Indholdsfortegnelse for 12 July 2024 i Farmer's Weekly

After a two-week break, I have returned to work and the world of agriculture with the news that Denmark will introduce a carbon tax on livestock in 2030. This, of course, is being done under the ruse that agriculture, and livestock in particular, is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change. (According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, livestock account for only about 11% of GHG emissions. The biggest culprit of these emissions is therefore not livestock, and it is not even agriculture. Indeed, the biggest culprits are the transport and industry/manufacturing sectors. However, I do not see Denmark or any other country enforcing additional taxes on these sectors. Why is that?) The belief that taxing farmers into oblivion will save the…

Agribusiness remains a cornerstone of the South African economy, proving its indispensability through decades of resilience and growth. Since the nation's transition into democracy over 30 years ago, the agriculture sector has not only survived but thrived, now showcasing a production output and export volume that far surpasses those early years. Currently, the agricultural value chain, which includes both primary agricultural activities and agro-processing or secondary agricultural activities, contributes approximately 10% to the gross domestic product and employs over one million people, representing about 8% to 9% of the country's labour force. This sector plays a crucial role in ensuring national food security, emphasising its significance in the broader economic landscape. Furthermore, the sector has consistently demonstrated its global competitiveness and resilience. It has adopted cuttingedge technologies and innovative practices,…

We have just scratched the surface of what is possible with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in agriculture. This was according to Prof Adriaan van Niekerk, director of the Centre for Geographical Analysis at Stellenbosch University (SU), who spoke at the Hortgro Technical Symposium 2024 held recently in Somerset West, Western Cape. Van Niekerk gave an overview of the use of ML, a subdivision of AI, in the development and application of geographical information systems and remote sensing techniques to support farming decisions. These range from systems that can differentiate between crops and estimate productive yields to ones that inform farmers about which varieties of specific crops are most suitable for planting in specific areas on their farms, as well as the identification of diseased crops. Van Niekerk…

Papaya farmers in South Africa are seeing more sustainable returns for the first time in years, as demand remains steady. However, the exodus of farmers from the industry points to the necessity for prudent management of both orchards and input costs. “South Africa has averaged around eight papaya producers, but this year we are down to four,” Walter Giuricich, director of Kudu Farms in Lows Creek, Mpumalanga, one of the largest papaya producers in South Africa, said. He explained that while some producers had ceased papaya production, others had retired or sold their farms. Production has however remained steady at around 750 000 11kg cartons per annum. Although papayas are harvested year-round, production peaks from the end of May to mid-September. The Joburg Fresh Produce Market reported prices for papayas…

Pinotage has received an advantage to add to its marketing tools to increase global consumption and demand. The Absa Vintage Awards, now in its second year, highlighted the ageing potential of South African Pinotage, positioning it as a sought-after investment. Wines entered must be at least 10 years old and are judged exclusively by the Institute of Cape Wine Masters, adding a layer of prestige and expertise to the evaluation process. The 2024 competition saw 38 wines entered, reflecting the growing enthusiasm among producers for showcasing their aged Pinotage. Vintages ranged from 1997 to 2014, with comments for even the oldest wines highlighting their complex and balanced natures. Bennie Howard, Cape Wine Master and chairperson of the judging panel, said this year's competition reinforced Pinotage's position as a symbol of…

The International Seed Federation's (ISF) World Seed Congress 2024 was recently held in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and commemorated the 100th anniversary of the ISF. The first congress was held in 1924 in London. According to Dr Lukeshni Chetty, general manager of the South African National Seed Organization (Sansor) and member of the board of directors at the ISF, the congress welcomed diverse participants from the global seed industry, including commercial seed production companies, national trade associations, researchers and retailers. MULTIPLE RECORDS “This year, the congress has broken another record apart from celebrating its centenary: more than 2 000 participants representing over 600 companies and organisations from about 80 countries attended the event. The annual ISF World Seed Congress brings together the principal architects and decision-makers of the global seed…

Zimbabwe's Grain Marketing Board (GMB) in mid-June distributed US$3,29 million (around R60 million) to that country's farmers for maize and other grains delivered to its depots since 1 April 2024. This was according to Dr Edson Badarai, CEO of the GMB. In a statement, Badarai encouraged farmers to continue delivering their grains to GMB depots, assuring them payments would be made within 21 days of delivery. The GMB outlined the current market prices for grains as follows: US$390/t (R7 093/t) for maize and traditional grains; US$696/t (R12 665/t) for sunflower, split into US$418 (R7 610) and Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) equivalent to US$278 (R5 062); and US$580/t (R10 560/t) for soya bean, split into US$348 (R6 337) and ZiG equivalent to US$232 (R4 224). According to a report by The Zimbabwe…

Former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter made headlines recently after he said that carbon tax could derail South Africa's export industries, specifically the fruit and manufacturing sectors. He pointed to Eskom's continued pursuit of coal, which does not take into account the ample renewable energy the country could provide. As the world clamps down on heavy polluters, many countries are looking at implementing carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAMs). This seeks to level the playing field between, for example, a French farmer and a South African one. The French farmer's produce would land on a French supermarket shelf at a price that takes his input costs and a carbon tax into account, since the EU imposes this tax on farmers. Produce imported from South Africa, where there is no carbon tax…

Suzanne Smit grew up on a dairy farm near Eendekuil in the Western Cape, where there had always been some chickens scampering around the yard. A few months after getting married in 2015, she started longing to have chicken at her new home, a wheat and cattle farm called Dela Gift, near Riebeek-Kasteel in the Swartland. Her husband, Jacobus Truter, responded to this need by buying a hen with six chicks when he came across the chickens of some farmworkers on another farm. “Jacobus came home with this big smile and the birds in a shoebox. It was a lovely surprise,” Smit recalls. That first batch of birds was raised in an unused building near their house, and over time this hobby changed into a flourishing business called The Country…

Kanonkop Estate recently released its Paul Sauer 2021, making it the 41st vintage of this iconic red Bordeaux-style wine. The blend was first made by the legendary Beyers Truter in 1981 and has since helped to establish Kanonkop as one of the New World's great wineries. The wine is named after Kanonkop's first owner, who inherited the farm in 1929 and planted the farm's first vineyards in 1940. Johann Krige, a grandson of Sauer who owns and manages Kanonkop in conjunction with his brother Paul, said during a recent tasting of the wine that Sauer did not like the snobbery that came with wine, and was quoted as saying: “Don't be intimidated by the pretentiousness of those who purport to be wine connoisseurs. Do not allow them to get in…

Following a decade-long collaborative study, researchers have uncovered vast untapped genetic potential in modern varieties of wheat, ScienceDaily reports. The international study, published last month in Nature, shows that a minimum of 60% of the genetic diversity found in a historic collection of wheat remains unused, presenting a ground-breaking opportunity to enhance modern wheat and feed the world's growing population in a sustainable way. To make this discovery, Dr Simon Griffiths, Delivering Sustainable Wheat Programme lead at the John Innes Centre in the UK, and Prof Shifeng Cheng, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences’ Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, studied the AE Watkins Landrace Collection. This collection contains wheat varieties from 32 countries that are no longer grown anywhere, and the researchers compared these with modern cultivars.…

The seventh and final mohair auction of the 2024 summer season ended with 164 372kg on offer, of which 98% was sold. Excellent individual clips resulted in good competition among the buyers, especially for the finer segments of the market. Ninety percent of the offering consisted of RMS-certified mohair. Although the South African currency traded weaker against the dollar, demand for better-quality mohair resulted in the average market indicator decreasing by only 2% to close at R384,21/kg. Kid mohair decreased by 2%, young goat mohair by 3%, fine adult mohair by 2%, and strong adult mohair by 1% compared with the previous auction. The highest bin price at the OVK auction was for a bale of BSFFK, which sold for R810/kg. The producers in the lot were PS Hayward and…

The winners of the NWGA/Santam 2024 Photography Competition, organised by Agri Voice, were recently announced at the National Woolgrowers’ Association of South Africa's (NWGA) National Congress in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. This year's theme was ‘Sustainable sheep and wool production’, and the competition aimed to build a photo bank for the NWGA and its official mouthpiece, Wolboer/Wool Farmer magazine, and share the beauty of the South African wool farming industry with the world. Charl van Rooyen, former deputy editor of Landbou, served as one of the judges. He said that the top 20% of the entries were truly outstanding, with photos that deeply moved the judges. The remaining 80% were also good quality and would have easily been able to grace the cover of any agriculture magazine, Van Rooyen added. This…

Mecia Petersen was recently appointed CEO of the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI). According to a press statement, Petersen has an MBA from the University of Nottingham in the UK and held senior strategy development, marketing, and project management positions before joining SATI in March 2022. Since joining SATI, Petersen has been instrumental in executing projects aligned with the organisation's strategic objectives, including collation of the SATI levy application, managing in-destination market development campaigns, and implementing communications initiatives. SATI Board Chairperson Anton Viljoen said Petersen had demonstrated commitment to both the organisation and the industry. He added: “Her skills and expertise are well placed to lead SATI towards its objective of maintaining South Africa's position in key export markets while developing markets where opportunities for the country's table grapes…

China's support is boosting productivity in Namibia's agriculture sector and supporting economic growth. This was according to Jona Musheko, spokesperson for Namibia's Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform. He said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that ongoing Chinese investments included assistance with the adoption of agricultural technology, technical support and technical facilities. Musheko added that China's support for Namibia was part of the collaborative US$1,7 million (about R31 million) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations-China South-South Cooperation Programme Phase 2 tripartite agreement, which aimed to assist the Southern African country's agriculture sector from September 2023 to end-September 2025. The support will benefit Namibians in areas like soil fertility, plant health, seed production, agricultural vocational training, and poultry farming. The Namibian government has combined the project…

South Africa's sugar industry is holding firm despite the turmoil created by miller Tongaat Hulett's business rescue proceedings. Increasing demand for ethanol in Brazil and continued growing global demand for sugar have led to price increases locally and internationally. Production, meanwhile, remains flat as the El Niño weather phenomenon has reduced the Brazilian harvest by more than what could be offset by higher production in Thailand, India, China and Mexico. The US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported that global production of sugar would remain flat this year at around 183,5 million tons. However, consumption was expected to rise to a new record of 178 million tons, with growth in markets such as India and Pakistan. The FAS expected South African production to reach over 2,1 million tons…

A group of 12 communal cattle farmers in Kuruman, Northern Cape, recently celebrated their first commercial sale of calves, thanks to Beefmaster. The group is part of a co-operative called Ambition Farms, and each farmer has between 20 and 100 head of Brahman, Bonsmara and Beefmaster cattle. They started out as a type of cattle stokvel, where four farmers each received a calf from the other farmers, resulting in each farmer receiving eight calves every three years. Two years ago, they realised they needed to up their game if they wanted to grow. “At that stage, we primarily sold our cattle at group gatherings and were not getting the prices we wanted,” Owen Modiradijo, one of the farmers, said. In October 2023, they asked Thapelo Ramokala, Beefmaster Group's animal health…

Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grain and oilseed prices lost momentum month-on-month (m/m), weighed down by better-than-expected world supply-and-demand estimates. This was evident in the June World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report as well as the good production prospects for the US 2024/25 production season. SAFEX prices traded lower for yellow maize and wheat on the back of lower global prices and a stronger rand. MAIZE CBOT maize prices traded lower in mid-June compared to a month earlier, decreasing by 2,7% (see Graph 1), as the market focused on favourable maize crop weather in the US. The 2024/25 US maize production was estimated to fall by 3% from last year's record production, as farmers decreased the area planted to maize in response to lower prices compared to last…

What is drought, how does it manifest, and what are the effects? A drought is a prolonged period of time during which there is no rainfall. Plant material becomes sparse, and what there is often gets trampled by the hooves of too many livestock. As the drought progresses, livestock increasingly spend energy in search of grazing material. The net effect is an insufficient daily ingestion of nutrients to meet the animals’ maintenance requirements, causing a progressive loss of body condition. Should farmers introduce additional feed during a drought? The decision to give additional drought feed must be considered wisely, timely, and judiciously. Starting too early will increase feed costs unnecessarily, but delaying it for too long may also be very costly in the long run. How can farmers avoid feed…

Many farms claim to be free-range but instead raise a mass number of birds in a small space and then restrict their movement to small spaces outside, says Suzanne Smit. Her production system if totally different: the layers are kept in their houses at night and then locked out of their houses during the day. The layers crowd around Smit when they see her, so she needs to get someone else to get them back in the cages in the evenings. The broiler chicks are only allowed outside from the time they are two weeks old, as they need heat and are easy prey for predators when smaller. The broiler birds are allowed to move freely in and out of the houses during the day and are locked up in…

In The Name Of The People: How Populism Is Rewiring The World by Tendali Biti et al others (Picador Africa, R320) After an introduction with a definition of populism, its causes, stages that create it, and questioning whether it can be reversed, the main body of this book studies three styles of populism. These are: old style in Argentina, the Philippines, Africa's military, and Chile; liberation-movement style in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda and South Africa; and new-order style in most of South America and Hungary. It also covers ‘populism across borders’. The phenomenon of populism can be monocausal or a combination of malignant factors, the authors suggest: from weak democracies resulting in disillusionment and economic inequality, to those age-old, apocalyptic horsemen – revenge, anger, resentment and exclusiveness. The book is a…

ARCHIVE Other breeds may show better, but when it comes to breeding, no breed can beat the Letellemark, this article pointed out. At four or five months of age, the Letellemark slaughter lamb weighs about 16kg on the hook, produces about 1,8kg of high-quality wool, and the sheep's clip achieves high prices at the Port Elizabeth wool sales. This is the experience of Francois du Toit of Latensvlei, Loxton, in the Northern Cape. He has been farming this breed for the past 20 years and is well known as a breeder of good-quality Letellemark sheep. In addition to his stud, Du Toit runs a large flock but is mainly a producer of wool. He switched from Merinos to Letellemarks after thoroughly investigating the latter's capability. A DUAL-PURPOSE ANIMAL He found…

While there are numerous “cool” new spraying technologies, many still need to be adapted to satisfy the demands of commercial users, Dr Johannes Gideon van Zyl, technical consultant at ProCrop, said at the Hortgro Technical Symposium 2024 held recently in Somerset West, the Western Cape. Van Zyl added that users from different countries had different demands. For some, the priority was the affordability of new technologies, while others were more concerned about spray deposition and efficacy, drift-reduction potential and the technology's ability to improve workflow and reduce labour requirements. Swiss farmers, for instance, were optimistic about the potential replacement of helicopters and backpack sprayers with unmanned aerial spraying systems (UASS) for vineyards and orchards in mountainous regions with steep slopes. Research shows that UASS are easier to use and result…

Various wool producers were honoured for their achievements at the National Wool Growers’ Association of South Africa's (NWGA) national congress held in June in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. The South African Wool and Mohair Buyers Association's prize for the wool producer who achieved the highest price during the past season went to Chris van Rooyen of Oorlogspoort Boerdery near Noupoort, Northern Cape. He sold a bale of 14,3-micron wool to Standard Wool for the record price of R300/kg. Kleinbegin Boerdery in Fraserburg, Northern Cape, won the award for the most economic classified clip, sponsored by Hollard. Anker Karoo near De Aar in the Northern Cape took second place, and A du T Pienaar en Seuns in Hanover, Northern Cape, came third. The Silver Ram, the NWGA's symbol of merit, was awarded…

Tokara's Reserve Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 and Delaire Graff Estate's Chardonnay 2022 both made it onto the Top 50 ‘Best in Show’ list at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), putting them in the top 1% of the more than 18 000 wines tasted in the competition. Michael Smith, DWWA co-chairperson, said the final two days of judging were the most fun, because all the Platinum medals were tasted and the Top 50 were then selected from them. “In the end, we are looking at 50 wines that represent the very best of the judging,” he added. To reach this level, wines must first go through two rounds of blind tasting and three separate approvals by a regional panel, a co-chairperson and another panel during Platinum judging, before a…

DENMARK In a bid to cut 70% of its overall carbon emissions by 2030, Denmark has announced that it is introducing Europe's first carbon tax on agriculture. This follows a historic agreement in late June following a fivemonth discussion with farming and conservation groups. From 2030, Danish farmers will be required to pay DKK120/t (about R313/t) of emitted carbon dioxide equivalent. From 2035 onwards, the rate will increase to DKK300/t (R783/t). The Danish government will also make available €5,3 billion (R103 billion) to reforest 250 000ha of agricultural land by 2045 and buy out specific farms to lower nitrogen emissions. BELGIUM Three main players in Belgium's food ingredients sector – Raffinerie Tirlemontoise, Beneo, and Puratos – have teamed up to launch the ‘Climate Farming Project’ to help the country's farmers…

Desmanda Milk, one of South Africa's largest milk transport companies, has been liquidated after entering business rescue in April 2024. The company's financial collapse has left over 20 dairy farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and North West being owed between R80 million and R90 million. This latest crisis highlights a troubled history between Desmanda Milk and the country's dairy farmers, raising questions about the role of industry bodies in protecting farmers’ interests. In April, Desmanda entered business rescue under the management of appointed business rescue practitioners Gideon Slabbert and Thomas George Nell from Corporate Business Rescue Advisory. However, despite efforts to find a viable restructuring plan, the company's financial woes proved insurmountable. According to Fanie Ferreira, CEO of the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO), Desmanda took delivery of about 10…

With the theme ‘Sustaining growth in a changing global landscape’, the recently held Agbiz Congress offered the broader agriculture value chain the opportunity to reflect on domestic and global challenges that affect their businesses. Underlying many of the discussions was the challenge of inspiring young agripreneurs and innovators to step up and help shape the agriculture industry of the future. Mandla Mpofu, managing director of Omnia Agriculture, was elected as one of the deputy chairpersons of Agbiz during the congress. In a news release following the congress, Mpofu said the sector may have been accused in the past of not proactively positioning itself as ‘youth-friendly’ and thus failing to present accessible and rewarding career opportunities for young people, but that this was now changing. Although farmers played an integral role…

Dewald te Water will never be unsure about the word that sums up his farming career. His every story and sentence is strewn with the word ‘opportunity’. And although he is quick to relate that while some prospects turn out to be challenges rather than opportunities, he never shies away from venturing along unknown paths. Dewald's drive is relentless and it has paid off handsomely. His career is a story of blood, sweat and tears, scraping every cent together to capitalise on what he and his brother Billy always saw as ‘an opportunity’. Today, the Te Water Group (TWG) has a robust agriculture and construction company, which includes cattle, maize, soya bean, silage, brick-making and equipment rental divisions. Dewald is at the helm of the business, having had to take…

Farming follows an annual production cycle that aligns with the seasons, which means the farmer's tasks change with the seasons: planting in spring, nurturing crops in summer, harvesting in autumn and early winter, and planning and maintenance in winter. While some producers are still harvesting, others are already thinking about the next season and what needs to happen before the next crop is planted. After the harvest and before the planting of summer crops, there are several important tasks that need to receive attention before the upcoming growing season. However, as each farm is unique, these tasks should be tailored to fit each one's specific needs and circumstances. It is also important to schedule your offseason activities to ensure one season does not simply run into the next, advises Hendrik…

The final sale of the 2023/24 wool season sported a larger offering of 11 604 bales. Although 63% of the wool tested 20 microns and finer, only 40% consisted of long-length wools. Sustainably-certified wools comprised 63% of the Merino wools on offer. The season ended on a positive note, following an 1,86% increase in the Australian market, further supported by a weaker rand. There was good demand for the longer-length Merino wools, and the overall sales clearance was 95,4%. The non-certified indicator rose by 2,7% to close at R153,05/kg, with the certified indicator gaining 2,6% to close at R170,05/kg. The major buyers were Standard Wool SA (3 338 bales), BKB Pinnacle Fibres (2 553), G Modiano SA (1 982), and Tianyu SA (1 395). The OVK auction saw 2 288…

Dear Prof McCrindle, My cat has an eye infection. I used eye drops but they did not work. What should I do? Kind regards, Charmaine Dear Charmaine, Pink eye, or feline conjunctivitis, is very common in cats, particularly if they are not being vaccinated annually. It can also be caused by non-infectious diseases or injuries. The main signs of disease are red, watery eyes and the cat or kitten often scratching its face and eyes, causing more damage. The annual ‘five in one’ for cats is an inactivated vaccine that protects against feline parvovirus, feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, feline chlamydiosis, and the feline leukemia virus. Pink eye is often found in a whole litter of kittens, particularly in stray cats. Usually, the conjunctiva is bright red. The eye may even…