Table of contents for 06 November 2020 in Farmer's Weekly

The usual rules simply did not apply this year, and this has also been true for supply and demand trends for food. So far in 2020, we saw a short-lived but dramatic drop in demand for potatoes, when restaurants, caterers and fast-food chains had to close up shop for a period, thus vastly reducing the amount of potato chips that needed to be made. At the same time, there was a fast and furious jump in demand for pineapples when South Africans, deprived of access to alcoholic beverages, developed an interest in home-brewed fruit beers. These strange trends are also reflected in the see-sawing of world food prices over the past six months. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), global commodity food prices fell…

In the 2019/2020 marketing year, Zimbabwe’s maize imports, specifically from South Africa, did not gain much momentum until the start of 2020. This is when Zimbabwe’s maize stocks were already depleted following a season in which the country produced roughly 777 000t, significantly less than its annual consumption of about 1,8 million tons. The poor harvest was a result of unfavourable weather conditions during the season, dryness at the start of the season, and Cyclone Idai later in the season. The same pattern of maize import activity could prevail this year, as Zimbabwe is realising yet another poor maize harvest. According to data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Zimbabwe’s 2019/2020 maize harvest increased 9% year-on-year (y/y) to 850 000t. SOUTH AFRICA’S MAIZE PRICES WILL REMAIN HIGH FOR SOME…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on agricultural value chains around the world and highlighted the importance of the various linkages within these value chains. This was according to Dr Benjamin Dent, a senior associate at Value Chain Management International, speaking during the recent virtual Agri Western Cape annual congress. He pointed out that the pandemic highlighted that farmers were dependent on the preparedness of others downstream in the value chain. “While your business may have coped very well with the crisis, others downstream, on which you are reliant, may not have been able to respond as nimbly. The disruption that is caused will ripple its way up and impact on your business.” According to Dent, there were also other unavoidable changes and disruptions that the industry needed…

Members of the South African Groundnut Forum recently formed a joint working group with the groundnut division of the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) Grain Crops Institute in Potchefstroom. The aim of this group was to provide industry support and input into trials, new cultivar development and the availability of material for seed production. Severe drought cycles coupled with a lack of new cultivars resulted in the South African groundnut industry finding itself in a risky situation, according to Adri Botha, chairperson of the forum. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly at a groundnut information day near Leeudoringstad, she said the vast majority of cultivars used by producers were still registered ARC cultivars. “[It has now been] decided that the industry should increase its attempts to secure and manage a proper and focused…

Provided that it maintains strong national herd and flock health, South Africa’s primary red meat value chain has the potential to significantly grow its exports to generate valuable foreign income for itself while also expanding local production. The country currently exported 5% of its formal beef production, and 1% of its formal mutton and lamb production. This was according to Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation, who said that although relatively small, the country’s current red meat export volumes were already contributing to stronger producer prices domestically. Year-on-year, beef prices had increased 11%, and mutton and lamb prices by 30%. “We’re internationally competitive, with our red meat prices averaging around 30% below international averages. Our well-developed and modern feedlot industry consistently produces very good-quality meat that’s increasingly…

Growing collaboration between community-owned game reserves in KwaZulu-Natal is helping to advance the conservation and proliferation of genetics of endangered and iconic wildlife species. Most recently Tembe Elephant Park, which reportedly has some of the last “great tusker” elephants in Southern Africa, donated one of its breeding bulls to Somkhanda Community Game Reserve. A statement by the Wildlands non-governmental conservation organisation that co-manages Somkhanda with the reserve’s owners, the Emvokweni Community Trust (ECT), said the elephant bull from Tembe would hopefully breed with elephant cows donated to Somkhanda in 2016 by the community-owned Nambiti Game Reserve. “The great tuskers of Tembe are known all over the world as majestic giants. “Bringing a Tembe elephant into Somkhanda’s herd will enable the continuation of the Tembe Tusker lineage in this reserve,” said…

Grain SA recently announced the winners in the Grow for Gold National Yield Competition, which acknowledged 46 producers in 16 categories for the yields achieved with their maize, soya bean and sunflower crops in the 2019/2020 season. The competition was open to all grain producers, whether producing on a commercial or small scale, both on dryland and irrigated lands. The winners in the maize category were Tyson Zunckel (KwaZulu-Natal); Johann Pistorius (Eastern Highveld); Jaco Breytenbach (Eastern Free State); Danie Bester (Central Region); Danie le Roux (North West); Hennie Roos (Water Table Region); and Christo Cronjé (Irrigated Crop). In the soya bean category, the winners were Clinton Frey (KwaZulu-Natal); Gareth Allen (Eastern Highveld); Josef van Eeden (Eastern Free State); Japie Breedt (Central Region); Wayne Preece (North West); Willie Dreyer and IG…

‘Impact investment’ aims to generate social and environmental benefits as well as solid financial returns. AgDevCo, a UK-based project developer, has 50›agribusiness investments of this type in sub-Saharan Africa, linking more than 375 000 smallholder farmers to markets. CEO Daniel Hulls spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his company’s investment approach. How did AgDevCo start? AgDevCo was launched in 2009, around the time of the spike in global commodity prices. The idea was to create an impact investment business capable of providing patient [long-term] debt and equity capital to early-stage agribusinesses in sub-Saharan Africa. The UK government has been our primary funder to date. It recognises the effectiveness of a business-led approach to development assistance and shares our view about the importance of the agribusiness sector to growth, jobs and food…

The many changes we’ve witnessed in the fresh produce trade over the years are an encouraging sign of an industry that is alive and thriving. Indeed, if the industry does not continually change and adapt, it will shrivel and die. In today’s market environment, farmers have more options than ever for disposing of their produce. Whatever these options may be, a wise farmer will consider each one before making any commitments. If the farmer has sufficient volumes of any particular crop, then these options can be favourably exploited. OPPOSITION TO MARKETS Some farmers are not keen on the fresh produce market, saying it is an outdated system. They also point to fluctuating prices and maintain that they can sell directly to clients at negotiated prices. All well and good, but…

Potassium is a crucial factor in the firing of nerve impulses and the contraction and relaxation of muscles in response to these impulses. Potassium is therefore of great importance to the heart, the hardest-working muscle in the body (it can beat over three billion times in a lifetime). An irregular heartbeat may be related to a potassium deficiency. Because of potassium’s role in the regulation of the nervous system, heart function and fluid balance (see FW, 30 October), a diet high in potassium can reduce the risk of stroke. Consuming 3 400mg of potassium a day is associated with the lowest risk of stroke. POTASSIUM VS SODIUM Blood pressure and sodium (salt) intake are related. Consuming too much sodium has been shown to increase blood pressure and is also linked…

DOUBLE AGENT by Tom Bradby (Bantam, R310) This novel is the second outing for series character Kate Henderson, a senior and highly ambitious MI6 officer. She is offered hard evidence that Britain’s prime minister is actively working as a Russian agent. With her bosses divided or simply sitting on the fence, she is despatched to test the claims, and be the fall guy if necessary. In the process, she is faced with demands to betray friends from her past and present. A great page-turner. THE PEPPERMINT TEA CHRONICLES by Alexander McCall Smith (Abacus, R215) ‘TO LEARN TO READ IS TO LIGHT A FIRE’ – VICTOR HUGO (1802-1885) McCall Smith’s meandering evocation of Edinburgh life in this latest from his 44 Scotland Street series is a relaxing…

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? Vegetable farming in tunnels with on-site processing/packaging facilities where the public can come and buy farm-fresh produce daily from an on-site farm shop. And I would have young people in the area running the shop and becoming entrepreneurs. Producing and selling at source is one of the major opportunities for agriculture in South Africa. What is the best advice you have ever been given, and who gave it to you? Prof Johan Visser, my PhD supervisor, said: “Only people who work make mistakes. Only machines that work, break.” This taught me that making mistakes and breaking is a sign of hard work…

The passing of Dr Vuyo Mahlati, president of the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa [FW, 30 October], has robbed the transformation movement of a vital vein. A torchbearer of great class, she served the nation on many fronts as a womanist, a corporate leader, an academic, a mentor, a global thought leader and guardian of the cause, a policy sage and a midwife of hope. She was a valued stakeholder of the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) in the implementation of its mandate to grow black economic participation across the country. As an institution, the NEF drew inspiration from her seminal work as it pursued the progressive imperative of unlocking value chains for mainstreaming rural entrepreneurs into global markets, a topic that was at the heart of Mahlati’s doctoral thesis.…

A great deal has been written about the tragic events in Senekal during October, and I would like to add my perspective. Having often travelled through Senekal to visit my daughter in Ficksburg over the past 10 years and interacting with the local people, I share the anxiety surrounding the events, especially the brutal death of Brendin Horner near Paul Roux. Senekal provides an X-ray vision of societal relations in South Africa. Comments were charged with stereotypes on all sides, before frustrations boiled over into aggression and lawlessness. Political parties and civil society organisations entered the fray, while religious leaders tried their best to bring calm to the situation. People wanting to share their experiences and views of the event on social media had a field day. The precious middle…

‘Militias’ preventing farmers from selling their wheat to the state in Syria have resulted in an import demand of between 180 000t and 200 000t of wheat a month to make up the shortfall. This was according to economy minister, Mohamed Samer al-Khalil, quoted in the al-Watan newspaper, who said the imports would cost around US$400 million (about R6,6 billion), but did not clarify a timeframe for the expenditure. A multi-sided civil war, now in its 10th year there, had seen the country’s economy virtually collapsing. However, Syrian authorities were blaming sanctions from Western countries for the widespread hardship being suffered by citizens, with people struggling to afford food. Before the conflict, Syria produced about four million tons of wheat annually, and was able to export 1,5 million tons. This…

The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) has indicated that it will continue to seek a permanent ban on any further shipboard exports of livestock from South Africa. This was according to a statement by the NSPCA in response to the reasons given recently by High Court Acting Judge AJ Dukada for his 25 August decision in the Grahamstown High Court to allow Kuwaiti company Al Mawashi to export a third shipment of approximately 51 000 live sheep and cattle from South Africa to the Middle East. The NSPCA has been seeking a permanent legal ban since late 2019, when the first such exports took place. The council had regularly cited various allegations of animal health and welfare abuses during these exports. Dukada said…

The importance of concluding the process of amending Section 25 of the Constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation as speedily as possible was highlighted during a recent meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee to Initiate and Introduce Legislation Amending Section 25 of the Constitution. Dr Mathole Motshekga, chairperson of the committee, said the recent racial tension in Senekal showed that, as a country, South Africa still had many unresolved issues that needed to be addressed without wasting time, in order to enhance peace and social cohesion. The committee had met to finalise the public hearings on amending the Constitution in the Western Cape, Limpopo and the Northern Cape. One of the aspects under consideration was how to accommodate people with co-morbidities who could not attend public…

Roshdene Sampson has been crowned the winner of the annual Agri’s Got Talent competition. Sampson is a general worker on Sandhoek farm near De Doorns. Jenny Maarman of Diemerskraal, Wellington, was second, and Bradwin Jonas of Rietfontein, outside Ceres, came a close third. This year, the competition was run in a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Founded seven years ago, the event aimed to give farmworkers in the citrus, deciduous fruit, table grape and wine industries an opportunity to showcase their singing talents. The competition is sponsored by Hortgro, the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa, the Vinpro Foundation, the South African Table Grape Industry, and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture.…

Crime is a huge problem in South Africa. Stock theft has forced many farmers living near towns to give up small-stock farming. Thieves steal harvested grain. Cable theft is rife. Worse, farm attacks often result in farmers and farmworkers being brutalised, tortured or killed. In many cases, the guilty offenders are apprehended by the rural safety structures, but are then either acquitted or the cases are simply abandoned by the police. In recent weeks, dissatisfaction with police inaction and incompetence, as well as attacks on several farmers, especially the brutal murder of young eastern Free State farmer Brendin Horner, resulted in demonstrations against farm murders in several places, clearly showing the public that farmers have had enough. Most of the demonstrators were well behaved, but in Senekal, unfortunately, a demonstration…

This article explores the agro-processing of gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, and redcurrants. • Gooseberries Fresh gooseberries can be individually quick-frozen (IQF) to preserve the cell structure, texture, colour, flavour and aroma of the berries. The product is ideal for use in muffins and other baked goods. STRAWBERRY NECTAR IS A CLOUDY JUICE CONTAINING ADDED SUGAR AND STABILISERS Gooseberry concentrate can be used in confectionery products, beverages, sauces and fillings, and in fruit juices after dilution. It is preserved by freezing. Juice can be made from fresh or frozen gooseberries. It is used mainly in juice blends, as there is limited demand for pure gooseberry juice. Gooseberries for juicing should be harvested at full size, but before changing colour. Purée is prepared by crushing and pulping fresh gooseberries. The purée is preserved by…

The story of Swiss-born missionary David-Frédéric Ellenberger and his wife, Emma, tells of courage and faith, an admirable work ethic, and a remarkable willingness to adapt. Few middle-class 19th-century couples, after all, would have left the comforts of Europe to raise a family in a cave home in the wilds of Africa! FROM EUROPE TO LESOTHO Ellenberger was born in Switzerland in 1835. By the age of seven he was orphaned, but managed to get a basic education, including training in printing. In 1853, he joined his older brother, Henri, in Paris and three years later enrolled at the Mission House of the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society (PEMS). He was ordained here in 1860 shortly after marrying Emma Hartung. The couple were promptly shipped off to bolster the PEMS initiatives…

Why is Jan Braai branching out with BRAAIBROODJIES AND BURGERS (Bookstorm, R370)? As he puts it in his introduction, “A braaibroodjie is your chance in life to have the bread buttered on both sides, literally.” Putting them together with burgers sparks that eternal discussion on how often to turn, and Jan Braai is convinced he has the answer. Apart from braai techniques and philosophy, the heart of his book is, as ever, the creativity of the recipes. There’s the ‘supermodel’, specially created for the cover, as well as sherry boerewors sliders, teriyaki tuna burgers and blue cheese burgers with chicken, among others. A feast to make up for the trials of social distancing.…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 6 TO 7 NOVEMBER Environmental Waste and Landfill Management, Emperors Palace, Johannesburg.Email admin@maphosam.co.za. 26 TO 27 NOVEMBER Emerging Farmers and Agro-processing Conference, Protea Hotel Fire and Ice, Menlyn, Pretoria. Email Lindokuhle Nxumalo at lindo@empiretraining.co.za. COURSES & TRAINING 2 TO 6 NOVEMBER Introductory Course in Pig Production, Agricultural Research Council Irene Campus, Pretoria. Email Mpho Makhanya at makhanyam@arc.agric.za, or phone her on 012 672 9153. 2 TO 6 NOVEMBER Sheep and Goat Farming Management, George. Visit rltsafrica.com/product/ nutrition-management-4. 9 TO 13 NOVEMBER Introductory Course in Small-stock Management, Agricultural Research Council Irene Campus, Pretoria. Email Mpho Makhanya at makhanyam@arc.agric.za, or phone her on 012 672 9153. 16 TO 20 NOVEMBER Beef Cattle Production, Groenkloof, Pretoria. Email Agri Skills Transfer at admin@agriskills.net, or phone 012 460 9585. 23 TO…

Following a few difficult seasons, South Africa’s stone fruit harvest is expected to recover in the current season. Hortgro recently released its first crop estimate for the 2020/2021 season, and overall volumes were looking “much better compared with the same time last year,” at just over 19 million cartons, compared with the previous season’s final tally of around 16,3 million cartons. According to Jacques du Preez, Hortgro’s general manager for trade and markets, the favourable forecast could be attributed to good winter rainfall in most parts of the Western Cape during 2020. He added that good winter chill and moderate spring conditions also contributed to the overall improved fruit set of all stone fruit varieties. Du Preez added that the industry was also optimistic about the anticipated volumes of apricots…

The latest locust watch report from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has indicated that more swarms of desert locusts are forming in the countries in East Africa where crops had already been ravaged by the pests, threatening livelihoods and food security. Farmer’s Weekly previously reported that swarms of desert locusts had spread to 10 countries in Africa earlier this year, which led to the destruction of at least 70 000ha of cropland and pastures. The FAO had reportedly allocated US$130 million (about R2,37 billion) in funding to control the first wave of the infestation. A new generation of locusts was laying its eggs in central Somalia and eastern Ethiopia, which could be supplemented by swarms coming across from Yemen. Breeding was also underway on the…

INDIA The air quality in India’s capital, New Delhi, has again plummeted to ‘very poor’ levels, days after the state government introduced stricter measures to fight air pollution. During October, farmers in neighbouring regions, including the states of Haryana and Punjab, set fire to their fields after having harvested to clear crop residues, despite a ban on the practice. CHINA AND AUSTRALIA Trade ties between China and Australia have worsened recently, with China reportedly ordering cotton mills there to stop buying Australian cotton supplies. China is the largest buyer of Australian cotton, and the trade was worth around AU$900 million (about R10,5 billion) during the 2018/2019 crop year, when 400 000t were imported. If Chinese millers continue to import cotton from Australia, they could be hit with a tariff of…

The research consortium formed by Grain SA, the South African National Seed Organization and various seed companies to conduct maize cultivar evaluation trials in the 2019/2020 season, was an example of the South African agricultural value chain’s commitment to unbiased and sound research. This was according to Dr John Purchase, CEO of Agbiz, and chairperson of South Africa’s Maize Trust. He said the private sector was increasingly taking responsibility for agricultural research to retain and develop the industry’s competitive edge. “The ongoing loss of expertise, capacity and reliability at state research institutions, such as the Agricultural Research Council, has forced the agricultural value chain to forge ahead in terms of research. The Maize Trust funds a number of private sector research initiatives and will in future expand its research footprint…

South Africa’s ability to feed and supply water resources to its people will be placed in jeopardy if government prioritises the issuing of licenses to mine energy resources over the protection and sustainable use of severely constrained freshwater and arable land resources. This was according to organised agriculture and environmental conservation representatives in response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent announcements that “the current timeframes for mining, prospecting, water and environmental licenses will be reduced by at least 50% to facilitate new investment”, and that “the Petroleum Resources Development Bill will be finalised to unlock our country’s enormous untapped potential in upstream oil and gas reserves”. Ramaphosa made these announcements during his unveiling of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan for South Africa in response to the widespread socio-economic impact of…

The retail clothing, textiles, footwear and leather industry (RCTFL) is currently developing a master plan to restore local manufacturing capabilities and create jobs in South Africa. The RCTFL contributes approximately 1,7% to the country’s GDP and employs about 210 000 people across the value chain. One of the challenges facing the industry is increasing imports, which now account for 55% of industry supplies, thus suffocating the growth of local production. It is estimated that imports cost the industry about 170 000 jobs. BOOSTING DOMESTIC PRODUCTION Amongst the interventions envisaged in the RCTFL Master Plan are reducing imports and expanding domestic production, including upstream industries such as cotton, wool and mohair that supply raw material to the RCTFL. And while building domestic supply capacity is critical, it is also necessary to…

It’s always a good idea to get soil fertility in balance by providing enough fertiliser and, perhaps, organic matter, but treating the soil well is also very important. To make a success of farming requires a disciplined work schedule, yet the weather, broken implements, punctures and many other factors can intervene, causing unplanned delays. As a result, it’s tempting to take shortcuts, but these can ultimately cause more problems. For example, the plants might arrive from the seedling grower as scheduled, but in the meantime, rain has fallen! If you press ahead and prepare the land when the soil is still too moist, you could end up damaging the soil structure and harming the planted crop. SMALL, HARD CLODS CAN HOUSE ANAEROBIC BACTERIA, WHICH ARE THE LAST THING YOU WANT…

As an entrepreneur, a member of a family business and a management consultant with experience in Africa and three other continents, Pavlo Phitidis is well equipped to offer advice to business owners on how to cope with a crisis. And with the damage done to the economy by the COVID-19 lockdown, his counsel is timely. In RESET, REBUILD, REIGNITE (Macmillan, R300) , he focuses on a number of key issues: 1. Be customer-focused. To be sustainable, a business has to do more than just make money. Get to know the scale and cost of your customers’ problems and devise solutions that relate to these. 2. Forget ‘me’. Discard any idea that you’re the most important person in the business; this prevents you developing empathy, without which you won’t be able…

The app ‘IDentifyIt Cycads’ is an easy-to-use identification guide developed to help law enforcement officers, environmental management inspectors, custom officials and others identify Encephalartos spp cycads that are endemic to Africa. This should assist with better regulation and monitoring of the trade in South African cycads. EASY TO USE IDentifyIt Cycads provides easily observable features and photographs to help the user quickly identify various cycad species. It includes fact sheets with important conservation information and status, geographic location, identifying features, and similar-looking species. Included is a detailed glossary and information on all the relevant legislation, which differs from province to province. The app forms part of the IDentifyIt Species Tool project, which consists of 140 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora-listed South African plant…

Free State 4 NOVEMBER • Total Dispersal Sale of Brian Angus (Woodview Wagyu), Woodview, Arlington. On offer: 1 270 commercial Merino sheep, including 1 000 ewes (heavily in lamb), 240 ewes (many Volvo’s daughters) and 30 rams. Phone Douw van Wyk on 083 458 7353, or Piet Wessels on 082 857 7827. Limpopo 7 NOVEMBER • Arina Senekal Boer Goat Auction, Bela-Bela Auction Pens. On offer: two SP rams, 10 young rams, 20 ewes, 80 ewes with lambs and 30 young ewes. Phone Kobus Potgieter on 083 654 4594, or Hendrik van der Walt on 083 628 9301. • Top North Brahman Auction, Bela-Bela Auction Pens. On offer: 50 stud and commercial bulls, 80 commercial heifers (14 to 18 months old), 150 commercial cows (in calf or with calf), 15…