Table of contents for 12 May 2023 in Farmer's Weekly

Sudan is no stranger to conflict, but tension in the country has increased since 15 April, when clashes between the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group and the Sudanese army began. Despite at least two ceasefires having been effected at the time of going to print, ongoing fighting in Khartoum has led to severe food shortages in the city, with some residents saying that they only have enough food for two days. More than 270 people have already been killed in the conflict, while thousands more have been displaced. Nisreen Al-Saim, a resident of Khartoum, told the BBC that in order to preserve available food, her family had reduced the amount of food they were consuming to make their supply last longer. Many Khartoum residents were also without water and electricity.…

Recognised and celebrated at the 2022 South African Freight Awards for Excellent Youth Achiever of the year, this year 2023 Annah Ngxeketo, CEO and founder of Mamoja Trading & Projects, scored a Pan African Supply Chain Award in the category The Best People Development Initiative. The awards presentation was held on 2 April 2023 at Sun Arena in Pretoria. Mamoja Trading & Projects offers earthmoving equipment for hire, and the win came in recognition of a project called A re Direng Mmogo, an in-house empowerment programme on free truck training for youth and women with codes 10 and 14, for when job opportunities arise. Ngxeketo is also using this initiative to address gender-based violence, mental health and unemployment challenges around Marikana and other areas near Rustenburg. So far, Mamoja Trading…

ARCHIVE A newly implemented system enabled KWV personnel to enhance the grafting of vines. “One of the problems with the new super-grade vines is getting sufficient grafted material to farmers quickly enough,” says Dirk Visser, viticultural technician in charge of grafting at KWV’s Laborie at Picardie vine propagation farm in Paarl, Western Cape. An improved tunnel propagation system in use at the farm has resulted in a vast improvement in the evenness of callusing and budding in grafted cuttings and more efficient use of the limited grafting material available. “Grafting is still done only during winter,” says Visser. “The evenness of callusing and budding of the grafted cuttings, however, is a great improvement.” With hot callusing, the callus and buds form at the same time. When the cuttings are planted…

Zambia’s National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) has called on President Hakainde Hichilema to depoliticise the agriculture sector in a bid to create an environment that would allow farmers to focus on improving production and food security. According to a report by Zambia News, farmers needed policy guidance if the country wanted them to produce more. The report cited ZNFU president Jervis Zimba as saying that Zambia had the capacity to produce about 7,5 million tons of maize yearly once industry-related obstacles were overcome. It said that Zimba had made his comments following a meeting with Hichilema, adding that their talks had also involved the Grain Traders’ Association of Zambia and the Lunsemfwa Dam Association. Grain Traders’ Association chairperson George Liacopoulos noted at the same gathering that “a marketdriven agriculture sector is…

The South African National Seed Organization (SANSOR) will host the International Seed Federation’s (ISF) World Congress from 5 to 7 June 2023 at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town. Dr Lukeshni Chetty, general manager of SANSOR, said: “As the seed industry we recognise that food systems should be equitable, inclusive and environmentally friendly, but we also acknowledge that we are faced with an enormous challenge to produce sufficient, safe and nutritious food. It will be the first time in 22 years that this particular congress will be held on the African continent. “With the theme of ‘Shared Roots – Greater Heights’, the congress will offer the perfect opportunity to connect with colleagues, farmers and other partners in the global seed sector. “With more than 900 global and local seed…

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) has been reported in all provinces since the start of the year, with communal farmers in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal being most affected, according to Dr Danie Odendaal, director of the Veterinarian Network. Odendaal said that the viral disease, typically characterised by nodules and lumps on the skin of affected cattle, was transmitted by biting flies, insects and some ticks, and is likely to subside in the summer rainfall region as cold weather set in and these vectors disappeared. “The outbreaks this year occurred later than usual in the summer rainfall region, from February and March, because of dry spring conditions,” he said. “Outbreaks will start again in the winter rainfall region towards the end of the rainy season, and as temperatures get warmer, usually…

According to the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Economic Outlook, published in April 2023, the world economy is in uncertain terrain. Fast demand growth after COVID-19 could not be met by damaged supply chains and loss of production of some crucial commodities. This saw the highest inflation in more than a decade in most economies. Central banks attempted to curb inflation with higher interest rates. While these only marginally affected prices, they resulted in a slowdown in economic growth and stresses in financial systems and institutions used to operating in environments with very low nominal interest rates. As the Russia-Ukraine war continued, more contagious COVID-19 strains emerged in China, and commodity and energy prices exploded. Despite this, the global economy did show some signs of recovery. In many countries,…

A penetrometer is a diagnostic tool used to measure the degree and depth of subsurface compaction. A probe inserted into the soil, it measures the amount of force required to make it penetrate to a specified depth. It is commonly used in geotechnical engineering, construction, agriculture, and other fields where knowledge of soil properties is critical. The basic principle of a penetrometer is simple: the tip of the probe is pushed into the soil, the resistance is measured, and the results are recorded. PATENTED DESIGN The Piket penetrometer from Piket Implements stands out from its American counterparts for two key reasons: cost and design. So much so that the design has been patented. To begin with, it’s a tough, no-frills field tool that is 100% mechanical; it requires no battery…

SERVES FOUR 3 chicken thighs, skinless 3 chicken breasts, skinless 30ml (2 tbsp) Mexican spice, enchilada mix or fajita spice mix 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock 1 jar salsa For serving: 1 large ripe avocado, peeled, stoned and sliced 1 spring onion Lime or lemon wedges Chilli or pickled jalapeños Coleslaw mix 4 bread rolls Fresh coriander to garnish • Toss the chicken pieces in the spice mix and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes. • Layer the chicken stock, salsa and then the chicken in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. (Don’t stir; this will prevent the burn notice on the Instant Pot.) Seal the lid and set timer to 20 minutes. • When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly. Justin Platt has been involved in the agricultural services industry since 1979. He is an active participant in industry bodies such as the Fertilizer Association of South Africa and Potatoes South Africa. He is also one of the few Southern Africanregistered consultants for Brookside Laboratories Incorporated in Ohio, US. "Traceability has become a crucial element of food safety and quality assurance in agriculture. International governments and consumers are increasingly concerned about the safety and validity of claims about the produce they import and consume. The food supply chain is complex, and a lack of transparency and technology solutions in the supply chain system creates significant challenges for agribusinesses today. Implementing end-toend traceability in agriculture…

Award-winning conservationist Samir Randera-Rees has dedicated his life to water conservation and protecting the environment through working with the WWF Nedbank Green Trust. The Nedbank Green Affinity Programme aims to support nature conservation through communitybased programmes and is instrumental in looking after natural resources, such as our oceans, wildlife and fresh water, by strengthening land stewardship and environmental leadership and combating climate change. Together with WWF South Africa and the WWF Nedbank Green Trust, Randera-Rees works closely with leading independent conservation organisations to secure strategic water source areas, contributing to the conservation of South Africa’s water. He has also mobilised over R10 million towards empowering communal farmers, clearing thirsty invasive alien trees, building youth capacity in the green economy, and starting green businesses. “In previous decades, South Africa has invested…

South Africa’s citrus growers are indeed the backbone of the global supply of oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and mandarins during the Southern Hemisphere season. Even under challenging circumstances, the industry continued to export, exporting 164 million cartons of citrus products in 2022. Furthermore, the industry has strengthened its position as a major national employer, sustaining more than 120 000 jobs on farms, including permanent and seasonal positions. South Africa continues to be a major player in the global citrus market as it remains the secondlargest exporter of fresh citrus in the world, after Spain, with Europe still the country’s top export destination, accounting for 37% of all exports. ANOTHER DECLINE Following what has been characterised as “an extremely tough year” for the industry, the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA)…

Agribusiness insurer Zeder has benefitted from a favourable climatic cycle over the past year, but its performance, as well as that of its portfolio companies, is constrained by macroeconomic conditions. During an overview of the company's financial performance, Johann le Roux, CEO of Zeder, identified these constraints as continued supply-chain difficulties due to increased costs and margin pressure from the lagging impact of COVID-19 restrictions, load-shedding, political instability and increased protectionism in some markets. "The situation is reflected in the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index, which is currently at its lowest since the second quarter of 2020, when COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were first implemented," he said. While he anticipated that the uncertainty and volatility would continue over the short to medium term, he said Zeder was well positioned to maximise long-term…

EU Food prices in France and Spain have continued to soar amid the worst cost-of-living crisis to ever hit the EU, data published by Bloomberg shows. The cost of the main ingredients to make the traditional French dish coq-au-vin was 15,4% higher in March than a year before, climbing to more than €19 (about R380), according to data from France’s national statistics office and the Ministry of Agriculture and Nutrition. France is the top consumer of poultry in the EU, where the cost of chicken, the main ingredient in the traditional dish, has surged by about 18%. The price of wine has jumped by 8,4%. UNITED STATES Missouri has passed a bill that will prohibit any further foreign ownership of farmland in the state, according to a report by the…

Rural Maintenance recently lost a court case against Eskom to use solar energy to reduce load-shedding in the Mafube municipality in the Free State, because of the “absence of a mandate from the municipality to institute legal proceedings”. Eskom has since issued a statement in which it said it welcomed the use of electricity from independent power producers that can assist in alleviating load-shedding, but Rural Maintenance’s subsidiary, Rural Free State, had no standby capacity to offset the total demand of Frankfort, and so was seen as part of the normal load profile. Chris Bosch, CEO of Rural Free State, said he was disappointed with the court’s decision and had no doubt a different result might have been achieved if the municipality had placed the needs of its community first.…

The ongoing increase in food prices has raised the spectre of inflation sending South Africa towards a recession. The latest data from Statistics South Africa show that consumer food prices went up by 14,4% in March 2023, after rising by 14% in February. Milk, eggs, cheese, fruit, vegetables, sugar, sweets and desserts are among products showing notable price increases. Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz, said he expected consumer food price increases to remain at relatively higher levels for the coming month, after which they would peak. Consumers could expect some moderation from around May. The overall economy, however, was in for a downturn as the year progressed, according to Prof Raymond Parsons, economist at North-West University’s Business School. “The rise in the annual consumer price inflation (CPI) in March…

The yield estimates for Argentina’s soya bean and maize crops in the 2022/23 marketing year have been revised downward by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). According to its latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, Argentina was expected to produce 37 million tons of maize, down from the 40 million tons estimated in March, and 27 million tons of soya bean, down from the March estimate of 33 million tons. The estimate for soya bean was the lowest in 34 years. World Grain reported that the FAS had also revised the expected soya bean yield downward from 2,76t/ha to 1,8t/ha. In Brazil, soya bean production was revised upward by one million tons to reach 154 million tons in the 2022/23 marketing…

Bayer well understands that farmers are under great pressure to select the right type of seed and the optimal crop protection products. This is why Bayer’s comprehensive offering includes top-class DEKALB hybrids, a wide range of crop protection products, and comprehensive digital solutions to simplify decisions on a farm. TOP PERFORMERS DEKALB is synonymous with topperforming maize hybrids that include white maize, yellow maize and irrigation maize. The series also includes conventional hybrids, YieldGard MAIZE 2, Roundup Ready MAIZE 2 and stacked gene hybrids. Bayer offers built-in technology that provides protection against numerous weeds and insects. Bayer’s crop protection products include herbicides, insecticides and various seed treatment options. Bayer’s stand at NAMPO this year will help you learn more about which products are best suited to your farm. DIGITAL SOLUTIONS…

In 2022, The Sentinel Record reported on the importance of shows in the run-up to the Garland County Fair and the Arkansas State Fair in the US. In the article, Jimmy Driggers says: “Raising livestock involves lots of early mornings, late nights, and long hours to accomplish the care these animals require. Working with livestock teaches young people several life skills and valuable lessons that will set them up for success in the future.” These life lessons, he says, include learning responsibility. “Growing up around livestock helps young people to build a solid foundation of values. Raising livestock gives kids a reason to wake up every morning knowing that there is another life reliant on them. Through the long hours, youths learn the value of hard work and how it…

The hickory or screw-pod wattle (Acacia implexa) is an erect tree up to 15m tall. It has a single stem or is divided near ground level into two or three main stems. The leaves are dark green, narrowly elliptic and sickle-shaped, 7cm to 20cm long and 6mm to 25mm wide, and narrow at the base. The bark is rough and greyish. The flowers are arranged in globular heads, are creamy to pale yellow, and flower from December to March. The pods are narrow (4mm to 7mm wide), coiled, and twisted to a length of 25cm. The seeds are dark brown. Hickory wattle is native to Australia. According to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), A. implexa has been recorded in the Western Cape at Tokai forest, Stellenbosch and Wolseley.…

MAKES ABOUT 24 SQUARES Cooking spray 2 packages puff pastry 2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided 2 (240g each) packages cream cheese, softened ½ cup white sugar 2 tablespoons butter, melted 3 tablespoons white sugar • Preheat the oven to 175°C. • Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. • Unroll 1 crescent roll dough. Press into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, stretching to the edges. • Mix together lemon juice and 3/4 of the lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar into the juice-zest mixture with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; spread over crescent roll dough in the baking dish. • Unroll remaining crescent roll dough and place over the…

How to Steal a Gold Mine by Dianne Hawker (Tafelberg, R290) An experienced journalist, Hawker found she couldn’t shake one story from her head. For more than a decade, she was haunted by what transpired from 2009 after Pamodzi Gold was liquidated and Aurora stepped in to attempt to rescue it. A complex web of questionable deals and outright asset-stripping followed after the Aurora syndicate took over Pamodzi’s mines at Orkney, Welkom and Grootvlei. Hawker’s account makes clear how this is far more than crony capitalism, its enrichment of a chosen few and its lack of accountability to date. Sensitively and emotively, she also tells the stories of the workers who, instead of seeing their jobs rescued, were dispossessed of their immediate income and of their financial futures as the…

Dear Prof McCrindle, Please would you explain the significance of the Famacha guide, and how it should be applied? Kind regards, Anonymous Dear Anonymous, The Famacha guide (short for FAffa MAlan CHart, after one of its developers) is a registered method of measuring the level of anaemia in a sheep or goat, using a colour chart linked to the colour of the inside lower eyelids of the animal. This rapid process enables 500 animals to be tested per hour during routine weighing or flock inspections. Wireworm, or barber's pole worm (Haemonchus contortus), is a common and often lethal intestinal parasite of small stock. Over time, an adult sheep or goat becomes naturally resistant to this parasite, as the Stage 1 larvae migrate through the intestinal walls into the tissues. However,…

If one were to ask what Japan, the G7, France, China, the cost of oil and the price of fertiliser have in common, the easy answer is Ukraine. On 24 February 2023, it was a year since Russia invaded Ukraine and a conflict started that has divided the world as few other regional battles in history have. Now is an appropriate time to take stock of the conflict and where South Africa finds itself. In two articles in 2022, this author evaluated the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, first to look at the strategic decisions made by Russia, and secondly at the fallout of the war in terms of NATO’s response, sanctions and the global impact on energy markets and food production. This article will take a longer view of…

Load-shedding and the general economic downturn had a negative impact on the performance of TWK Investments Limited during the six months ending 28 February 2023. The timber and insurance divisions of the company, however, performed well. Although revenue increased by 7,57% to R5,25 billion, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) from continued operations decreased by 13,09% to R372,78 million. This was mainly a result of a drop in sales volumes and margins in fertiliser sales, the impact of load-shedding on operations and the diesel costs incurred to minimise the impact, and the interest rate and price inflation affecting the retail and mechanisation segment. The fertiliser division in particular showed the effects of the difficult global market conditions. Revenue from continued operations increased by 7,57% to R5,25 billion, but…

The EU has responded to the recent moves by some Eastern European countries bordering Ukraine to restrict imports of that country’s agricultural products by announcing that the bloc would provide €100 million (about R2 billion) to help compensate affected farmers. At least five countries, including Hungary and Poland, saw local grain prices plummet as a deluge of grain imports from Ukraine flooded their markets, leading some to institute a ban on imports of Ukrainian grain, according to a report by Reuters. The news agency added that pressure had mounted on Brussels in recent weeks to work out an EU-wide solution after Poland and Hungary banned some imports from Ukraine in late April and other Eastern European countries considered similar action. The countries had become transit routes for Ukrainian grain that…

Syngenta Seeds has officially opened its expanded seed storage facilities on its research farm just outside Bethlehem in the Free State to increase its total seed storage capacity. Hendrik van Staden, head of the seed business unit at Syngenta in sub-Saharan Africa, said at the opening ceremony: “This modern seed warehouse will ensure farmers have access to highquality seed for good field performance. This investment not only showcases our commitment to ongoing research and development programmes, but demonstrates our ambition to serve the grain farmer. It’s an example of Syngenta’s commitment to its mission to foster existing business momentum and drive further growth of the seed business in Africa and advance our commitment to food security, regenerative agriculture and sustainability.” He said the well-known Sensako wheat seed brand had made…

The Eskom tariff increase of 18,5%, which kicked in at the start of April, is driving up the cost of intensive layer, broiler and pork production, and making it increasingly difficult for these farmers to remain commercially viable. Dr Abongile Balarane, general manager of the SA Poultry Association’s Egg Division, said layer producers were already under financial pressure because of soaring input costs and load-shedding, with the electricity hike exacerbating the situation. He pointed out that variable costs to produce an egg had increased from 70% to almost 80%, and had forced many farmers, particularly small-scale producers, and some packing stations, out of the industry. Balarane said the entire value chain was affected. At primary egg production level, for instance, day-old pullets hatched were expected to decline possibly by 35%…

There is hope that a new focus on cannabis production in the Free State will boost job creation and economic activity in the province. The budget vote for the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development delivered recently by MEC Saki Mokoena contained R5 million allocated to plant cannabis and implement a cannabis value-adding project in the province. Mokoena noted that 5% of the province’s economic activity was attributed to agriculture, higher than the 3% it contributed nationally. “Agriculture has an important role to play, and if we expand production, we can expand our economy and job creation in the province. But it’s important that we focus not only on primary production, but value-adding as well.” Bemoaning the fact that the R814,8 million allocated to the department was 2,8%…

COMMODITY South Africa’s inflation rate figure for March surprised analysts by being higher than expected. The consensus view had been that inflation would be around 6,9%, but the final figure was 7,1%. The main driver for this was identified as food and non-alcoholic beverage prices, which recorded an average rise of 14,4%, increasing from previous months (see figure below). Market commentators note that this persistent inflation, at a time when global food inflation is easing, is the likely effect of the increased costs associated with load-shedding combined with a weaker rand. The big question that arises is what South Africa’s inflation rate will look like for the rest of the year and how this could shape the broader business environment. A VIEW ON FOOD INFLATION With food inflation being the…

Agricultural shows strengthen regional communities and offer local and global role players the opportunity to showcase agricultural prowess to the world. Nampo Harvest Day offers all visitors the opportunity to reconnect with those involved in the sector, to build relationships, exchange knowledge and support local businesses. The communities in the vicinity of Nampo also depend largely on the show, as it provides an annual injection for rural tourism and creates job opportunities. Nampo not only delivers significant economic benefits, but provides opportunities for producers to learn more about new on-farm practices that allow them to become more competitive, as well as to connect with agribusinesses that provide goods, services and technologies. JACO BREYTENBACH JACO BREYTENBACH FARMS MAIZE, WHEAT, AND SOYA AND SUGAR BEAN IN THE FOURIESBURG DISTRICT OF THE FREE…

Reaching 90 years of age in 2023 as a multigenerational family business is an impressive milestone, especially considering the challenges that the past 90 years have served up: a depression, a world war, and now, load-shedding. Today, Piket Implements is celebrating this milestone with pride while ensuring that it attributes its success to grace, staff, and loyal customers. How a business not merely survived this length of time, but grew consistently into one of South Africa’s leading manufacturers of agricultural machinery, is a story worth investigating. This is something that historian Simone van der Colff spent three years doing. What Van der Colff unearthed is a rich history of men and women of extraordinary character whose entrepreneurial skills and determination built a foundation of ethics on which Piket Implements stands…

There are, broadly, two classes of carrot, and each is produced for different purposes. They differ in their appearance and characteristics. • Commercial processing carrots These tend to be larger, thicker, and less uniform in shape than fresh bunching carrots. They are harvested at a mature stage when they have a higher sugar content, and it is this that makes them suitable for processing. “While they may not be as sweet or flavourful as fresh bunching carrots, they are an important ingredient in a variety of food products and are valued for their texture and consistency,” says Antonius Lecuona at horticulture.org.za. BUNCHING CARROTS ARE HARVESTED EARLIER, WHEN THEY ARE STILL CRISP • Fresh bunching carrots These are grown for sale as whole, fresh carrots and are generally smaller, more slender,…

According to a study by the University of Pretoria (UP), playing classical music to dairy cows lowers the cows’ stress levels and leads to an increase in milk production. The study was led by Lize-Mari Erasmus. According to UP, Erasmus said that the health and welfare of dairy cows went hand in hand with efficient and sustainable dairy production. “Providing cows with an enriching, stimulating environment, such as through music, is one way of improving their living conditions and, in the process, looking after their mental needs too,” Erasmus said. For the study, nine Holstein cows were divided into three groups of three, UP reported. Over the course of four months, each group was exposed to three different treatments. The first group was exposed to classical music every day for…