Table of contents for 25 September 2020 in Farmer's Weekly

There weren’t many surprises, nor much good news, among the second-quarter (Q2) GDP results that were released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) during the second week of September. As was expected, due to the effects of the COVID-19 business lockdown, on top of an already ailing economy, GDP fell by just over 16% between the first and second quarters of 2020, giving a negative annualised growth rate of 51%. As Stats SA explained in a press release, an annualised growth rate shows what growth would be over a full year if the quarter-on-quarter growth rate were to occur four times in succession. Agriculture performed well. The primary agriculture, forestry and fishing industries, which together account for agriculture GDP as measured by Stats SA, were the only positive contributors to…

The international corruption perception index rates 180 countries and territories according to their perceived level of corruption in the public sector, as seen by experts and business people. It uses a scale of zero to 100, with zero being highly corrupt and 100 “extremely clean”. In the 2019 edition of the index, South Africa is rated at 44. This means that South Africa still has a serious corruption problem, which is not news for any South African. What is heartening, however, is the fact that ordinary South Africans are seemingly refusing to accept this fate. Thousands of South Africans braved the cold on 5 September to take part in the Move One Million march to protest against corruption and all forms of brutality. According to Mpumzi Zuzile, a reporter for…

Many cash-strapped South African consumers are unlikely to be swayed by calls to boycott imported chicken meat in favour of buying locally produced chicken if the imported chicken is lower-priced. The only way to improve the cost-competitiveness of South Africa’s chicken meat production was to ensure that the Poultry Sector Master Plan was effectively and speedily implemented in its entirety, according to Dr Sifiso Ntombela, chief economist at the National Agricultural Marketing Council. Representatives of FairPlay and the South Africa Poultry Association (SAPA) previously told Farmer’s Weekly that they were concerned that the easing of COVID-19-related international trade restrictions would lead to a resurgence of chicken meat imports into the country. This would continue to pose a significant threat to the viability of the local broiler value chain. FairPlay’s founder,…

The US government has announced plans to seek senior-level talks with Mexico about imports of perishable fruits and vegetables, as part of broader actions aimed at supporting US farmers. The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) will also request that the US International Trade Commission initiate a Section 201 global safeguard investigation to review “the extent to which increased imports of blueberries have caused serious injury to domestic blueberry growers”. If the commission finds “injury”, the US government could impose tariffs on products to help domestic growers, according to Reuters. US trade representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement that the USTR would also seek talks with Mexico in the next 90 days to address concerns about imports of Mexican strawberries, bell peppers and other seasonal products. In response,…

WOOL The third wool sale of the season, which took place in the first week of September after a two-week recess, was nearly 10% down in value compared with the previous sale, according to Cape Wools. A total of 10 152 bales were offered after 638 bales were withdrawn prior to the sale, and a further 715 bales were held back during the sale, following negative market sentiment in Australia, where the local market recorded a 1,7% and 7,6% decrease in consecutive weeks respectively. A sales clearance of 82,6% for the bales offered was achieved, with the market shedding 9,9% in rand terms and 7,2% in US dollar terms. However, good competition was evident for the finer, longer-length Merino fleeces on offer, which outperformed the market, as well as the…

PESTS Fruit fly infestations result in damage amounting to about R86 million a year for the table grape and deciduous fruit industry. This was according to Nando Baard, manager at FruitFly Africa, who said these infestations had a severely negative impact on South African exports, due to fruit shipments not meeting international phytosanitary requirements. To combat the problem, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has initiated the Project: F3 Fruit Fly Free research project in fruit production areas across South Africa. The aim of the project was to markedly reduce the prevalence of fruit flies in these areas, and develop a regionally harmonised framework for the development and implementation of recognised pest-free areas, as well as areas of low pest prevalence in South Africa and Mozambique, a statement by the ARC…

South African wheat prices have hit a five-year record high, with prices for December 2020 contracts at around R4 890/t compared with an average of R4 500,55/t a year ago. This, despite the International Grain Council predicting the global 2020/2021 wheat and coarse grain ending stock increasing 14,2 million tons to a record 293,6 million tons since last season, and 31,9 million tons since the 2018/2019 season. Locally, the production outlook was also favourable, with the Crop Estimates Committee expecting the winter wheat harvest to increase 27,83% to 1,96 million tons. Ruan Schutte, junior economist and marketer at Grain SA, attributed the high prices to South Africa’s sovereign credit rating being downgraded to non-investment grade, commonly known as ‘junk status’, as well as the weakening of the rand against international…

Affordability, accessibility and readability of data are important aspects that should be considered when creating data systems that can be used to improve the productivity of farmers. This was according to Ronald de Bruyn, CEO at Agrisim, an agricultural support platform based in the Netherlands, speaking during a recent webinar ‘Harnessing the power of data for smallholders’, hosted by the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership. As the global population would reach nine billion people by 2050, and 60% more food would thus need to be produced, it was important to create data systems that were more accessible and user-friendly for farmers, he said. The Agrisim agricultural decision support system combined historical data, geospatial data, and forecasts to derive a farming plan to maximise yields and minimise the time that agricultural…

Protein from maggots can be harvested sustainably as flies are fed on waste, reducing the need for landfills and helping to slow climate change. This was according to Simon Hazell, co-founder and CEO of Inseco, a fly farm near Cape Town, who said a variety of waste streams could be used. Normally, over 50% of food waste was generated on farms or during distribution, and this was often even higher in developing regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. “Typically, waste disposal is an expensive process. At Inseco, we’re developing a model where we partner with waste generators and help them turn their organic waste into a new form of profitable revenue by setting up a fly farm on, or nearby, their premises. At the moment, we’re focusing on pre-consumer waste, but…

In 1987, the former Xhosa homeland of Ciskei launched a series of first-day cover stamps and postcards depicting a giant mythical snake in the Keiskamma River. The malevolent snake or inabulele formed part of the ‘The Story of Sikulume’, recorded by the historian George McCall Theal (1837 to 1919) in his Xhosa Folklore volume of 1882. In this folk tale, the human-swallowing inabulele is eventually killed in its watery lair by the boy-hero Sikulume. Although this story is fictional, of course, to many Xhosa and Zulu speakers, these monster snakes of the subconscious sometimes slither into the conscious world, as was the case in 1997 when the Eastern Cape government in Bhisho demanded that conservation officials capture a serpentine monster in the Mzintlava River. The alleged inabulele, known as inkanyamba…

The South African game and wildlife ranching industry should be proud about the conservation successes it has achieved on private land. So says Willem Frost of Matlabas Game Hunters, who has been farming game on Goedgedacht close to the Matlabas River in the Lephalale district in Limpopo since 1991. Over the last 30 years, Frost has expanded his operation to include a large variety of game in his effort to build and maintain what he calls the “effective functioning of the ecosystem”. “Conservation is not only about the welfare of specific animals,” he explains. When Frost first entered the industry, there were only a few antelope running on the 2 500ha farm, but it has now been populated with buffalo, giraffe, zebra, waterbuck, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest, kudu, eland, oryx…

Auldrich Spies grew up attending shows where his grandfather exhibited his prized Brahmans and instilled a love for the breed in his grandson. But health reasons saw him selling his herd before Spies could farm himself. Spies then followed a career in construction, which, five years ago, enabled him to buy land in the Barberton area. With a photograph of his grandfather’s prized Brahman bull in hand, he set out to stock his farm. A FORTUNATE PHONE CALL “I struggled to find cattle initially,” he recalls. “Some farmers wouldn’t sell to me or didn’t even return my phone calls. I eventually googled ‘heartwater Brahmans’, as the cattle needed to be heartwater-resistant for the Barberton area. I came across a farmer in Letsitele, phoned him and told him I wanted 10…

According to the South African Avocado Growers’ Association, 80% of avocado trees produced in South African nurseries are the dark-skinned Hass and Hass-type cultivars such as Carmen, Gem, Lamb-Hass and Maluma. Green-skinned avocado cultivars such as Fuerte, Pinkerton and Ryan make up 20% of the nursery tree production. FUERTE: Good production potential Pear or egg-shaped. Has a thin, waxy skin, which remains green on ripening and separates easily from the flesh. The flesh has a rich creamy texture. Harvesting: warm regions from March to August; cool regions from May to November. Tree characteristics • Tree growth habit: large and spreading; • Hardiness: tolerates temperatures as low as -4°C. General • Limitations: alternate bearing; sensitive to microclimate for fruit set; • Comments: fruit set increased by a pollinator; •…

Soil sampling has a long history of improving crop productivity. As early as the 1800s, farmers and scientists began testing for certain nutrients in soils. Research, largely led by US universities, brought us the scientific sampling and analysis we know today. With this information from the land, farmers could start supplementing fertility based on nutrients available in the soil. The equipment currently used in sampling is effective and has not changed much since the 1940s. The hand auger comes in various designs, each with its own modification and benefits. Challenges mainly relate to the use of the equipment, not the equipment itself. SAMPLING When taking samples, it’s important to know where the sample was taken and that the final test sample is the best representation of the area. You also…

I had a phone call from Analie, who gave me detailed requirements of the dream home that she and her husband want to build for their retirement. The house needs to be spacious to accommodate their furnishings and collectables from their present home. They stipulated an en suite bedroom, and a living area connected to a centrally enclosed garden court. This is where they will spend their days relaxing in privacy and away from any cold winds. Added to the main section of the home is a granny flat that can be rented out to another couple. The site is located in a retirement development, and the house is therefore required to match the ‘farm-style’ design of the others. In the sketch, I have shown the outside living area, comprising…

REMEMBERING LIONS by Wildlife Photographers United (HPH Publishing/ Remembering Wildlife/ Envisage Books, R980) The most immediately engaging part of this magnificent coffee-table book are the photographs of lions. In the longer term, it’s hard to forget the book’s important purpose. Remembering Lions is one of a series of four, with the others focusing on elephants, rhinos and great apes, and the photographs have been donated by top wildlife photographers to help raise funds to conserve these endangered mammals. As project founder Margot Raggett remarks in her foreword, few wildlife lovers realise just how endangered lions are; only about 20 000 still survive in the wild, about half of the population of 25 years ago. Surprisingly, there are twice as many elephants as lions. The Asiatic lion is now limited to…

Threats posed to international agriculture by terrorism (agroterrorism) is the topic of a three-year study funded by the Canadian government, which is reportedly well on its way to analyse various aspects related to the scourge. The project’s ultimate aim was ensuring that national, regional and international veterinary and law enforcement agencies were adequately prepared to respond to agro-terrorism incidents threatening food and fibre security globally. This was according to a project description issued jointly by the World Organisation for Animal Health, the International Criminal Police Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which were undertaking the study together. The description said that throughout history, biological weapons had either been used, there had been threats of such use, or they had been developed for use, primarily against…

The South African citrus industry has been given the go-ahead to export fruit to the Philippines after the signing of a work plan between the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) and the Philippines Bureau of Plant and Industry (BPI), following 11 years of negotiations. This was according to a statement by the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA). In the statement Justin Chadwick, CEO of CGA, said the industry hoped that the local citrus industry would become the leading Southern Hemisphere exporter of citrus to the Philippines over the next few years. “With the Philippines importing around 117 000t of citrus between 2016 and 2018, this new market will help keep the local industry on its strong growth trajectory,” he said. “Southern Africa is…

AUSTRALIA After China effectively banned imports from Australia, farmers there will be forced to sell their barley supplies to the domestic livestock industry, or to “cheaper” international markets. China announced earlier that barley imports from Australia’s largest grain exporter would be banned, just weeks after introducing a more than 80% tariff on these shipments from Australia. PAKISTAN Pakistan’s government has approved plans for the industrial production of hemp, which could generate foreign exchange of up to US$1 billion (about R15,65 billion) in the next three years, the minister for science and technology, Fawad Chaudhry, told the media in Islamabad recently. According to Reuters, the ministry sought permission to cultivate industrial hemp after deliberation by the ministries of commerce, narcotics control and national health services. POLAND Since the start of spring…

The global 2020 macadamia crop suffered a blow as yields dropped 3% amid unfavourable weather conditions. Although sales have, for the most part, held firm over the past few months, this reduction in supply could serve to benefit farmers in terms of prices paid for the nuts. In South Africa, which was the world’s largest producer of macadamias, the yield was down 16% from last year’s crop of 59 050t. Instead of the annual increase in yield achieved through rapid orchard expansions, the local crop was only expected to reach 49 503t nut-in-shell (NIS), measured at 1,5% kernel moisture content. Lizel Pretorius, CEO of Macadamias South Africa (SAMAC), said that although rainfall during the past season was average, it was assumed that the after-effects of the drought were still lingering.…

South Africa’s Animal Feed Manufacturers’ Association (AFMA) is to place increased focus on minimising threats posed to manufactured feed by the presence of toxic substances in feed ingredients. The association’s mycotoxins sub-committee has already resolved to promote the compilation of risk management guidelines for mycotoxinscontaminated feed ingredients. This was according to AFMA’s chairperson, Wouter de Wet, during his report to the association’s virtual 2020 annual general meeting held recently. De Wet said protocols needed to be developed to identify and resolve issues in cases where significant discrepancies were identified in mycotoxins levels measured in feed ingredients before intake at storage facilities, and when they left these facilities. He added that the association’s technical committee intended lobbying government for tighter restrictions on permissible levels of mycotoxins and other toxic substances in…

The increasing demand for whey protein in the health and sports nutrition market is set to become a lucrative additional income stream for cheesemakers. A recent report by Rabobank stated that around 95% of the world’s whey was derived as a by-product of cheese production. However, whey was a favoured source of complete protein due to its essential amino acid profile, and as consumer awareness of its benefits had grown, demand for it had increased. Tom Bailey, senior dairy analyst at Rabobank, stated that the whey ingredient industry had done a “stellar job” of turning the whey stream, which was once a waste product, into arguably one of the most technical and nutrient-dense ingredients of the global food ingredient sector. “The whey ingredient complex has seen strong returns in the…

• Victor Biggs has recorded over 40 depictions of snakes across the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, many of them menacing, malevolent creatures. • A meeting between San guide Qing and colonial administrator Joseph Orpen in 1873 is key to understanding the link between San and Nguni mythological interpretations of serpents. • San paintings of mythical serpents are mostly large, with dramatised ears, tusks, spikes and bristles, making them look more like serpentine monsters than simply snakes.…

Root-knot and lesion nematodes (Meloidogyne and Pratylenchus spp respectively) are the most important nematodes faced by grain farmers in South Africa. Increases in soil temperature and the presence of moisture lead to a resumption of activity after winter dormancy. This is especially the case at present, following the abundant rain in most local crop production areas in summer. In their infective stages, these microscopic organisms use their reserve energy to move through the soil by means of the water layers surrounding soil particles in search for the roots of possible hosts. They infect and feed on the roots of grains and weeds, and can cause serious crop damage. Weeds should therefore be removed from grain lands to prevent infestation, as nematodes can survive in their roots. Live root-knot nematode females…

A recent publication highlighted the serious health consequence for horses drinking water containing excessive iron. After two horses and a donkey in the Netherlands were diagnosed with haemochromatosis and liver disease on the same farm, researchers found similar disease signs in 20 other horses on eight other farms in the same area. The affected horses all showed clinical signs of icterus (jaundice), weight loss, dull hair coat and lethargy. Blood tests showed liver failure and excessive iron levels. Drinking water from all the farms showed iron levels between 0,74mg/l and 72,5mg/l (the acceptable level for drinking water is at most 0,3mg/l). Nine of the horses were euthanised and necropsy showed small, hardened rusty-brown livers with nodules, as well as iron accumulation in the pancreas, lungs, spleen, brain, kidneys, thyroid and…

Handy skills 28 SEPTEMBER TO 2 OCTOBER BEING ABLE TO FIX THINGS AROUND YOUR HOME OR FARM CAN SAVE YOU MONEY. THAT IS WHY THIS COURSE OFFERS DELEGATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN A FEW HANDY SKILLS, SUCH AS OPENING BLOCKED SEWERAGE PIPES, FIXING GUTTERS AND REPAIRING WALL CRACKS, AMONGST MANY OTHERS. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 19 SEPTEMBER Grow to Life Workshop, Soil for Life, Cape Town.Email info@soilforlife.co.za. 29 OCTOBER AgriAllAfrica Agribusiness Conference, CSIR, Pretoria. Email Marianna du Plessis at marianna.duplessis@gmail.com, or phone her on 063 076 9135. 6 TO 7 NOVEMBER Environmental Waste and Landfill Management, Emperors Palace, Johannesburg.Email admin@maphosam.co.za. COURSES & TRAINING 19 SEPTEMBER Cattle Calf Rearing, George. Phone Lily Rothman on 078 546 7985. 21 TO 23 SEPTEMBER Artificial Insemination, Agricultural Research Council Irene Campus, Pretoria. Email Mpho…

Maize is one of the key agricultural commodities that Zimbabwe continues to import; however, the country has the favourable climatic conditions to change this dynamic. Between 2015 and 2019, Zimbabwe’s maize imports averaged 17% of overall agricultural imports, which were valued at US$795 million (about R13,2 billion), according to data from Trade Map. In the fist week of September, the Zimbabwean government made an important statement aimed at boosting the country’s maize production. The government said it aimed to encourage farmers to plant 1,5 million hectares of maize, which would be a 3% increase from the five-year average area. This is plausible as the country managed to plant 1,9 million and 1,7 million hectares in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 respectively. However, what makes this particular announcement significant is the yield target,…

South Africa’s economy took a not unexpected nosedive during the second quarter of 2020, a period that contained the lion’s share of the country’s five-week long hard lockdown that brought a halt to most economic activity. According to Statistics South Africa, the country’s quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted annualised GDP decreased 51% in the second quarter of the year. From the first quarter to the second quarter of 2020 the economy shrank by about 16%. This was the fourth consecutive decline in quarterly GDP since the second quarter of 2019, and Risenga Maluleke, statistician-general, pointed out that it was the first time in the history of South Africa that the economy recorded negative growth in four consecutive quarters. The agriculture sector was the only industry that managed positive growth at 15%, a…

In support of South Africa’s land redistribution policy, the diversified coal mining company Exxaro Resources has embarked on a programme to map the potential agrieconomies within its host communities. In 2019, one of the land management goals the company identified was to transfer more than 90% of post-mining land to emerging farmers in local communities by 2026, while creating strategic partnerships with farmers to advance these agri-economies. “To accomplish this goal, we first need to manage our lands sustainably, restore degrading areas, and improve irrigation and storage technologies,” the company said in a statement. Exxaro Resources’ latest project aimed to grant access to land for black empowerment farming businesses in the Strathrae non-mining area in Mpumalanga, which was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Exxaro Resources. Having obtained just over 2 280ha…

Four veterinarians and an animal health technician employed by government, have overseen and signed off on the recent exporting by sea of 50 310 sheep and 650 cattle from East London Harbour. According to Reggie Ngcobo, spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department), these officials monitored the entire process of loading the animals at Castledale feedlot in the Eastern Cape, transporting them by road to the harbour, and then loading them aboard the livestock transport ship, Al Messilah. Ngcobo was responding to the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (NSPCA) recent statement alleging that NSPCA inspectors observed “cruel handling” of some sheep at both Castledale feedlot and at East London Harbour. The NSPCA recently lost a battle in the…

The outlook for oilseeds this season is good, with groundnut production predicted to increase from last season’s 19 400t to 50 920t this season, sunflower seed from 678 000t to 785 00t, and soya bean from just over 1,17 million tons to about 1,26 million tons, according to the latest estimate of the national Crop Estimates Committee. Yield per hectare was also predicted to be higher than the previous season’s, thanks to favourable climatic conditions in most of the production areas, up from 0,97t/ha to 1,36t/ha for groundnuts; 1,32t/ha to 1,5t/ha for sunflower seed; and 1,6t/ha to 1,79t/ha for soya bean. Gerhard Keun, CEO of the Oil and Protein Seed Development Trust, said the biggest challenges for producers this season were Alternaria leaf blight on sunflowers and Sclerotinia, which affected…

As an essential service, South Africa’s agricultural value chain suffered less hardship overall than many of the country’s other business sectors. However, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic remains fraught with uncertainties requiring the agricultural value chain to be prepared to adapt as necessary. This was according to Agbiz CEO, Dr John Purchase, during his presentation at the Animal Feed Manufacturers’ Association’s recent 2020 annual general meeting. Purchase pointed out that before the pandemic, the agriculture sector had survived the extreme negative consequences of the drought and foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks to contribute substantially to the national economy. “Yes, COVID-19 has caused problems like major supply and demand disruptions in national and international agriculture supply chains, and also led to changing consumer patterns on food spend. “However, South Africa’s agricultural exports…

The South African public has until 29 September to comment on the environmental impact assessment report released recently by Rhino Oil & Gas Exploration South Africa (ROGESA) as part of its application to explore, and ultimately mine, various farms in parts of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal. According to the environmental impact assessment, which was compiled by environmental consultancy firm SLR Consulting, ROGESA is applying for an exploration right to explore approximately 4 270 farms, or portions thereof, spanning almost 773 530ha for oil, gas, condensate, coal bed methane, helium and biogenic gas reserves. The report added that its application was for “early-phase” exploration that would be restricted to desktop data review and an aerial survey. “The sole purpose of the proposed work would be to indicate the presence of…

All businesses stand on four operational legs: marketing, finance, production and people. Raymond Ackerman, the founder of Pick n Pay, built his business with this as his management philosophy. ‘The four legs of the table’ became his mantra. Each leg needs to be strong enough to keep the table stable and level. If any leg buckles, the table tilts. If any leg collapses, the table collapses. A farming business, too, depends on these four legs, whether it is a giant corporation, a section of the enterprise, or a small family concern. The table settings (knives, forks, plates and so on) represent the day-to-day operations and tactics of the business. On a secure and level base, they are easy to reach and use, but on a wobbly or tilted table they…

Japie Meyer and his wife, Martinique, farm on Schietpad in the Stoffberg area, Mpumalanga. Meyer grows maize, red speckled dry beans, soya bean and wheat in a rotation system. For Meyer, choosing a suitable cultivar package is one of the most important and difficult management decisions he makes each year. “I look at the trials of the various companies before deciding which cultivar to plant. I also rely on the good advice of my Pannar Seed representative, Dawie Jacobs,” he says. “Yield performance, stability and hedging my risk play an important role in cultivar selection. The cultivar must also be drought-tolerant.” Meyer says one of the impressive features of PAN 5R-891BR is its high prolificacy. “The hybrid produced two beautiful cobs and its standability is also very good. PAN 5R-891BR…

Before planting avocado trees, begin by examining the soil for suitability regarding depth, drainage and compacted layers. A representative sample of the proposed orchard should be taken for soil analysis. Do this at least nine months, but ideally 12 to 24 months, before planting. This will give you time to prepare the soil thoroughly, particularly if large quantities of lime are required. It’s important that a sample represents soil of homogeneous characteristics, that is, where there are no visible differences in the soil. If there are differences in colour and texture in the land, subdivide the land accordingly and take separate samples of the different parts. Use a soil auger or spade to take the samples. The depth of sampling should be 0,3m for topsoil and 0,3m to 0,5m for…

SUPPLY GOOD PRODUCE REGULARLY, OR THE BUYER WILL LOOK ELSEWHERE Last week, I noted that market prices are governed by a host of factors. From the perspective of a small farmer, this might sound like a mountain to climb. It’s only natural that a farmer should dream of growing his or her business swiftly and smoothly, achieving commendable marketing objectives, and very soon being able to command top prices. It’s not quite that simple. You are more likely to get there by being consistent when marketing. Avoid the old problem of chasing prices on the market; that’s like a dog chasing its tail. To ensure consistency, focus on the following: • Choose your market Concentrate on supplying one main market. If you have the volumes, add another market, but avoid spreading…

Sleep deprivation has many negative effects on the brain, emotions and body. ’Microsleep’ episodes can affect judgement and cause accidents, and sleep deprivation increases the risk of chronic disease. If the body is sleep-deprived, hormones regulating appetite get out of control and the blood sugar level rises, causing more insulin to be released, which then increases appetite. Moreover, when we lie awake at night, the body produces cortisol (stress) hormone. By contrast, during deep sleep the body produces anabolic hormones, such as the growth hormone for body maintenance, and sex hormones, which help maintain bone health. During long sleep periods, the immune system also releases proteins called cytokines, which fight infection. Here are some tips for sleeping better and being less stressed: • Try to get to bed at about…

Having a Facebook business page will let you (potentially) reach almost three billion users. According to statista.com, “Facebook is the biggest social network worldwide. In the third quarter of 2012, the number of active Facebook users surpassed one billion, making it the first social network ever to do so.” BUILDING LOYALTY Active users are those who have logged in to Facebook during the past 30 days.According to statista.com, a total of 3,14 billion people use at least one of the company’s core products each month; these include WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger. When a potential client ‘likes’ your Facebook business page, it gives them a sense that they know you, thus increasing loyalty. An advantage of Facebook over a website is the custom features that you can add using already-created Facebook…

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 invest in skills development programmes in agriculture to ensure a better quality of life for all and support entrepreneurs within the value chain. I’d also buy a few Jersey cows and start my own cheesery! What is the best advice you have ever been given, and who gave it to you? My biggest mentor, the iconic wine legend Duimpie Bayly, said many wise words on quality, harmony and attitude. But my father once said some words in my early life that have remained with me to this day: “Don’t dwell on the past, dream about the future, but concentrate on showing…