Table of contents for 14 May 2021 in Farmer's Weekly

Farmers understand the term ‘regenerative’ very well. In agriculture, it refers to a type of farming that seeks to do no harm and actively reverse prior damage done to the environment. This means that if you practise regenerative agriculture, soil that has been degraded in the past due to unsustainable production practices will be improved through crop rotation, planting cover crops, and making use of mulch and organic fertilisers, for example. When applied to economics, the term means exactly the same: a regenerative approach to economic growth is symbolised by a circular economy in which resources are consumed in a sustainable way and little waste is created. This stands in contrast to linear economic growth, which is achieved by taking resources on the one end and generating waste at the…

Browsers that beat the bush In a 1980s research programme, the South African Savanna Ecosystem Project aimed to shed new light on the management of bush encroachment, an issue that still plagues farmers today. Bush encroachment is caused mainly by careless veld management in South Africa’s savannah bushveld regions, with the carelessness often resulting in large areas of open grassland becoming dense thickets of shrubs and thorn trees. Overstocking grazing camps with cattle or sheep is perhaps the basic reason for the escalation of bush encroachment. With too-frequent grazing, the grass is kept short for long periods and is consequently unable to maintain sufficient leaf area to build up root reserves and to set seed. This causes the seeds of woody plants, formerly choked by dense grass cover, to germinate…

Agricultural conditions in Southern and East Africa have generally been favourable since the 2020/21 summer crop production season commenced in October 2020. But one country that has not been very fortunate in this regard is Kenya. The available evidence suggests that Kenya is among a few African countries that will likely remain significant maize importers in the 2021/22 marketing year. Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Ethiopia expect large domestic harvests, which should reduce their import needs compared with the previous season, and place some countries in a net exporting position. A report released by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on 12 April indicates that Kenya’s 2020/21 maize production would likely increase marginally from the previous season to four million tons. Such a harvest falls short of Kenya’s annual…

According to the latest forecast published by the Crop Estimates Committee, the South African dry bean industry is expecting a total yield of 62 117t this season (compared with the first estimate for the season of 65 467t), which is about 4% down from last season’s 64 800t. Chris Kleingeld, general manager of the Drybean Producers’ Organisation, said that the average area planted in the past five years was about 50 750ha, and it yielded on average just over 62 840t or roughly 1,2t/ha. Kleingeld said the drop in overall production this year could be attributed to weather challenges, of which excessive rain had the biggest impact on production. “The impact of the excessive rain was twofold: not all the hectares could be planted, and in the eastern Free State…

Grain SA recorded the highest ever income from levies for the past financial year at R23,25 million. Derek Mathews, Grain SA’s chairperson, ascribed this to a combination of good harvests, loyal members, and an exceptional effort by the levy collection team. “From a leadership point [of view], we take it as a message from the members that we are doing what they expect us to do. We aim to build on this momentum and take the South African grain industry forward in a sustainable and profitable manner. “We, as Grain SA, remain dedicated to our core business of maintaining and supporting economically sound grain production in order to provide sufficient, affordable food to the people of South Africa,” he told Farmer’s Weekly. The 2020/21 levy income exceeded the previous year’s…

Authorities have expressed the hope that Saudi Arabia will reconsider the ban on fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon, imposed as a result of what the latter country called an increase in drug smuggling. Lebanon’s interior minister will work with Saudi officials to uncover the culprits and prevent a repeat of such incidences, a statement by the presidency said. The ban will add to Lebanon’s severe economic problems, with the fruit and vegetable trade amounting to US$24 million (about R342 million) annually. Reuters reported that Lebanon was in the throes of a deep financial crisis, which posed the greatest threat to the country’s stability since the devastating civil war that lasted from 1975 to 1990. Lebanese President Michel Aoun earlier asked the country’s security forces to step up operations against…

The South African Meat Industry Company (SAMIC) has been appointed to conduct independent audits on the livestock industry to evaluate compliance with new biosecurity rules for livestock agents, according to Francois Knowles, registrar of the Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC). “These rules have their origin in the foot-and-mouth [FMD] outbreak of 2019, which saw the [Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development] closing [down] all live animal auctions. Since their reopening in February 2020, there has been a commitment from the livestock industry to create a set of rules to manage notifiable animal diseases,” he said. The new biosecurity rules would come into effect on 30 June, and would have administrative and infrastructure implications for auction houses and livestock agents. The rules were designed to promote animal health, but…

Guava production seems to have recovered from the drought of the past few years, with the overall harvest expected to increase between 3% and 4% to 23 500t compared with last year. Jacques Jordaan, CEO of the Canning Fruit Producers’ Association, said production may even increase 15% for some individual producers. Guava trees in the Paarl and Wellington areas were generally looking healthy and the first fruit had already been picked. Prevailing drought and subsequent strict pruning practices, however, were negatively affecting production in the Mossel Bay area, with volumes expected to be the lowest in 10 years. Water levels were also running low in Porterville, which could negatively affect production levels there. Overall, the harvest seemed to be about two weeks later than usual due to the warm climatic…

A smaller-than-usual volume of 7 665 wool bales was on offer at the 29th wool sale of the season, after 712 bales were withdrawn prior to the sale. The overall sales clearance of the bales actually offered was 92,69%. The market performed well, according to Cape Wools SA, having closed 0,9% up from the previous sale at R156,96/ kg, while having to contend with the rand trading 1,6% stronger against the US dollar and the market gaining 2,47% in US dollar terms. About 70% of the offering consisted of 20-micron and finer wool types. The finer-micron Merino fleece wool categories saw good competition and outperformed the market, but the broader-micron categories traded softer and dragged the market down, Cape Wools SA said. The Australian market closed 1,63% up from the…

South Africa has a gold mine of food products unique to the country, but it has yet to capitalise on the added value offered by trademarking these items. Speaking during a recent webinar between parties from South Africa and the EU on protecting geographical indicators (GI), speakers noted that South African regulations were still in their infancy. As it stood, the country had not registered any food products since the regulations were published in 2019, and they had therefore not yet been enforced. “It’s criminal,” said John Purchase, CEO of Agbiz, referring to the fact that South Africa had not yet trademarked rooibos and honeybush tea. “We need to protect our brands and be able to add value through the use of GIs. The EU is able to garner large…

When it comes to land, the most important thing to consider is not the number of hectares at your disposal, but rather the commodity that you farm, and how you manage and control costs. Ultimately, these will determine the success of your business. Put another way, instead of focusing on land size, look at ways to boost productivity on your farm. And do this by limiting expenses and maximising income, as you would in any business. Also, remember that there are external factors that can determine the profitability of your farm and over which you might have little to no control. These include the markets, price discovery, and supply and demand. I always advise those aspiring to go into agriculture, or farmers who are just beginning, to start small. This…

Precision farming was born in the 1990s, with farmers initially making use of grid sampling to obtain a better idea of the fertilisation requirements of different areas of the same land. From there, the technology steadily became more advanced, with satellites and thereafter drones being used to identify variations and areas where soil samples should be taken. While farmers initially had to adjust inputs manually according to soil analysis results, farming equipment soon evolved to produce differential feeding, allowing for the automatic adjustment of applications. Farming equipment and these technologies have since become even more advanced, providing more detail and information. “Machines these days can tap into much more information, for example climatic conditions, soil moisture levels and crop-related data such as the difference in the volume of grain harvested…

Fusarium wilt This disease can cause severe yield loss. Cutting through the stem of an infected plant reveals reddish-brown discolouration. The leaves and stem turn yellow, wilt and die. Infected plants infect the soil. Follow these preventive measures: • Use wilt-resistant cultivars. • Use disease-free planting material. • Sanitise the land. • Remove infected and old plant residue. • Rotate crops. • Limit stress such as water deficiency combined with high temperatures during the season. These same measures apply to Alternaria leaf spot and scurf. Sweet potato feathery mottle virus Although symptoms are seldom seen on the leaves, the yield decreases severely and there are more cracked tubers. Follow these preventive measures: • Plant virus-free material. • Control weeds in and around the field, especially wild Ipomoea species. • Remove…

The new Fendt IDEAL range was launched in South Africa in April 2021. The range consists of four models, namely IDEAL 7, 8, 9 and 10. “The Fendt IDEAL 7 is a single-helix rotor, while 8, 9 and 10 are dual-helix rotors with different 3D wave pan designs,” says AGCO. It adds that the dual-helix rotor system provides grain of a quality similar to that of a hybrid machine, with the capacity and throughput of a rotary machine. The Fendt IDEAL 10 is equipped with a MAN 16,2ℓ engine, and has a maximum output of 790hp. It also boasts the Cyclone Cleaning System, which allows for 15% more cleaning capacity. “The grain drops down to the top sieve through two curved double-drop steps. The curved shape allows the heavy grains…

The mitochondria are minute organelles (mini-organs) found in the cells of the body. They are often called the ‘powerhouses’ of the cells. Treating fatigue involves ‘re-energising’ the mitochondria. Muscles in particular are dependent on mitochondria to replenish the molecules of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which carry energy within the cells. Rather like withdrawing money from an ATM, the body draws energy from its ‘ATP bank’ when it needs to. D-ribose is a naturally occurring sugar in the body that assists with the production of ATP. It is part of the body’s DNA, and strengthens the mitochondria. In fact, in one small study, D-ribose helped restore energy in patients suffering with chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. Naturally occurring coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is critical to muscle function, especially that of the heart. Cholesterol-lowering statins…

LAND MATTERS by Tembeka Ngcukaitobi (Penguin, R280) Ngcukaitobi, a High Court advocate who specialises in public law, looks at the long and winding road that led to the current debate around the Expropriation Bill. The book’s subtitle, ‘South Africa’s failed land reforms and the road ahead’, seems to set out his approach, but Ngcukaitobi takes a very broad view of land reform. He starts by saying the European use of land to signify political power or participation was thoughtlessly imposed on a communal African culture. The resulting dispossession was intensified under apartheid, so remedying it became a key factor in the 1994 Constitution, argues Ngcukaitobi. His conclusions about why the various reform attempts failed and what we might expect for the future are useful and thoughtprovoking contributions on this perennial…

SA Stud Book recently recognised South Africa’s top stud breeders for 2021 for the quality of their herds and for maintaining the uppermost standards of stud breeding. The Elite awards are judged on the accurate, reliable and diligent recording of all data and their appropriate use in the herds and flocks involved. “SA Stud Book is proud to give special recognition to the stud breeders of South Africa. Each breeder can be proud to be part of one of the world’s best recording and genetic evaluation systems,” Dr Japie van der Westhuizen, general manager of SA Stud Book, said during the online event. SA Stud Book also encouraged its members to become involved in ensuring that the stud industry continued sustainably through sound mentorship. This year, the Farmer’s Weekly SA…

UNITED STATES Dr Ariani Wartenberg, an agroecologist at the University of California, has co-authored a review of studies documenting links between cannabis production and environmental degradation, both on the legal and illegal markets. While cannabis crops only make up a tiny portion of the country’s agriculture sector, illegal operations are often tucked away in remote, ecologically sensitive areas to keep them “below the radar”. In 2018, there were an estimated 14 000 illegal growing sites in the US. UNITED KINGDOM Dry weather conditions are forecast to persist across the UK, and crop farmers have been urged to take precautions now to mitigate the impact of challenging growing conditions on their businesses. According to the Met Office, the UK’s national weather service, the country had received just 16% of the average…

Africa loses up to 18 million tons of maize annually, valued at US$4,6 billion (about R65,6 billion) to fall armyworm (FAW) infestations, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. However, researchers at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi, Kenya, recently discovered three native insect species whose larvae preyed on the worms and eventually killed them. Scientists recorded promising results after mass releases of the species in grain fields in Kenya, according to a statement by ICIPE. The initial post-release findings showed that parasitism rates on FAW increased 55%, 50% and 38% for Trichogramma chilonis (an egg parasitoid), Telenomus remus (also an egg parasitoid) and Cotesia icipe (a parasitoid species of wasp) respectively. The released parasitoids worked synergistically to bring down FAW…

Nestlé recently became the first fastmoving consumer goods company in South Africa to join the Polyolefin Responsibility Organisation (Polyco). Established in 2011, Polyco is a non-profit industry body focused on promoting the recycling and reuse of polyolefin plastics, instead of these potential pollutants going to landfills or finding their way into the environment. Polyco said in a statement that polyolefin materials were used in the production of consumer goods, structural plastics, food packaging and industrial products and were, therefore, known as “commodity thermoplastics”. They were made from carbon-rich substances, especially coal, and represented over 50% of all polymers consumed locally. According to a statement by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), South Africa’s approximately 59 million people each consumed between 30kg and 50kg of plastic items annually. Approximately half…

South Africa’s state veterinary authorities, together with industry role players, are currently finalising the country’s own guidelines for the health and welfare of livestock exported by ship to complement those of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Meanwhile, the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) has approached the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) in its latest effort to have such exports banned. South Africa’s large-scale livestock exports by ship began in late 2019 with Kuwaiti company Al Mawashi purchasing tens of thousands of sheep from South African farmers. These sheep were then exported live from East London harbour, destined for slaughter markets in the Middle East. The NSPCA had, since the first shipment, opposed these exports on the grounds that the animals allegedly experienced health…

MAIZE White and yellow maize prices saw month-on-month (m/m) increases of 3,8% and 3,1% respectively, and are between 21% and 28% higher than in the corresponding period last year (see Graph 1). The m/m price increase occurred despite a depreciation in the rand, which is traditionally associated with softer prices. The key driver of higher local prices over this period, however, was the continued increases in global prices, which more than offset the effect of the weaker local currency. Global prices are continuing their upward trajectory for several reasons. The first is a result of the US’s highly anticipated planting intentions report, released late in March, which came in lower than market expectations. This provided for a short-term price increase, which eased in the first week of April, but increased…

Farmers switching to conservation agriculture practices understand the value that these cultivation methods bring to the environment and their pockets. With less money spent on fuel and inputs, better soil quality and increased yields, there is no doubt about the benefits of a no-till approach on grain farms. Likewise, with the exponential growth of South Africa’s orchards as the citrus, avocado, and macadamia industries expand, swathes of carbon-capturing trees are filling the countryside. But as the carbon builds up in the soil and trees, rather than being released into the atmosphere, many farmers are wondering how that sequestered carbon can become a source of income in itself. Jenine de Wet, South Africa country manager at global carbon project developer WeAct, believes that there is significant scope for no-till farmers to…

Soil samples should be taken a few months before planting sweet potatoes in order to fix soil fertility problems. Some general recommendations: • Sweet potatoes need a high ration of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K). Between 500kg/ha and 750kg/ha (75g/m²) of a fertiliser mixture such as 2:3:4 (30) + 0,5% Zinc (Zn), 2:3:2 (22) + 0,5% Zn, or 3:2:1 (25) + 0,5% Zn can be applied directly before planting. It must be worked into the soil lightly before making the ridges. • For sandy soils, the quantity can be increased to 1 000kg/ha. • Apply a top dressing of 120kg/ha and 150kg/ha LAN (12g/m² of row) or 200kg/ha (20g/m²) ammonium sulphate three weeks and six weeks after planting, if necessary. • Sandy soil will require at least two top dressings.…

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 would establish a programme that targets identifying 100 top, talented young people to place and support in strategic parts of the agriculture sector to gain adequate exposure and experience for meaningful participation in the agro-food sector. What is the best advice you have ever been given? Use your 20s to leverage your personality and learn a skill. Use your 30s to expand your competence and gain experience. In your 40s and beyond you can leverage your experience, but listen more! If you were given carte blanche to effect one major change in South Africa tomorrow, how would you use this power?…

Intensive livestock farmers must brace themselves as feed prices are likely to remain high for the foreseeable future. Speaking during a recent webinar sponsored by Nedbank, agricultural economist Prof Johan Willemse said that international grain and oilseed prices continued to rise, and the outlook for price declines did not look very promising for at least the next six months. According to Willemse, Rabobank identified various factors that were driving the increase in international grain and oilseed prices, of which the rapid drop in grain export levels currently at a seven-year low, was one. He added that weather conditions, which were highly unstable at the moment, were also having an impact on prices. “[The US] is experiencing severe drought in large parts of the country, while snow and frost are currently…

The University of the Free State (UFS) has developed a model that promises to address price distortion caused by grain location differentials. Dr Dirk Strydom, manager of grain economy and marketing at Grain SA, explained that the location differentials were instituted at the start of the South African Futures Exchange (SAFEX) in 1996, when virtually all maize processing was done in Randfontein. The idea was that the differentials would essentially standardise prices by making up for the higher transport costs from silos in other regions. Twenty-five years later, the picture has changed dramatically, with the demand for maize coming from all regions, and only 20% being processed in Gauteng. “Prieska, for instance, now has a large feed factory, and is one of the closest silos to supply the Western and…

A Lesotho-based cultivator and manufacturer of medicinal cannabis flowers, extracts and oils, MG Health, recently received EU certification for its manufacturing processes, confiming its compliance with the region’s good manufacturing practice standards. This means the company is the first manufacturer in Africa able to export medicinal cannabis as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to the EU. André Bothma, CEO of MG Health, said although the company had not started exports yet, it now had the authorisation to export its products as an API into Germany and the wider European market. MG Health currently had 5 000m² of cultivation space, which allowed it to produce around 250kg/month of dried medicinal cannabis flowers. However, plans were in place to increase this to 160 000m² as demand grew. Leslie Zetler, CEO of Felbridge,…

The Western Cape government has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to focus not only on the Port of Durban, but also on Cape Town’s harbour. This followed Ramaphosa’s visit to the former and the announcement of plans to invest R11 billion in the harbour over the next decade. The province’s economic opportunities department said it was encouraged by Ramaphosa’s commitment to make South Africa’s harbours more efficient. However, MEC David Maynier expressed concern that Cape Town’s harbour might be deprioritised. He had therefore written to the President, highlighting the challenges the harbour faced. “For the 2020/2021 financial year, the harbour’s container terminal experienced as many as 5 064 equipment breakdowns across the three shifts working at the harbour, which was an average of 14 breakdowns each day,” Maynier said in…

The risk of expropriation without compensation (EWC) for banks is greatly exaggerated. This was according to Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, acting judge at the Land Claims Court. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Ngcukaitobi argued that the cumulative assets of all South African banks combined stood at R5,9 trillion in 2020, while the total liabilities stood at R4,7 trillion. When compared with the overall picture, the exposure to agriculture at R112 billion appeared marginal, and the supposed threat to the banking system was thus greatly exaggerated. According to him, banks had to play their part in solving the land transformation problem in the country, and this would not be without risk. “The risk must be shared across the spectrum, including by banks. If landowners can expect either just and equitable compensation or no compensation,…

Internationally, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes in consumer trends, with ‘cocooning’, a trend identified in 1981, re-emerging in 2020. Consumers are now isolating themselves from others, spending more time at home and less time in public. This resulted in a sharp decrease in visits to restaurants and a 450% increase in online grocery shopping in the nine months to May 2020. Research company Pitchbook predicts that online grocery shopping in the US is going to grow from 4,9% of total grocery spend in 2019 to 11,6% by 2025. Although the strict regulations of the initial phases of the lockdown are no longer in place, it seems consumers are still shunning public places, and that the ‘stayat-home’ economy is growing. A recent Deloitte consumer survey showed that 65% of…

Sweet potato weevil Adult weevils feed on foliage. The larvae tunnel into the sweet potato tubers and stems. Take the following preventive measures: • Implement crop rotation. • Earth-up tubers to reduce infestation. • Remove all tubers at harvest and never use cuttings from volunteers. • Burn all infested plants after harvesting. • Use plant cuttings free of weevils or larvae. • Adjust planting times so that there are no tubers in the dry season. • Harvest at the right time; in-ground storage during the dry season promotes damage. • Spray with registered chemicals. Sweet potato hawkmoth Large brown larvae (worms) have a horn on the back of their bodies, and feed on the leaves of sweet potatoes. Control them with registered chemicals at an early stage. Hand-picking larvae is…

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations estimates that over 45% of the world’s food goes to waste, and fresh fruit makes up a substantial portion of that figure. That sobering statistic reminds me of the effect of in-store handling of fresh produce. Retailers have to live with daily abuse of the fruit and vegetables on the display shelves, mostly from customers. Virtually all customers follow the basic rules of fresh produce purchasing, which means checking the produce on display by looking, smelling, touching, and in some cases, tasting. Only then do they make their buying decision. That’s why retailers go to great lengths to entice shoppers with eye-catching displays, special prices and much more. The catch comes when a shopper decides to handle the fruit. If the…