Farmer's Weekly 7 October 2022

Nampo Cape was held in Bredasdorp from 14 to 17 September (see pages 24 and 25), where Grain SA also hosted the Nation in Conversation. One of the hot topics of discussion during a morning session on 15 September was economic investment in South Africa, and the general trajectory of the global and domestic economy. The panellists included Dawie Roodt, chief economist at the Efficient Group; Madalet Sessions, a portfolio manager at Denker Capital; Dr Roelof Botha, an independent economist; and Andre Jooste, a professor of agricultural economics at Stellenbosch University. The general consensus was that farmers needed to exercise caution when investing in agriculture. Sessions, for example, explained that "capital is cowardly", and that it needed to be "cowardly" so that it could remain intact. In this regard, she advised…

"Next time you see a bee hovering around a fruit tree, you're probably witnessing pollination in action. Pollination is what enables a plant to produce seeds and fruit, and, as research has shown, pollination by insects can greatly improve the quality and quantity of fruit produced. There's mounting evidence of a decline in the populations of pollinators all over the world. The consequences for agriculture could be significant. In 2008, some scientists calculated the economic value that insect pollination contributed to world agricultural output. The number they came up with was €153 billion a year [about €199 billion a year today, or R3,5 trillion a year]. Some fruit crops require very specific kinds of insect pollination. Take blueberries, for example. Their flowers have specialised anthers (the part of the stamen containing pollen)…

6 to 18 November, George The Academy Pasture, Grazing, Agronomy and Feed Production Module covers the following nine modules: precision farming, soil management, plant biology, plant nutrients, water management, crop management, applied agronomy, feeding basics, and pasture management. It is a comprehensive training programme with detailed tuition and hands-on training. Email Rothman Livestock and Training Services at office@RLTSafrica.com CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND EXPOS 17 TO 18 NOVEMBER Agribusiness Conference 2022, Protea Hotel, Sandton. Email Buhle Ndokweni at buhle@mathema.oo.za, or phone 011 862 4001. 17 TO 18 NOVEMBER Sustainable Innovative Producers and Emerging Farmers Conference, Protea Hotel Balalaika, Sandton. Email Karabo Ramabu at karabo@mathema.co.za. 24 TO 25 NOVEMBER Drones and Unmanned Aviation Conference 2022, Emperors Palace. Email info@bussynet.co.za. COURSES AND TRAINING 3 TO 7 OCTOBER Meat Processing, Pretoria. Email Mpho Makhanya at makhanyam@arc.agric.za, or phone 012 672 9153. 16 TO 21 OCTOBER Wilderness Trails Skills, Makuleke Concession.…

Within a year of launching its first range of fynbos tea, a start-up called Cape Fynbos Tea has already captured the interest of players in the wellness industry, including Faithful to Nature and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), affirming the tea market's interest in the medicinal properties of South Africa's indigenous fynbos species. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought numerous local industries to a standstill; however, the country's tea exports that year amounted to US$23,6 million (about R410 million at the time), marking South Africa as the 31st largest tea exporter in the world. From 2019 to 2020, tea was one of the country's fastest-growing industries and one of our most exported products. GROWING THE TEA INDUSTRY Having grown up in the Cape fynbos region, entrepreneur Alex Jordaan saw the potential to…

Follow us at @FarmersWeeklySA @FarmersWeeklySA We posted a link to an article titled 'Grave concern about sheep scab outbreak in the Northern Cape', and some of our followers shared their views on the matter. shared their views on the matter. Posted: 6 September 2022. READERS' COMMENTS Johan Gouws: "Why can't farmers trade directly with locals?" Glynnis Oberholzer: "I'm an ordinary consumer who stopped buying lamb and mutton a long time ago, as retail prices [are] off the charts for me. Apologies to our hard-working farmers … [I] would love to support you." Karen Burne: "Supermarket prices of lamb and mutton have just continued to rise, despite what we read in this article." Luyanda Usapho LwaMakhuma: "The price drop hasn't been passed on to the consumers by the supermarkets. In these difficult times, I don't even look at lamb or…

OVER 4 500 ACCIDENTS OCCURRED ON IRISH FARMS LAST YEAR - SURVEY Data from the Teagasc National Farm Survey has revealed that there were 4 523 accidents on farms in Ireland during 2020. - farminglife.com 700 METRES OF RUBBISH: FARMERS GRAPPLE WITH CHOKED RIVERS AMID AUSTRALIA'S THIRD LA NIÑA Farmers along the Macquarie River in New South Wales, Australia, say flooding used to be beneficial, but has become &far worse and goes for far longer' than it should. - theguardian.com EXTREME HEATWAVES &ARE ENDANGERING THE QUALITY OF EUROPEAN DELICACIES' Intense droughts have damaged all sorts of harvests in Europe. Producers of honey and wine, for instance, are struggling to achieve normal output levels and consistent quality. - euronews.com…