Table of contents for 22 - 29 December 2023 in Farmer's Weekly

Avocado growers are set to start the new year with a range of new market options as years of negotiations have come to fruition, and avocados become a ‘household necessity’ – see story on page 25. ‘Our nectarines are regarded as top quality and in high demand in established markets, so we foresee good volume growth in the next few years’ Jacques du Preez, Hortgro's general manager of trade and markets, on the expected increase in export volumes for nectarines (pg 26 – 27). ‘Avocados have, however, become a household necessity, and are no longer just an impulse buy’ Mariette Erasmus, commercial executive at research company Ask Africa, on why avocado consumption has seemingly been increasing (pg 25). ‘There is a strong demand for exotic leather boots in the US, and ostrich…

NEWS OVERVIEW 2023 WORLD NEWS Once again the spotlight shines on climate change as wildfires have engulfed large farming communities across Europe, North and Southern Africa and North America during their summer seasons. The worst reported incident of the year was in Canada where wildfires were reported to have destroyed more than 20 million hectares of land. In the area of Nova Scotia, the local government reported that wildfires started in May this year. According to media reports, close to 50 farms were affected in this area alone. The Ministry of Forestry and Parks said that 640 wildfires were already reported at the end of their summer season.The ministry said that many farmers, did not just lose crops and livestock, many lost all their equipment and their homes. The agricultural…

Apple exports are expected to decline by 4% year on-year to 43,4 million 12,5kg-equivalent cartons in 2023 and pear exports by 16% to 18,44 million 12,5kg cartons due to hail damage suffered towards the end of 2022 in the Ceres Valley and Langkloof, according to Hortgro. Jacques du Preez, Hortgro's general manager of trade and markets, however, said that apple exports were still expected to be the third highest, due to new improved orchards that came into production in combination with a sharp increase in volumes from regions that were not affected by the hail, such as Elgin, Grabouw, Villiersdorp and Vyeboom. It was still too early to tell what would happen with pome fruit season in 2024, but the general expectation was that volumes would be higher, thanks to…

Angora SA is looking forward to a positive 2024, says its chairperson Lloyd Short. The year 2023 ended with an uptick in prices and Angora rams went for an average of R18 000 each at the national Angora sales in November. “Although the industry went through a bit of a slump late last year with weakened prices and a reduced demand, the fact that local breeders were prepared to pay top dollar at the national sale for premium genetics underpins their trust in the future of local mohair production. The South African mohair industry is set to continue to be the world's top mohair producer and supplier in terms of both quality and quantity in 2024,” he told Farmer's Weekly. Improved biosecurity on farms, a constant supply of vaccines and…

Semen quality is important for artificial insemination (AI) for improved livestock production. Semen is frozen using either a controlled-rate, slow-cooling method or a newer flash-freezing process known as vitrification. Often, the semen needs to be stored at lowered temperatures to preserve its viability prior to AI. The lower temperatures used varies depending of the period of storage. Generally, an extended period of storage is preferred at -196°C during a process called cryopreservation. Historically, semen stored at these temperatures shows acceptable but compromised motility and viability, raising doubt about its ability to fertilise as previously shown in in vitro experiments. Also, the quality of cryopreserved semen is often compromised depending on the semen source. Semen from some livestock breeds tends to indicate compromised quality that is not good enough for use…

In the US, testing of horses has moved from being an academic discipline published in scientific journals to commercially linked research enabling owners and breeders to DNA test for coat colour, conformation and performance genes. An interesting recent finding is the heritability of blue eyes in Spanish horses. Blue eyes are linked to the so-called splashed gene, which is mostly found in horses with white faces, long white stockings and white hooves. In certain breeds, such as the Pura Raza Española horses (purebred Spanish horses), some breeders have selected for blue eyes, white faces and long white stockings. Commercial DNA testing of horses’ hair samples has recently identified two new genetic variants of the splashed gene that are directly responsible for horses with blue eyes. PORTUGAL AND SPAIN Historically, Spanish…

MAKES 12 SQUARES 1 cup butter ¼ cup milk powder ½ cup cocoa 3 Tbsp espresso coffee (can be powder as well) ½ cup chocolate with nuts (nuts are optional) 170ml vegetable oil 3 large eggs 1 cup brown sugar ¾ cup icing sugar ½ tsp vanilla essence ½ cup flour ¼ tsp salt 1 cup chocolate chips 1/3 cup of walnuts (optional) • Line a 20cm x 20cm baking dish with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 180°C. • On a low heat, melt the butter. Once the butter becomes foamy, add the dry milk powder and stir until the mixture turns brown. Remove from the heat. • Add the vegetable oil, cocoa, espresso coffee and ½ cup chocolate with nuts to the butter mixture. The residual heat…

The Hitching Post LIFESTYLE I am a 70-year-old, self-sufficient white woman who is fluent in Afrikaans and English. I live comfortably in a small retirement cottage in Oudtshoorn. I have a family of four grown-up adult children who are married with families of their own. I have eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren. I have no encumbrances and am single, looking for a companion and friend to share my life with. I weigh 65kg and am fit and extremely healthy. I am looking to meet a gentleman friend of similar age with no encumbrances who is a practising Christian and who is fit and able to enjoy our mature lives together, both outdoors and indoors. I am an excellent traditional cook who is looking for a soulmate. CARING AND KIND…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of the Farmer's Weekly. This article was written by Chris Malley research fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute York Centre at the University of York, et al, and was first published by The Conversation. Read the original at shorturl.at/lBFH5. “Addressing air pollution and public health together is challenging because they are often the responsibility of different government departments. International climate change, health and development processes are often also separate discussions. However, for the first time, this year at COP28, a whole day was to be devoted to discussing the link between climate change and health. In September 2023, the African Union (AU), UN Environment Programme, Climate and Clean Air Coalition and Stockholm Environment Institute released the technical…

ARCHIVE 44 YEARS AGO 1911 4 April 1979 2023 There are good reasons for growing strawberries on plastic-covered beds. Using plastic sheeting when growing strawberries eliminates a number of problems that are otherwise time consuming and costly to correct. One of the difficulties in growing strawberries is the control of weeds. The strawberry plants send out runners and also spread out. This means their growth is thick and dense, and weeds are not easy to extract without damaging the plants, nor are they easy to see. Sally March, of the farm Sophiadale, Seven Oaks, KwaZulu-Natal, has had excellent results with her strawberries using plastic. Her yields have been good, the equivalent of about 40t of the fruit to the hectare. Some time ago, March saw an article in Farmer's Weekly…

Good rains, in combination with a strong demand and small under-supply, have pushed ostrich production into a more lucrative cycle. Francois de Wet, managing director of Cape Karoo International (CKI), said the drought that had raged since 2016 in various parts of the Klein Karoo had finally broken, which would allow farmers to curb feeding costs by producing more of their own feed. Along with this, production of a combination of skins, feathers and meat had reached its highest in eight years. “CKI had an excellent year, resulting in their producers benefitting from bonusses of R1 000 per ostrich slaughtered at CKI, and an 8% increase in producer prices in August,” said De Wet. He ascribed the favourable prices to demand for leather and feathers: “There is a strong demand…

Table grape volumes inspected for exports are expected to increase by about 12% on last season, to between 75,2 million (4,5 kg) cartons on the upper end and 70,8 million cartons on the lower end, according to the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI). AJ Griesel, CEO of SATI, said exports were negatively affected by unfavourable weather, particularly in the Orange River Region and Northern Region last season, with exports this season expected to align with the industry's three-year average. Exports are expected to increase from last season's 16,4 million to 21 million cartons in the Orange River, from 5,6 million to 5,9 million cartons in the Northern Cape, and 3 million to 3,4 million cartons in the Olifants River. The weather, although not ideal, had less of an impact…

Green Arch Innovations is committed to developing sustainable and competitive agricultural systems through the uptake of agricultural technology, innovation and climate-adaptive systems, and providing support in the supply chain for rural communities in South Africa. This is the mission of Green Arch Innovations, according to founder Luvo Gugwana, who hails from the Eastern Cape. Gugwana embarked on a journey to revolutionise farming practices through his aquaponics project in 2017, offering sustainable solutions accessible to a broad spectrum of farmers. While pursuing a degree in medical orthotics and prosthetics at the Durban University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Gugwana delved into entrepreneurship and established Green Arch, a company focused on aquaponics concepts. The company's mission is to introduce environmentally sustainable farming methods capable of meeting the needs of a growing population.…

Eelworm (nematodes) are considered the world's most serious pest. These worms are microscopic but in some cases can just be seen by the naked eye, especially the females of some species when full of eggs. There are a number of genera and species, and a huge amount of cultivated crops are susceptible to at least one species. Root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are endoparasites, which means they enter into the root of the host as compared to ectoparasites that attack the root externally. Whereas in most crops a small or moderate population in the soil may cause negligible to moderate yield loss, this is not so in the case of carrots, where even a low eelworm population can cause serious damage. If a nematode enters the root when the carrot…

Hillbilly Homes LIFESTYLE Dear Jonno, I write to you as I need your help in the construction of a home. Our chosen site is on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal and there are many wood plantations in this area. I see a lot of offcuts of the logs at the sawmill that I am hoping to use somehow for the construction. The home must be of an average size with three bedrooms. One bedroom must have a bathroom attached, and the others can share a bathroom. Then I also want a small kitchen and eating area as part of the living space, or close to it. I also need a study as I now can work from home. I would like space to add garages later too. Kind regards, Etienne…

In 1982, Piet Dreyer was a commercial fisherman. Once the Dreyer family bought Remhoogte in the same year, the family ran livestock and later planted citrus trees. Piet's wife and children tended the farm while he was out fishing. During 1999, the Dreyers planted 10ha to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. Since then, a few hectares were added every year, and the 68ha on the farm at present includes plantings of Pinotage, Sangiovese, Viognier, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot and also larger plantings of Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc, making the farm self-sufficient as far as varieties needed for the different blends are concerned. The farm is 17km from Stanford in a glen in the Kleinrivier Mountains, where the Klein River flows through. The Kleinrivier Mountains is the southernmost mountain range…

15 to 17 February, George The Cattle Nutrition Management Course has been established to give the trainee a better understanding of the basic nutritional requirement of cattle. Covered in the course is the balancing rations, nutritional tables, and the nutritional content of various feeds, grasses, and grains. Visit Rothman Livestock Training Services at rltsafrica.com/products/nutrition-management. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND EXPOS 22 TO 24 MARCH Cannabis Expo, Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town. Visit the thecannabisexpo.co.za. 4 TO 6 JUNE WoodEX for Africa, Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg. Visit woodexforafrica.com. COURSES AND TRAINING 29 TO 30 JANUARY Calf Rearing: Theory and Practical, George. Visit Rothman Livestock Training Services at rltsafrica.com/products/calf-rearing-theory-practical. 31 JANUARY TO 2 FEBRUARY Cattle Embryo Transfer, George. Visit Rothman Livestock Training Services at rltsafrica.com/products/embryo-transfer/. 5 TO 9 FEBRUARY Beef Cattle Production…

JJ de Nysschen, the 2023 Agri Limpopo and Toyota Young Farmer of the Year, grew up in a farming family and believes this was the reason he chose farming as a career. After attending the Dr Annecke Primary School in Letsitele and completing his secondary school education at the Ben Vorster High School in Tzaneen, he realised he had never wanted to do nothing else than farming. In 2010, JJ joined his family's farming operation near Letsitele. In 2015 the farming operation split, with each group within the family establishing their own farming operation. JJ and his father, Koos, continued to farm on the farms Junction, Delhi and Hornby in the Letsitele area as well as a 2 300ha game farm, Vluchtkraal, near Bandelierskop. They farm citrus, game, cattle and…

The eagerly-awaited new Ford Puma arrives in South Africa to revive its maker's local passenger car offering. Sharing its platform with the sincediscontinued modern Fiesta hatch, the introduction of Puma allows Ford Motor Company South Africa to have a presence within the compact crossover segment, a section of the market that in 2022 accounted for 18% of sales. Rather than a replacement for the also-discontinued EcoSport, the modern Puma introduces more boutique styling and updated comfort and convenience compared with the nevertheless popular EcoSport. Available in two specification levels, Titanium and ST Vignale, the Puma is powered exclusively by Ford's venerable 1,0-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost motor that, when paired in this application with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, delivers 92kW and 170Nm of torque to the car's front wheels. Interestingly, Puma's B2…

ACROSS 1. Scorpion or spider (8) 5. Severely distresses an individual with disease (8) 9. Beer maker (6) 10. One who eats no meat (10) 11. Come into view again (8) 14. Sharp goading instrument attached to a horse rider's heel (4) 17. A parent's brother or aunt's husband (5) 18. Roofers who use straw, reeds, leaves etc (9) 19. Remove soluble soil constituents by percolation (5) 20. Domesticated (5) 22. Width (7) 23. Vegetable organism (5) 25. Of the moon (5) 27. Large, bristly insect-eating flying insect (6,3) 28. Small antelope of sub-Saharan Africa; the palebuck (5) 30. Any destructive animal or insect (4) 32. Pliable (8) 34. Level area by a river with fertile soil from deposited sediment (5,5) 35. Genus of trees of the willow family, including…

Eric Alfred Burchell Rowan was born in Johannesburg on 20 July 1909 and grew up in Troyeville, where the youngsters played cricket in the streets with a cardboard box anchored down by a brick as the wicket and a brick at the other end to mark the bowlers crease. Soft rubber balls were in great demand so as not to break windows. Tennis balls, with too much bounce, were a second choice but would suffice if needed. The games were anything but pleasant and many an argument broke out about whether a batsman was out or not. There were obviously no umpires. The young Eric Rowan entered into these games with gusto and stood his ground on all occasions, even against older boys. The dreadful call from a parent to…