Farmer's Weekly 29 July 2022

Many farmers around the world are mechanising their operations. This is in part because of the fact that mechanisation allows for less investment in labour, as fewer labourers are needed for the operation to run. However, the use of mechanisation and technology also helps improve processes such as planting and harvesting, thus growing the profitability of producers’ operations. While I recently wrote about how farmers are bearing the responsibility of employing more men and women in the sector (see FW, 1 July 2022), perhaps at the cost of not fully mechanising their operations as may be required to farm profitably in the future, this week I want to look at the importance of farmers and producers investing in the workforce. In our Machinery and Implements section this week (see page 56),…

“Morocco has a large fertiliser industry with huge production capacity and international reach. It is one of the world’s top four fertiliser exporters, following Russia, China and Canada. Fertilisers tend to be divided into three main categories: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In 2020, the fertiliser market size was around US$190 billion (about R3,22 trillion). Morocco has a distinct advantage in the production of phosphorus fertilisers. It possesses over 70% of the world’s phosphate rock reserves, from which the phosphorus used in fertilisers is derived. This makes Morocco a gatekeeper of global food supply chains, as all food crops require the element phosphorus to grow. Indeed, so does all plant life. And unlike other finite resources, such as fossil fuels, there is no alternative to phosphorus. In 2021, the global phosphorus fertiliser market amounted…

27 to 29 July, Groenkloof, Pretoria This Basic Goat Production Short Course offered by AgriSkills Transfer focuses on the basics of goat production. Some of the modules included in the course are: the basics of keeping goats (goat breeds, nutrition, identification, vaccination and health); increasing productivity (general management, housing, handling, and reproduction); and commercialisation. Phone AgriSkills Transfer on 012 460 9585, or email admin@agriskills.net. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND EXPOS 17 TO 18 AUGUST International Fresh Produce Association’s Southern Africa Conference, Century City Conference Centre, Cape Town. Email membershipsa@freshproduce.com, or visit freshproduce.com/events/the-southern-africa-conference. COURSES AND TRAINING 24 JULY TO 5 AUGUST Pasture, Grazing, Agronomy and Feed Production Course, George. Email Rothman Livestock and Training Services at office@RLTSafrica.com. 25 TO 28 JULY Drive a Tractor, Cullinan Farm Training Centre. Phone AgriSkills Transfer on 012 460 9585, or email admin@agriskills.net. 2 AUGUST Holistic Drought Management Workshop, Montagu…

Already price-sensitive South African consumers are now being forced to rethink their monthly grocery lists as meat prices continue to skyrocket. Rising fuel and animal feed costs, largely driven by the Russia-Ukraine war, have sent international food prices soaring. When comparing local meat prices for May 2022 with those of the same period a year ago, the average price of beef has risen by 13%, mutton and lamb by 4,7%, and chicken by nearly 12%. A MEAT-LOVING COUNTRY Meat is an important part of South Africans’ diets, therefore pork is increasingly stepping up to the plate to offer consumers an alternative source of protein that’s more budget-friendly, says Eskort CEO Arnold Prinsloo. According to the recent Knorr Professional Plate of the Nation study, the average South African eats meat four times a week, and…

MOST POPULAR ON FARMERSWEEKLY.CO.ZA CONCERN ABOUT IMPACT OF ONGOING CIVIL UNREST ON FARMERS Protest action that result in disruptions to major transport routes could have a dire impact on the economy over time, according to stakeholders in the agriculture sector. Read the full article at bit.ly/3yIxLMu, or scan here: Posted: 11 July 2022. Follow us at @FarmersWeeklySA FROM FACEBOOK @FarmersWeeklySA We posted a link to an article titled ‘Tomato leaf miner: Pongola farmers’ strategy to beat the pest’, and some of our followers shared their views on the matter. Posted: 11 July 2022. READERS’ COMMENTS Eugine Mwambila: “[Tomato leaf miner] isn’t easy to manage, and it’s really hitting the small-scale farmers more.” Khaukanani Ralishugu: “A lot of our small producers are out of business today because of this pest; they just couldn’t keep up with the management demands.” PHOTO OF THE WEEK Noma Jay…

In this article, a Limpopo farmer and her son discussed how their mixed-crop operation earned them an income throughout the year. Pawpaws, carnations, tomatoes and avocados may not appear to have much in common, but a farmer in the [Modjadjiskloof] area of Limpopo has combined these crops to get the maximum use out of her labour force and, in addition, has at least one paying crop going to market throughout the year. The farmer is I Fleischmann of Confidentia Estate who, in co-operation with her son, EA Fleischmann, markets avocados in February and March. “This helps us to pay the wages and keep the workers busy during what is actually a slack period on the farm,” she explains. “The tomato crop starts coming in during March and is followed gradually by the pawpaws…