Table of contents for 11 December 2020 in Farmer's Weekly

About 10 years ago, around the time of the massive farmworker protests about wages and working conditions that started in De Doorns and later spread across the Western Cape, I attended a press conference that was held by the Food and Allied Workers' Union and another labour union, which I cannot remember, in the Imbizo Centre at Parliament. Little useful information was shared; the labour union representatives just took turns to repeat the same platitudes about farmworkers and other vulnerable workers and how they were being abused by farmers. Of course, these types of accusations about abuse are more often than not made without any evidence, and when you ask for evidence, the answer is always a vague ‘we have received many reports’. This is not to say that the…

30 YEARS AGO In order to ensure the safety of consumers and chicks, eggs must be cleaned thoroughly. Bacterial populations on eggshells cannot be reduced to safe levels without thorough cleaning. Whether intended for hatching or the table, it is essential to ensure the level of bacterial contamination on eggshells is reduced to the minimum to protect human health as well as that of the chick. Because of the different systems used in production, the bacterial populations on hens’ eggs vary enormously. So-called ‘clean’ hatching eggs laid in nests have been reported in overseas enterprises with contamination levels of up to three million on each shell. To safeguard the chick and the consumer, the most effective system possible must be employed to deal with this hazard. Contamination of eggshells is…

Amid the COVID-19-related lockdown that brought economic activity to a near standstill for the better part of the year, the agriculture sector became a silver lining for South Africa’s economy. According to many experts, climate change and the pandemic are two phenomena that seem to be harming the agriculture sector and farmers’ income around the world. However, in South Africa, favourable weather conditions, which resulted in the second-largest summer crop harvest on record, coupled with higher global maize prices, have significantly improved farmers’ income, even amid the pandemic. However, the pandemic is not entirely to blame for South Africa’s economic misfortunes, especially given the fact that the country’s real GDP decreased 2% in the first quarter of 2020, following a contraction of -0,8% and -1,4% in the third and fourth…

The Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) opened the Moloti Fresh Produce Market near Maseru in Lesotho at the end of November. The market, spanning an area of roughly 15 000m2 , was aimed at creating jobs and reducing poverty by boosting local fruit and vegetable sales through the creation of a well-developed market platform. As part of this vision, the LNDC had entered into a partnership with the Agricultural Produce Agents’ Council (APAC) in South Africa to train 16 candidates, who would be responsible for managing the agricultural value chain and support the development and establishment of an ethical regulatory framework to ensure a safe trading environment, according to Francois Knowles, registrar of the Agricultural Produce Agents Council. The 16 candidates received training in South Africa during October. Knowles said…

While the illicit liquor trade has been around for many years, the recent COVID-19-related lockdown and ban on liquor sales have accelerated the scourge. During the lockdown period, illegal and criminal operators had an opportunity to market themselves to previously honest drinkers, and were now becoming more entrenched in the supply chain. Consumer spending on legal liquor and cigarettes fell 92,4% during this period. According to an industry-commissioned study conducted by Euromonitor, the illicit liquor market was estimated to be valued at R12,9 billion, equating to 14,5% of the total liquor market value. Current statistics indicate that the illicit liquor trade had resulted in tax revenue losses amounting to billions of rand, with National Treasury reporting a loss of R9,5 billion in liquor and tobacco taxes combined during the first…

For every kilogram of mushrooms produced, about 3kg of soil-like material containing straw, manure and peat is left behind. In the EU, this results in more than three billion kilograms of waste per year. Although rich in organic matter, and therefore useful as compost, used mushroom substrate contained a lot of water, which made it heavy and unprofitable to transport, with the vast majority ending up in landfills. Dr Bart van der Burg, director of innovation at BioDetection Systems in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and his team were now planning to extract components such as protein, carbohydrate, fats and chitin, a fibrous substance, from it and incorporate these extracts into new products such as novel foods, cosmetics and bioplastics. They have also been developing new products for different companies, with extracted…

John Deere recently recognised the company’s top performers of the year at an awards ceremony held in Pretoria. The award for Technician of the Year went to Gert Grobler of AFGRI Grootvlei with Albert Landman of Senwes Wolmansstad second, and Tiaan Oosthuizen of AFGRI Polokwane in third place. Parts Expert of the Year was Jaco Wessels, AFGRI Marquad, with runner-up Johannes Haefele, AFGRI Frankfort and third place winner Abraham Mouton, AFGRI Caledon. The Workshop of the Year award went to Ampie Barnard of Senwes Hoopstad, second place went to Dewald Crouse, AFGRI Middelburg, with Artie Bester of AFGRI Bethlehem in third place. The Sales Experts of the Year were Johan Swart of Senwes; Johnny de Bod of AFGRI South; Paul Jansen van Rensburg of AGFRI North; Dirk Sterley of JD…

If government veterinary services do not significantly speed up their efforts to address South Africa’s foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) controls to the World Organisation for Animal Health’s (OIE) satisfaction, the national livestock value chain will continue to lose many millions of rand in potential revenue and added costs. This was according to a source in South Africa’s national health management structure, who spoke to Farmer’s Weekly on condition of anonymity. The OIE rescinded South Africa’s FMD-free status in January 2019, after an outbreak of the disease was identified in the Vhembe and Molemole areas of Limpopo. The source said that due to South Africa losing its FMDfree status, to date the country’s wool industry had lost between R100 million and R120 million, and its beef industry an estimated R500 million. Department…

The North West agriculture sector’s compliance with labour legislation and its prescripts is among the most problematic in the province. This was according to Boikie Mampuru, provincial chief inspector in the North West Department of Employment and Labour, who made the statement following blitz inspections recently conducted by himself and his colleagues of the agriculture and other sectors within the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality. “Indeed, we found a high number of non-complying establishments and this is not good,” he said. Responding to the statement, Agri North West CEO, Boeta du Toit, said the organisation’s leaders strongly disagreed with Mampuru’s “generalised statement, which cannot be substantiated”. “We challenge the [department] to reveal statistics of their inspections on farms for the 2019 to 2020 period to substantiate their claims. [Mampuru’s statements…

In many communal settings, livestock farmers tend to sell one or two animals at a time to neighbours or acquaintances. This might bring in some money in the short term, but it won’t make you better off in the long run. There are two reasons for this: you won’t get the best price for your animals, and you are unlikely to reinvest this small sum in the farming business. By contrast, if you sell, say, 15 sheep on the market when sheep are scarce and demand is high, you will make more money per animal and have a sizeable sum to reinvest. Most reputable buyers on the market would ordinarily want to buy a number of sheep and collect them in a truck. So what do you do if you…

Labour law sets strict requirements and compliance is non-negotiable. Failure to comply also holds a serious business risk for employers that is often underestimated. An arbitration award against an employer can have a significant financial impact and negatively affect the brand name. At the same time, the scope of labour law can be overwhelming as it is a highly regulated environment. So what can you as an employer do to protect your farm? Firstly, ensure that you comply with all applicable labour legislation pertaining to your industry (Sectoral Determination 13 regulates labour relations in the agriculture sector and places certain legal obligations on the farmer as the employer). Secondly, use labour law to your advantage to protect your farm and your rights as an employer. As a business owner, you…

Tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata) is a perennial herb that originates from the eastern regions of the US. It was originally imported into South Africa as a garden ornamental, but escaped cultivation to become invasive in various parts of the country. UNFORTUNATELY, NO POTENTIAL AGENTS HAVE YET BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR BIOCONTROL The leaves are up to 15cm long, wider in the middle, shaped like a lance tip (lanceolate), and dull green in colour. They form a tuft at the base of the plant. From October to December, a single, bright yellow, daisy-like flower is borne at the tip of each flower stem. Individual stems may be as high as 50cm, and the flower is about 6cm across and generally has about eight petals. Flowers are followed by tiny, broad-winged, concave seeds. The…

Many farmers have discovered the advantages of installing tracking devices on their farm machinery and other vehicles. Amongst these, undoubtedly, is peace of mind. THEFT PREVENTION A tracking device gives the farmer or fleet manager real-time control of the entire fleet. Perhaps the most important result of this is assistance with theft recovery. The tracker sends an alert if the vehicle leaves a designated area, and you can respond immediately. Safety is improved, as drivers are aware that their speed and every movement is recorded. Fuel costs can be reduced by ensuring that optimal speeds are adhered to and idle time reduced. You can give a lost driver directions from the vehicle’s location. I’ve often given my drivers directions while following them online. In addition, the tracking device keeps a…

“Satellites have been sentinels in space since the 1960s, examining Earth to detect changing weather patterns, land use, deforestation, melting ice caps and fire patterns. They have also been used to identify atmospheric dust emissions. Global inventories of the world’s major dust sources point to dry lake basins, many of which are in Africa. Etosha and the Makgadikgadi, for example, are large natural dust emitters in Southern Africa. Fine sediment from these basins can travel to the oceans, where it acts as a nutrient for primary marine organisms. Saharan dust from North African basins is even known to reach the Amazon and Caribbean, where it has a fertilising impact on the rain forest but is detrimental to coral. Closer to the source, the dust can also affect flora, fauna and…

Initiatives such as the recent blue/ white light crime prevention operation held by Free State Agriculture (FSA) in conjunction with the South African Police Service (SAPS), were of utmost importance to prevent rural crime and criminality. This was according to Dr Johan Burger, senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies. About 400 Free State farmers and 50 SAPS members took part in the operation that covered the Lejweleputswa district. “Visibility is one of the most vital deterrents in the fight against crime. Another benefit of an operation such as [this] is that it makes it possible for farmers and other people living in rural areas to evaluate their own levels of vigilance and preparedness. FSA needs to be congratulated on the operation and the fact that such operations take…

MEXICO Mexico’s senate has approved a landmark cannabis legalisation bill, paving the way for the creation of the world’s largest legal marijuana market if it passes the next hurdle in the lower house of congress. If enacted, the reform would mark a major shift in a country where drug cartel violence in recent years has claimed over 100 000 lives. The Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that recreational marijuana should be permitted, just one year after lawmakers legalised it for medicinal use. TAIWAN Thousands of people took to the capital city Taipei recently to protest against the government’s decision to ease restrictions on imports of US pork. President Tsai Ing-wen announced in August that the government would, from 1 January 2021, allow imports of pork from the US containing ractopamine,…

Despite the harrowing effects of the drought and wildfires in the western parts of the country, many positives emerged during the past few months, according to Naude Pienaar, Agri North West’s drought coordinator. In this regard, South Africa’s relief organisations recently decided to start working together to distribute disaster relief following recent wildfires in the western Free State, the Northern Cape and North West, which resulted in the establishment of the Manna for Farmers initiative managed by Afriforum. “When the fires initially broke out, it took only one phone call from Agri North West to the organisations Caring Daisies, Afriforum, the Southern African Agri Initiative, Farmers in Need, TAU SA, Burre Burger Relief Fund, and Gift of the Givers to start working together in a coordinated manner. Working together ensures…

The recent third South African Investment Conference attracted R109,6 billion in investment pledges from local and foreign companies. The goal of this year’s conference was to attract R1,2 trillion in investments over the next five years to help revive and rebuild the country’s economy. “Since April 2018, when we announced our ambitious target to attract R1,2 trillion [in] investment over five years, local and international investors have made commitments to invest approximately R664 billion,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa in his opening address. The total amount of investment pledges that Ramaphosa had secured since the inaugural South African Investment Conference in 2018 now stood at R773,6 billion. He pointed out that a significant number of investments were made in the manufacturing sector, and those sectors that had been hard-hit by the…

In February this year, I was one of the young farmers (under the age of 40) chosen to take part in the Leadership Academy in Agriculture sponsored by Syngenta, Grain SA and the North-West University Business School. Most of the participants were farm managers or senior employees of established agribusinesses. Some worked in organised agriculture and others, like myself, were farmers. We came from diverse backgrounds: grain, wine, citrus, vegetables, cattle and so forth. It became clear as we drew to the end of the course that a new wave of leadership is required in the agriculture sector, not because the current leadership is failing, but because a number of veterans and leaders in the sector are close to retirement or have already announced their retirement from leadership positions in…

What is the definition of a hate crime? Hate crimes are not simply acts committed against vulnerable groups, but are in fact committed against individuals because of prejudice or hatred that the perpetrator holds against an entire group of people because of their identity, and the act is directed at an available victim. Within Parliament, the DA’s shadow minister of justice, Glynnis Breytenbach, is working on legislation in this regard. The South African Police Service’s [SAPS] definition of a farm attack pertains to any act of violence against any person residing on, working on or visiting a farm or smallholding, whether the intent was to murder, rape, rob or inflict bodily harm. Why should farm murders be declared hate crimes? What sets them apart from other types of murders and…

Jaco Fivaz has a wealth of experience in mango production and has been the farm manager on Mohlatsi farm near Hoedspruit in Limpopo for the past 17 years. The farm produces a wide variety of mango cultivars, such as Tommy Atkins, Keitt and Sensation, and also has a packhouse, a drying unit, and an achar production facility. The packhouse is used only for about four months of the year, during the harvest season, while the drying unit, which can dry a variety of products, runs throughout the year. The achar unit was started in 2016 and produces between 150t and 600t a year depending on the availability of fruit. A more recent venture, which opened a year ago, is the farm store, where mango-inspired products are directly sold to the…

Makes 13 crêpes FOR THE CRÊPES 300g cake flour ¼ tsp salt 2 Tbsp caster sugar 6 large eggs 900ml full-cream milk Butter and oil for frying FOR THE GANACHE 300g chocolate 300ml cream FOR THE TOPPING 100g chocolate FOR THE CRÊPES 1. Combine the flour, salt and caster sugar in a bowl using a balloon whisk, and mix thoroughly. 2. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, and add the eggs. 3. Carefully bring the eggs and flour together by whisking the eggs in the centre of the well. As the eggs combine, slowly incorporate the flour from the side bowl until the eggs and flour are combined. 4. In a slow stream, carefully add the milk, while whisking all the time. Once all the ingredients…

Oats have a good reputation for helping to lower cholesterol, especially the harmful low-density lipoprotein type. They contain a high level of beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that forms a sticky gel in the intestines. This is excreted by the body, and it takes unwanted dietary cholesterol with it. To lower your cholesterol by 5%, you need only about ¾ cup of oatmeal a day. This makes oats a good start before a fried breakfast of eggs. In addition, oats supply three valuable antioxidants, namely tocotrienols (related to vitamin E, but 50% more potent), ferulic acid and caffeic acid. The last two act on the liver, which are thought to reduce the body’s production of cholesterol. Much has been written about phytic acid, which occurs naturally in oats and many other…

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 an existing pork business that focused on economies of scale, had a vision to expand and grow, and implemented sound management practices. The investment risk should be low. I’d also buy a farm for myself in the Uniondale mountains and farm cattle and game. I’d live a simple life off the grid. What is the best advice you have ever been given, and who gave it to you? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and also, don’t do unto others as they often do to you. These wise words came from one of my…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 9 TO 10 DECEMBER Manufacturing Indaba (webinar).Visit manufacturingindaba.co.za/ conference. 23 TO 25 FEBRUARY 2021 Africa Agri Tech, Pretoria.Visit africa-agri.co.za. COURSES & TRAINING 22 TO 26 FEBRUARY 2021 Cattle Dairy Farm Management and Production, George. Phone Lily Rothman on 078 546 7985. 5 TO 11 MARCH 2021 Wildlife Photography, Karongwe Game Reserve, Drakensberg. Phone 013 752 2532, or email enquiries@ecotraining.co.za. ONLINE EVENTS & COURSES 7 TO 8 DECEMBER International Conference on Food and Nutrition Technology. Email contact@conferenceseries. com, or visit foodtechnology.healthconferences.org. 7 TO 11 DECEMBER Water Institute of Southern Africa’s Biennial Conference and Exhibition. Email Jaco Seaman at events@wisa.org.za, or phone him on 011 805 3537. 10 TO 15 DECEMBER Commercial Mushroom Substrate Design, Cultivation, Marketing and Business Planning. Email registration@ mushroomacademy.com. 10 TO 15 DECEMBER Industrial…

There are broadly three main problems affecting input markets across the African continent, and these are farm subsidies that crowd-out private sector investment; lack of strong regulatory frameworks, which allows for the proliferation of counterfeit and poor-quality seed and fertilisers; and a lack of capacity of agencies to facilitate efficient and timely delivery of low-cost inputs to farmers. One case study that illustrates this problem is the Tanzanian fertiliser industry. Fertiliser usage is quite low all over Africa, and Tanzania is no exception. In fact, the fertiliser usage rate in Tanzania is only about 13,68kg/ha, which is well below the target set by the African Union’s (AU) Abuja Declaration of at least 50kg/ha. For perspective, the Abuja Declaration target is actually less than half of the global average fertiliser usage,…

Despite the widespread national and international challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic since April, diversified chemical and plant nutrition group, Omnia, was able to improve its financial performance during its first half-year ended 30 September 2020 (H1 2020). Omnia’s CEO, Seelan Gobalsamy, attributed this improvement to key achievements, including a review and refocus of his group’s key operating businesses, further improvements in net working capital management and margins, increased cash generation and lower capital expenditure, and improved sustainability metrics. For its H1 2020 the Omnia group, which comprises agriculture, mining, and chemical segments, with a presence in 45 countries, reported revenue of R8,2 billion (H1 2019: R8,3 billion); operating profit of R341 million (H1 2019: R273 million); and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of R742 million (H1 2019:…

Sabotage and outright war on the South African economy and its citizens is how the spate of attacks on road freight companies and truckers has been described. In November alone, more than 29 trucks were looted and set alight, mostly in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. In an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association, asked for urgent intervention. “Again, the road freight companies and truckers find themselves being attacked by forces under the pretext of foreign nationals ‘taking jobs away from citizens’. We have seen South African citizens attacked, seriously injured and even killed in this activity. Clearly this is not about foreign drivers. “This results in damage [to] lives, companies, employment opportunities, economic activity, goods, vehicles, facilities, and roads.” It also discouraged foreign…

The 14th wool sale of the season started off sluggishly on the first day, but improved competition was evident on the second day. Although nearly 70% of the large offering of 12 874 bales tested at 20 microns and finer, only 50% of the offering consisted of Merino wool. The market retracted 1% from the previous sale to close at R144,07/kg, with a sales clearance of 91,03%, according to Cape Wools. Fine, long Merino fleece wool attracted better competition from the buying houses, with Responsible Wool Standard-certified wool, which made up 33% of Merino wool on offer, once again outperforming the market. The largest decrease of 2,9% was in the 21,5-micron segment. The major buyers were Lempriere SA (4 022 bales), Standard Wool SA (2 775), Modiano SA (2 116)…

The demand for rabbit meat in South Africa significantly exceeds supply at present, which creates an ideal opportunity for current producers to expand production and for new producers to enter the industry. This was according to Hennie Viljoen, director of the Rabbit Association of South Africa (RASA). He told Farmer’s Weekly that the local rabbit meat industry had faced many challenges over the past decade, including the liquidation and closure of the only fully compliant rabbit abattoir in South Africa in October 2019. Of the 107 contract producers in operation in May 2019, only 32 continued to deliver rabbits to the company P349 that acquired the abattoir shortly after it was liquidated. “RASA has a membership of 86. Over the past few months, 26 potential new farmers joined, but most…

Despite a relatively slow start to its agriculture and retail trade during the first six months of the year, and a further constrained consumer environment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic during the second half of the financial year to September 2020, Kaap Agri’s business performance has been encouraging with results ahead of expectations. This was according to a statement by the company, which said recurring headline earnings per share increased 4,6% to 392,52c, resulting in a five-year compound annual growth rate of 8,6% to September 2020. Revenue increased 1,5% to R8,6 billion with like-for-like comparable growth declining 0,6%. The 1,5% growth in revenue was achieved despite a 2,9% decrease in the number of transactions, and notwithstanding an estimated -6,6% impact due to the pandemic. Excluding the negative impact…

In 2015, the Springboks lost to one of the minnows of the game: Japan. It shook rugby fans around the world. Worse was to come. In 2016, the Boks won only four of 13 matches, and were humiliated by the All Blacks 57-17. Never in South Africa’s rugby history had the national team had such a bad season. After a good start in 2017, New Zealand rubbed salt into the wounds of the previous year and crushed the Boks 57-0. Rugby analysts wrote them off as has-beens. Public support evaporated and local stadiums remained empty. The South African Rugby Union’s (SARU’s) finances were going downhill fast, with an operating profit of R4 million in 2014 becoming a loss of R40 million in 2017. The team fared better in 2018, with…

On 4 August, in the midst of an economic and political crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions of all time took place in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. It killed more than 200 people, injured over 7 000 and left more than 300 000 homeless. The Port of Beirut, where 2 750t of improperly stored ammonium nitrate had exploded, was all but destroyed. Damage to the city itself ran into billions of dollars, of which only a fraction was insured. This tragedy, while unusual in terms of its scale, is not unique. The 2015 blast in the Port of Tianjin, China, was equally devastating. From an insurance perspective, lessons can be learnt from the disaster. KNOW THE RISKS Beirut, like Tianjin, had problems with the accumulation…

Most of our main fresh produce markets are owned and managed by municipalities. Cape Town Market is rare in being privately owned, and there are a number of smaller private markets scattered around the country. ‘Privately owned’ can take different formats, but all these markets have one thing in common: they are not owned by a municipality. POLITICAL APPOINTEES It has been demonstrated repeatedly over the years that municipal markets all too often get bogged down by bureaucracy, incompetence and, sadly, politics. Management doesn’t have its ‘eye on the ball’ because there are simply too many (mostly irrelevant) distractions such as endless meetings. Senior managers appointed for their political loyalties more than their knowledge of fresh produce markets fail again and again to deliver the goods. There are, of course,…

7 WAYS by Jamie Oliver (Michael Joseph, R445) Lockdown seemed to make everyone a foodie, so why are we particularly recommending Oliver’s latest recipes for every day of the week? Firstly, dinner parties and festive get-togethers are all about the feast, but between these you want a buffer of something down-to-earth but still stylish, which is exactly what the author has created here. Secondly, he emphasises the importance of good culinary planning: a great pantry cupboard and tasty food that doesn’t take all day to prepare. And, thirdly, in every family, there is bound to be some youngster flying the nest to study, work or travel, and who is in need of cooking advice that’s sound but trendy. GREAT CITIES THROUGH TRAVELERS’ EYES edited by Peter…