wearing the headphones. Take one of them off for a moment, and…

Star Walk 2 is a stargazing app available for both Android and iPhone with a pro version going for only R50. The app is packed with astronomical data and premium technology to deliver an effortless journey through the constellations, comets and stars. The app website starwalk.space/ en is regularly updated with the latest news in astronomy. Users can find out what celestial objects and sky events are visible from their location and when it’s best to see them. Simply point your device at the sky and the app creates an augmented reality view, where the screen shows all the objects in the sky, such as stars, planets and comets and even the International Space Station (ISS). Tap on an object and you’ll see a 3D view that can be rotated…

“Global demand for nut categories such as macadamia continues to grow faster than supply, while hazelnuts and peanut consumption might see another boost due to breakthroughs in allergy treatment. Worldwide, the macadamia industry is set to double its output within 10 years, a rare event in agriculture. The almond industry has registered frequent new production records, while hazelnut production is spreading to new production areas to meet growing demand. Oversupply will not be an issue for many years to come, as population growth and consumption trends in favour of plant-based protein are likely to boost demand for nuts. There are many reasons for optimism, but some concerns are also on the horizon. NEW PROTEIN Nuts should replace meat and dairy cheese at an even faster rate in the coming years.…

Agricultural industry leaders have reacted positively to the allocation of R495,1 million in the 2020 national budget to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to ensure improved response to biosecurity threats, the revitalisation of government laboratories and quarantine stations, and the strengthening of inspection services at ports of entry. It was envisioned that the funding would support South African agricultural commodity exports by improving compliance with international standards, and indirectly reducing pressure on Onderstepoort Biological Products. Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Association, said prioritising biosecurity and traceability could potentially increase the profitability of the meat industry in general by allowing for quicker identification and response to disease outbreaks, and helping prevent diseases from entering the country. It could also safeguard the export industry by…

Reducing risk in primary agricultural production has always been important, but the current economic realities of farming are such that diversification has become crucial. This is of particular importance for grain producers, according to Dawie Maree, head of communications and marketing at FNB Agriculture. “Unfortunately, farmers still plant maize year after year on the same [lands]. This practise is not sustainable in the long term. “Successful farming businesses today are all well diversified business entities, including in a variety of agricultural products both on- and off-farm,” he recently told Farmer’s Weekly. According to Maree, agricultural economists in South Africa had urged diversification, or the mitigation of risk, for decades. While most farmers had implemented some sort of diversification, it seemed as if during the past few years, farmers had actually…

CHINA About 100 000 ducks have been dispatched to China’s Xinjiang border with Pakistan to prepare the country for the anticipated locust invasion. According to Chinese media reports, the birds, dubbed “duck troops”, can be more effective than pesticide. The government of Pakistan recently declared a national emergency due to the food shortages caused by crops being destroyed by locust swarms. UNITED KINGDOM The UK government’s proposal to limit the number of non-EU seasonal farmworkers has been met with widespread criticism by the soft fruit industry. The current maximum of 10 000 non-EU workers has been labelled a “drop in the ocean” of what is needed to satisfy the industry’s labour demands. Producers have called on the government to increase numbers to at least 70 000. AFRICA Africa’s agricultural productivity,…

Thanks to funding of R10,5 million provided by Villa Crop Protection, a chair in crop health was recently established at Stellenbosch University (SU). According to a statement by the university, the key function of this initiative would be to focus on research driven by the needs of industry, support students with education and finance, and provide further skills training for employees in the agriculture sector. Provision would be made for postgraduate bursaries amounting to R1 million/year to support the training of future agriculturalists to equip them with the knowledge and tools needed by the local agriculture sector, and short courses accredited by SU would be rolled out to expand the skill levels of agriculturalists already working in the local industry. According to Prof Eugene Cloete, SU vice-rector for research, innovation…

In my previous article (FW, 28 February) I covered the importance of planting poles correctly when constructing fencing or livestock shelters. To sum up: plant intermediate poles in square holes 40cm to 60cm deep and 40cm wide, and anchor poles in holes 75cm deep. Compact the soil well; if it is sandy, set the poles in concrete. I also stressed the need to use South African Bureau of Standards-or industry-approved material. Today’s article focuses on how to set up anchor posts and main supporting posts for fences and shelters. CORNER POST WITH IRON PEGS For fence strand lengths less than 150m, use an ‘iron standard anchor’. Cut a 1,8m iron standard in half, angling the cut to create a point, and hammer it into the ground at an angle until…

A bad habit has developed among some fruit and vegetable farmers. When they have produced a surplus and their normal direct buyers are not interested in purchasing it, they simply dump the produce on the market. This practice can end up harming all farmers, including those who are doing the dumping. A BALANCED APPROACH TO SURPLUSES Oversupply situations are integral to the fast-paced world of fresh produce marketing; it is how they are handled that is key. Often, the same farmers who are guilty of dumping are amongst those most critical of fresh produce markets, conveniently forgetting that their dumping only makes matters worse. I’m not suggesting for a moment that farmers should not send their surplus to market. I’m saying that they should distribute their surplus amongst a number…

SAVOURY Pork meatballs A deliciously different take on the usual pork sausages, these crispy fried meatballs will win compliments all round. Makes four portions 1 onion, finely chopped 2,5ml (½ tsp) dried parsley 600g (1 packet) pork sausages 1ml garlic salt Black pepper to taste 8 slices of fresh white breadcrumbs 1 egg Oil for frying 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Heat the oil and sauté the onion and parsley until the onion is soft. Remove from the heat. 3. Press the meat out of the sausage casings. 4. Beat the egg and add to the onion mixture, together with the sausage meat, garlic salt, black pepper and breadcrumbs. Blend well. 5. Shape into balls. 6. Fry the meatballs for three to four minutes. 7. Place in a…

Pineapples, like papayas, are a good source of proteolytic enzymes, which break down animal protein into amino acids. So, unless you are sensitive to pineapples, you can enjoy them regularly to help with digestion. The particular proteolytic enzyme in the pineapple, bromelain, is also taken up by the bloodstream, where it ‘digests’ foreign proteins and the by-products of inflammation, thereby safely and effectively reducing inflammation in the body. Both the flesh and juice of the pineapple are somewhat acidic and quite high in sugar. However, the combination of acidity and fructose in fresh pineapples reduces strain on the pancreas, resulting in less insulin being required for metabolism. The beta-carotene in the fruit also helps maintain healthy mucous membranes, and promotes eye health. Pineapple juice is a natural diuretic, helping the…

The novel coronovirus (COVID-19), which is spreading fast across Asia and other regions of the world, presents a risk for global value chains. Organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have already slashed their growth forecasts for the year. I have also started to observe unease among stakeholders in the agricultural economy, who are worried about the potential affect of the disease on their fortunes. As South Africa’s agriculture sector is export-orientated, with exports of about US$10 billion (around R155 billion) in 2019, the potential disruptions that the COVID-19 outbreak could cause in global value chains should indeed be a key concern. This is specifically the case for Asia as the epicentre of the outbreak, and also as a region that accounts for a quarter of South…

South Africa’s agriculture sector has experienced two consecutive years of recession due, in large part, to the impact of the widespread drought on the production of field and certain horticulture crops. According to the GDP figures for the fourth quarter of 2019, recently released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), agriculture, forestry and fisheries contracted 7,6% quarter-on-quarter. In addition, annual real GDP for agriculture, forestry and fishing decreased 6,9% in 2019, the second year of overall decline for the sector, which also contracted 4,8% in 2018. The sector’s lacklustre performance added to South Africa’s overall economic woes by contributing -0,2 of a percentage point to GDP growth of -1,4% in the fourth quarter. This followed a contraction of 0,8% in the third quarter of 2019, thus plunging the economy into…

Despite facing challenging trading conditions during its financial year ended 31 December 2019, Mondi plc delivered what CEO designate Andrew King described as a “robust performance”. This was during a year when Mondi completed the simplification of its corporate structure from being dual-listed into a single holding company under Mondi plc. “A solid operational performance, strong cost control, and a good contribution from acquisitions and capital investment projects partially offset the effects of market pressures in a number of key pulp and paper grades,” he said. According to the financial results for the period under review, and based on an average R16,18 to €1 exchange rate, the group’s revenue declined 3% to €7,26 billion (R117,59 billion) year-on-year; underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation declined 6% to €1,65 billion…

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) is again allowing imports of poultry products from the Netherlands, according to international trade consultant Donald MacKay of XA International Trade Advisors. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, MacKay said the Netherlands had been one of the EU countries banned from exporting poultry to South Africa in 2015, due to the avian influenza outbreak in that country. “The agriculture department overstepped its mandate and took on a trade policy role in 2016 by refusing to re-open [Dutch imports] when it was declared avian influenza-free,” he said. According to the South African Poultry Meat Imports December 2019 report, imports of poultry products from EU countries had decreased slightly in 2017/2018 due to the trade ban, but had slowly started picking up after…

The first production forecast and revised area estimate for commercial maize in the 2019/2020 production season is expected to be almost 30% higher than the previous season. According to a recent report, released by the Crop Estimates Committee, the total revised area planted to maize was 13,01%, or 299 300ha more than in the 2018/2019 season, while the expected commercial maize crop was 14,5 million tons, which was 29,14% or 3,2 million tons more than the 11,2 million tons of the previous season. The production forecast for white maize was about 8,3 million tons, which was 49,45% or 2,7 million tons more than the 5,5 million tons harvested in the previous season, while the yellow maize production forecast was 6,2 million tons, or 9,48% more than the 5,7 million tons…

Grain SA has expressed dissatisfaction with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s (JSE) recent announcement that it intended to implement location differentials in the futures trading of soya bean. This was according to Corné Louw, senior economist at Grain SA. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Louw said that since the JSE’s announcement, members had mandated Grain SA to consider its response to the decision, and it had therefore requested an urgent meeting with Dr Leila Fourie, CEO of the JSE. ‘RANDFONTEIN IS THE SINGLE REFERENCE POINT’ The announcement, issued by JSE’s head of commodities, Raphael Karuaihe, said that the JSE’s decision on location differentials had been based on a report by Matt Roberts, an associate professor in agricultural, environmental and development economics at the Ohio State University in the US. Karuaihe said that…

The wool market closed 1,8% (325 points) higher at R184,82/kg (clean) at the 21st sale of the 2019/2020 wool season, with 9 222 bales on offer and 94,3% sold. The rand traded 1,5% weaker against the US dollar and 2,9% weaker against the euro compared with the average at the previous sale. The wool market continued its upward trend, despite no sale taking place in Australia due to an ongoing system outage of the major industry suppliers’ platform, Cape Wools said in a statement. Long, fine Merino fleeces were in high demand and lifted the market, especially as a large portion of the offering consisted of crossbred and non-Merino type wools, according to the statement. The major buyers were Modiano SA (4 041 bales), Standard Wool SA (2 643), Lempriere…

Agri Western Cape has expressed concern about the delay in the construction work on the Clanwilliam Dam. According to Cornie Swart, president of Agri Western Cape, the current water level of the dam was a problem for farmers in the area, who required water over the next few months. Swart said that citrus and vineyard producers, who had to apply post-harvest fertiliser, as well as producers who had replaced vineyards with cash crops such as vegetables during the drought, needed water. At the time of going to print, the dam level was at 33%. According to Swart, there was a possibility that farmers could be subjected to water restrictions if the dam level dropped to 25%. “If the dam wall is raised by 13m as planned, the dam could take…

It’s no secret that South Africa has an abundance of untapped arable agricultural land owned by individuals and households who wish to pursue some form of farming activity. It’s important to educate people about the vast opportunities available in the industry once they overcome certain challenges and threats. There are three main sub-sectors in farming. Firstly, field crops are any crop planted in extensive/open fields, either through irrigated or dryland farming. These include barley, canola, dry beans, grain sorghum, groundnuts, maize, oats, soya bean, sugar, tobacco and sunflowers. Typically, production of these crops requires large tracts of land, use of fertilisers on a large scale, some degree of mechanisation, and adequate rainfall or large-scale irrigation. The labour requirement for this sub-sector is relatively low compared with other sectors. However, the…

RUNNING WITH SHERMAN by Christopher McDougall (Profile, R295) New York Times journalist and freelancer McDougall takes in Sherman, a neglected donkey, after moving with his family to a farm in Pennsylvania in the US. Due to suffering abuse, the obstinate Sherman was deeply fearful of humans. After hearing about donkey (burro) racing, which involves running with a donkey on a lead rope attached to a halter, McDougall decides to give Sherman something worth living for, and begins running with him. Over time, and with the support of his Amish farmer community and his wife, McDougall begins to develop a close relationship with Sherman, and the donkey begins to trust his new owner. McDougall’s account of creating a new normal for Sherman and the boost that combining exercise and…

What have been your most memorable moments in Parliament over the past few years? The public hearings held by the constitutional review committee on the matter of the expropriation of property without compensation in 2018, and a workshop hosted by the current ad hoc committee on 6 November last year were both memorable, because they were very tough. Agri SA’s view, which I had to convey, is not a politically popular one. Our view is that the property clause is not an impediment to land reform, and that no changes need to be made to section 25 of the Constitution to achieve just and equitable land reform. On both occasions I had to field a lot of loaded questions and it was quite stressful, and thus memorable. What is the…