Table of contents for 18 November 2022 in Farmer's Weekly

In a recent statement, the Mexican government announced that it would not reconsider its ban on genetically modified (GM) maize, set to be implemented by 2024 (see story on page 19). Mexico imports more than 90% of its maize demand from the US, where around 92% of the maize crop is genetically modified. Roughly 25% of the total exports of US yellow maize goes to Mexico, thus the impending ban on GM maize is a major blow for trade between the two countries. Mexico was also planning to move ahead with its ban on maize produced with herbicides such as glyphosate. While many stakeholders in the US maize sector have argued that a total ban on the importation of GM maize would be near impossible, as about 90% of all…

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of its Dual Project, French multinational foodproducts corporation Danone recently signed an agreement with Ncora Dairy, located in the town of Ncora in the Eastern Cape, to commit to the upliftment of the community. The partnership is worth R75 million per year, with 2 400 Jersey-cross cows producing approximately 10,5 million litres of milk. More than this, though, the deal will indirectly benefit more than 1 200 community members living in the vicinity of the farm, with approximately 35 community members employed on the farm itself. PERPETUATING A LEGACY In 1972, Danone's late former CEO Antoine Riboud created a legacy moment when he stated that the company's corporate responsibility would not end at the factory gate, but would also serve social progress. At the…

The Botswanan government has announced that it intends to institute restrictions on fertiliser imports during the 2022/23 season, which began in October. The ministry of agriculture recently outlined the new restrictions in its Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development guidelines for dryland farmers. Through this programme, the government would provide subsidies for small and emerging farmers, producing on 4ha to 150ha, to offset the cost of fertilisers. In the guidelines, the ministry noted that the restrictions would be implemented depending on the quantity of locally produced fertilisers, and added that this was being done to support local fertiliser manufacturers. “Packaged fertilisers from outside the country will not be imported in cases where there is capacity to produce them locally. The ministry will also close [the country's] borders to the…

UNITED KINGDOM The search is on for more growers to expand the niche quinoa crop in the UK during the Northern Hemisphere's spring in 2023, driven by growing demand in consumption. According a statement by the British Quinoa Company, quinoa was a spring-sown pseudo cereal, which meant that the crop was classed as a seed, not a grain. It was also relatively cheap to grow; no insecticides, herbicides or fungicides were approved for it, hence the main input cost was nitrogen fertiliser. INDIA A number of farmers in the Khammam district of the southern Indian state of Telangana have been planting palm oil saplings this season in support of the state's ambitious plan to become India's palm oil hub, according to BBC News. The land under palm oil cultivation in…

A slew of difficulties facing the citrus industry will necessitate an overhaul of marketing plans to ensure that the increasingly large crop will continue to provide sustainable returns. This was according to Justin Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa. Speaking at the organisation's Citrus Marketing Forum, Chadwick said the past year had seen shipping delays caused by challenges at South African ports, as well as reduced consumer spending due to high inflation. The new cold treatment required by the EU for South African citrus had also placed strain on the industry, with thousands of tons of fruit being dumped, which had eroded farmers' profitability. Chadwick said that obstacles faced in previous years paled in significance when compared with the current headwinds faced by the industry. “There…

Christo van der Rheede, executive director of Agri SA, has called on government to intervene after Tongaat 1 Hulett failed to pay the R401 million owed to sugar cane farmers at the end of October. The company's failure stemmed from the JSE-listed company's announcement during the last week of October that its South African operations had been placed under voluntary business rescue. “This is a crisis and government needs to help [the industry] find a solution, because this will have a massive impact on KwaZulu-Natal and the country's economic activities as a whole,” Van der Rheede told Farmer's Weekly. He said Agri SA would be engaging with the Industrial Development Corporation to find a solution to the crisis. Andrew Russell, chairperson of the South African Cane Growers' Association, said the…

Delegates to the International Fresh Produce Association's (IFPA)`Global Produce & Floral Show held recently in Florida, US, were urged to capitalise on the current momentum of the fresh produce and floral industries. This was despite the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as challenges such as rising inflation, labour costs, and extreme climatic events, according to IFPA's CEO Cathy Burns. Some of the important points to emerge from the IFPA's State of the Industry presentation at the event were: • Here comes the metaverse. The economic value of this digital world was expected to grow to US$5 trillion (around R91 trillion) over the next eight years. While platforms such as TikTok and Instagram would remain relevant, with commerce from these predicted to grow to US$1,2 trillion (R22 trillion)…

While the prices of pork and individually quick-frozen (IQF) chicken pieces showed signs of recovery in October, those of all other meat categories came under pressure. This was in all likelihood due to increased strain on the disposable incomes of consumers, who are opting for more affordable animal-protein options such as pork and chicken. BEEF The price of Class A carcasses remained relatively flat month-on-month (m/m) in October, while that of Class C carcasses decreased by almost 2% (see Graph 1). A combination of lower carcass prices and considerably higher grain prices placed significant pressure on profitability as measured by the beef-to-maize price ratio, which fell by more than 6% m/m and by over 21% year-on-year (y/y). High grain prices in South Africa are driven by increasing global prices and…

The recent drought in Europe resulted in water restrictions in France, but golf courses were partially exempt. This didn't go down well with the locals, especially nurseries and farmers, and as anger gathered momentum, activists came up with an idea. Targeting golf courses near Toulouse, they filled the holes on the greens with cement. No holes. No golf. Problem solved. Restrictions were instantly reviewed! During the Second World War, Britain and Germany indiscriminately carpet-bombed each other's cities. Despite the carnage wrought on historic buildings and innocent civilians, it brought neither country closer to victory. In fact, it had the opposite effect; it stiffened their resolve to keep fighting. Then the US came up with a better idea. They suggested that German ball-bearing factories should be targeted for bombing. Without ball-bearings,…

A number of pests are a threat to cassava, with damage including reduced yield, dieback and stunting. • Cassava green mite (Mononychellus tanajoa) This pest was introduced to Africa in 1975. It feeds on the underside of the leaves, causing yellowing and leaf loss. This in turn reduces root yield by up to 80%, depending on the cassava variety and the length of the dry season, according to PestNet. The quality of planting material for the next crop is also seriously harmed. • Sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) Initially, this pest had a narrow host range, which included cassava, sweet potato and tobacco, amongst others. However, since the introduction of different biotypes of B. tabaci, its host range has increased exponentially, and the pest now feeds on almost all vegetables,…

Raw, decomposed organic material at a very high application rate can improve soil structure and nutrition, according to some researchers. Studies have shown the value of scattering high volumes of organic material on the surface of the soil to act as mulch. Since organic compost has vast quantities of microbes, it can keep pathogen levels low. The opposite can also be true, however. In some cases, organic material can house detrimental fungi such as Phytophthora, which are deadly to young seedlings and susceptible plants. Natural fertiliser in the form of organic material is good for the soil. The use of livestock effluent and waste has long been used on grazing grass and vegetable lands. It is better to spread the waste over the land than leave it to pollute natural…

A two-year study led by Dr AJ Tarpoff, a veterinarian and beef extension specialist, and other researchers at Kansas State University (K-State) in the US, shows the benefits of shade and 'limit feeding' in reducing heat stress in cattle, according to the High Plains Journal. “Heat stress is a big factor that cattle producers all over Kansas battle year in and year out during the summer months,” Tarpoff said. K-State researchers found that providing cattle with sufficient shade and offering them a highly digestible feed ration (limit feeding) can increase average daily gain in weaners by up to 7%. FEED EFFICIENCY The study also found that feed efficiency increased in these animals by a score of 4. “What that means is that the animals are utilising more of the energy…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly. This is an edited version of Dr Imtiaz Sooliman's address at the recent Agri SA congress. Sooliman is the founder of the Gift of the Givers Foundation, the largest disaster response non-governmental organisation of African origin on the continent. “Do you think the country is falling apart? It is not. The reason I say this is due to the spirit of our people. I've seen my team of South Africans go into a humanitarian crisis situation on many occasions, and observers have been in awe of their skills. Yet South Africans don't believe in themselves! Obviously, we must be realistic: our country does require serious intervention. However, I certainly don't believe that South Africa…

Dear Farmer's Weekly, I read a news article in one of your earlier issues about concerns over the lack of women employed in agriculture (see FW, 9 July 2021). When you look back through history, particularly in Africa, it was the women who farmed, while the men went off to hunt and fight in wars. However, things suddenly changed, and women are now lagging behind in agriculture. Instead, they should be encouraged to participate to a greater extent in the agriculture sector and become leaders within it.…

Over the past four decades, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC) have taken various actions to enhance intra-regional trade. The challenge, however, was that the trade in seeds was not growing despite substantial regional, national and development partner investments to harmonise regulations and reduce barriers. The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa launched and funded a grant project titled 'Improved Regional Seed Trade in Common Market of East and Southern Africa and East African Community Region Project (2020-2022)' as a means of testing various solutions that could unlock and deepen cross-border seed trade. The project was implemented by six partners: the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), the Emerge Centre for Innovations-Africa (ECI-Africa), New Markets Lab, Cellsoft Technologies, and AgCUITY Consulting.…

While the implementation of the Poultry Sector Master Plan has so far resulted in pledges of investment that will amount to about R2,4 billion by 2023, and 2 600 new jobs have so far been created, the industry has not yet been able to start exporting products, and most small-scale farmers feel left out. This emerged during a recent virtual summit on the progress of the master plan, hosted by Farmer's Weekly and FairPlay. Izaak Breitenbach, general manager of the South African Poultry Association's Broiler Organisation, said: “Poultry industry [members] had already invested Rl,5 billion by the end of 2021, with an additional R900 million pledged [for investment up until] the end of 2023.” The funds were being invested in new poultry farms, abattoirs and equipment, and expansion of existing…

On the eve of yet another diesel price hike in early November, farmers in the eastern parts of South Africa were scrambling to secure adequate volumes of the fuel to enable them to plant their crops. This was according to Henry Geldenhuys, president of TLU SA and grain farmer near Ermelo in Mpumalanga. The Central Energy Fund announced on 28 October that the wholesale price of diesel with a 0,05% sulphur content would increase by R1,43/l to R24,84/l, while that of diesel with a 0,005% sulphur content would rise by R1,44/l to R25,49/l. Corné Louw, senior economist at Grain SA, said that while a few farmers in the eastern regions of the country were struggling to obtain enough diesel, no major shortages had been reported. “We've discussed the matter with…

Data on farmers' summer crop planting intentions for the 2022/23 season point to yet another large harvest, according to Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz. Sihlobo said the robust tractor sales seen since the start of the year, prospects of yet another La Niña weather system, albeit weaker than last season's, and relatively high commodity prices supported an increase in hectarage earmarked for grains and oilseeds. According to the National Crop Estimates Committee's latest statistics, commercial producers had expressed the intention to plant almost 2,6 million hectares of maize in 2023, which was 1,2% (32 OOOha) less than the just over 2,62 million hectares of the previous season. Indications were that farmers planned to plant just over 1,5 million hectares to white maize, 73 000ha (4,6%) less than in the…

Despite the fact that many details still had to be ironed out, Agri SA and three of its commodity chamber members have decided to bury the hatchet and continue working together. This was according to Jaco Minnaar, president of Agri SA, who said this was resolved during a meeting held between Agri SA, the Red Meat Producers' Organisation (RPO), the National Wool Growers' Association (NWGA) and the Milk Producers' Organisation (MPO) in Pretoria, following the RPO's temporary resignation as a member of Agri SA last month. “The RPO withdrew its temporary resignation after the meeting and we're happy that all of our remaining concerns will be addressed shortly,” James Faber, president of the RPO, told Farmer's Weekly. One of the conditions stipulated for the RPO's return to Agri SA was…

Every year, devastating livestock losses as a result of crime, pests and diseases, natural disasters, and fires increase the burden on impoverished South Africans in rural communities. And women are increasingly stepping up to help solve problems such as those within informal agriculture. This was according to a statement by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), which said that the Pro-Nature Enterprises for the People of Southern Africa programme, funded by AFD, was currently being implemented by Conservation South Africa (CSA). The programme had been developed to help rural communities manage the socio-economic and environmental challenges they faced, and a strong focus would be on the empowerment of women and the youth, the statement added. The communal rangelands in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region of South Africa, for example, were…

MERINO…

Livestock requires both adequate and accessible water supply at all times. In other words, there should always be enough water for them to drink, and they should be able to get to it easily and regularly. I have come across communal farming areas where there are hundreds of hectares of grazing without any drinking water at all! This means that the animals have to walk long distances and expend a lot of energy to find water, or else they have to wait until they are kraaled at night before drinking their first water for many hours. This can harm their physical condition and productivity, and even cause serious health problems. WHY DO ANIMALS NEED WATER? Animals (including humans!) need water for many reasons. Water helps to create saliva that, in…

DEAR COMRADE PRESIDENT by André Odendaal, with editorial contributions by Albie Sachs (Penguin, R340) A well-worn anecdote describes how South Africa's new democratic Constitution was written by Kadar Asmal and Albie Sachs sitting around the Asmal kitchen table in Dublin. As Odendaal's 441-page tome shows, the story of the formulation and transition to constitutional democracy was a good deal more complex. The apartheid government's censorship means that many South Africans will be unfamiliar with the detail contained in the saga. The great historical significance of Dear Comrade President is undeniable, making it destined to become a standard reference work on the period leading up to the transition of power. But be warned: it's not a book to be read in one sitting: 68 pages are devoted to notes and sources alone.…

The ninth wool sale of the season saw a total of 7 100 bales on offer, with a sales clearance of 91%. The offering consisted of good-length fine-micron fleece wools. Of the Merino wool on offer, 64,7% consisted of Responsible Wool Standard-certified (RWS) wools. The market experienced some downward pressure, with the strengthening of the rand making for a difficult trading environment. The Australian market also eased, with the market indicator shedding 1,7% in Australian dollar terms compared with the previous sale. The non-RWS market indicator dropped 1,9% and closed at R164,36/kg, while the RWS market indicator eased by 1,2% to close at R177,46/kg. Major buyers were Lempriere SA (2 009 bales), Tianyu SA (1 423), Standard Wool SA (1 318) and Modiano SA (974). The OVK auction saw 1…

Efforts to increase agricultural productivity to solve food security challenges in Africa have been ongoing for many years. Yet the proportion of the continent's population that is severely food-insecure continues to grow. On top of this, it is frequently stated that agriculture is or will become the primary source of foreign exchange, savings and inputs for the economies of most African countries. It is also said that agriculture is, or will be, a significant contributor to some of the continent's infant industries. Yet, enablers that can help to boost agricultural productivity and output in Africa are frequently overlooked. Furthermore, despite having an abundance of vast and fertile land resources, Africa is the only continent where food production growth lags population growth, with over 282 million people currently suffering from extreme…

Unregulated water use in the Letaba River's upper catchment in the Magoebaskloof area is resulting in “water abuse”, according to Dr Bronwyn Egan, a biologist at the University of Limpopo's Larry Leach Herbarium. “There is serious concern that the agricultural activities [that had taken place during] the past five years could threaten the biodiversity of the region. We've seen large-scale conversion from forestry [pine and gum plantations] to orchards [predominantly avocado as well as some kiwi and blueberry orchards],” Egan told Farmer's Weekly. “These crops require irrigation, while the plantations weren't irrigated.” However, Philé van Zyl, a local farmer and director of the ZZ2 farming enterprise, said the notion that these conversions to orchards were having a negative impact on the region was misguided. “The agricultural endeavours [in Magoebaskloof] are…

Violent protest action was reported in late October at the construction site of a water reservoir intended for the irrigation of farmland near Sainte-Soline in western France. According to the local police, approximately 2 000 environmental activists had gathered and the pipeline had been “ransacked”, while the protesters had also occupied a piece of land on loan from a farmer who was opposed to the project. Euronews reported that so-called 'Gallic village' wooden watchtowers had been erected, which the demonstrators said were designed to “anchor the struggle” on the ground. Large protests at the site on 29 October had left 61 police officers injured, 22 seriously, according to local officials, who said that some were attacked with petrol bombs and fireworks. Four protesters were also injured and six arrested. Euronews…

The government's readiness to control large-scale locust outbreaks is a cause for serious concern. This was according to Andrea Campher, Agri SA's risk and disaster manager, who said this was especially worrying due to the looming possibility of “catastrophic locust outbreaks in the 2022/23 summer season”. Campher said in a statement that South Africa had experienced the worst locust outbreaks in 25 years during the 2021/22 season, with more than 23 million hectares of land affected. Without the implementation of effective measures to curtail the looming disaster proactively, an even greater locust outbreak was on the cards for the upcoming season, she said. Despite the magnitude of the threat facing us, contracts with locust officers in some regions are still being finalised. This should have been concluded by the end…

South Africa's stone fruit industry is expecting a larger crop this season, as good weather conditions have prevailed throughout the production season. Market conditions are less certain, however, and producers fear that last year's 'disaster' could be repeated. Jacques du Preez, general manager of trade and markets at Hortgro, said the 2021/22 season had “turned out to be a disaster at farm level despite a good crop, due to trade and logistical issues”. He expected logistics to be more stable this season, which would help to ensure that fruit arrived at export destinations on time and in good condition. For the most part, the industry had been unaffected by the latest disruptions at South Africa's ports resulting from the recent strike action of Transnet workers. Producers in the northern parts…

The victims of the wildfires that destroyed almost 500 000ha in North West between May and October this year are calling on government to officially declare the affected districts as disaster areas. This was according to Eric Stoch, chairperson of the North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association, who told Farmers's Weekly that the application for the declaration was still being processed. “[The application] is based on the fact that 15 216 burn scars [land surfaces burnt by wildfires] have resulted in the loss of over 448 000ha so far in the wildfire season, which has seriously affected both commercial and communal farmers. “We urgently need assistance, as a wildfire can cause an 'instant drought' that can last for up to three years,” Stoch said. Even if it rained directly after…

RED ANGUS…

Globally, there is an increasing prevalence of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) driven by rapid urbanisation, changes in consumer food tastes and nutritional imbalances. The rise of NCDs is associated with obesity, a problem caused by the overconsumption of sugary beverages and products. This is why the World Health Organization advocates healthy-eating policies. As a result, countries such as South Africa, Australia, and others have implemented a sugar tax. In South Africa, obesity is estimated at 40% of the population, the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Statistics South Africa breaks down this figure into about 68% for women and 31% for men. These are men and women prone to diabetes, heart disease, and strokes. Based on these figures, government promulgated the Health Promotion Levy (HPL), also known as the sugar tax, in…

Cassava (Manihot esculenta), also known in some African countries as tapioca, mandioca, yuca or umdumbulu, was domesticated mainly on the south-western rim of the Amazon in South America. In the 16th century, when trade between Brazil and Africa began, Portuguese traders brought the crop to the Congo Basin. Two centuries later, it was introduced independently to East Africa and Madagascar. Cassava is a root tuber similar to the sweet potato. It is drought-tolerant, grows in poor soil conditions, and requires little to no fertiliser. Cassava has been transformed from a ‘poor man's crop' into a lucrative industrial crop, and is now processed into products such as starch, flour and glucose. 'THIS POVERTY-RELIEVING AND CLIMATE-SMART CROP DESERVES RECOGNITION FROM LOCAL FARMERS' For processors, its key attributes are that it contains 70%…

Dear Prof McCrindle, I used to breed horses as a hobby 40 years ago in KwaZulu-Natal. They were used for polocrosse at weekends and for leisure riding on the farm, which did not amount to a lot of riding in total. They grazed year-round solely on kikuyu pastures (no additional feeding), and had large trees for shade. They remained in good condition throughout the year and their hooves did not need to be filed. The only ailment experienced was one mare that suffered from African horse sickness. She was treated by a vet and recovered fully. Stabling horses creates a lot of work and feed is expensive; the animals are also prone to ailments. I prefer to run them as nature intended, as long as they are not subjected to…