Indholdsfortegnelse for 15 November 2024 i Farmer's Weekly

Around mid-September, Rand Water, the bulk water supplier for Gauteng, imposed Level 1 water restrictions on the province, limiting the amount of water residents can use and the purposes for which it can be used. For example, the restrictions state that residents may not water their gardens between 6am and 6pm and that they may not use water from hosepipes to wash paved areas or driveways. Should a resident be found in violation of these restrictions, they may be held responsible with punitive actions. When making the announcement, Rand Water also provided residents with tips on how to save water. Ironically, some of these guidelines advised residents to take actions that the province and its municipalities have themselves failed to address, such as fixing all leaking pipes and plumbing to…

Earlier this year, Hoërskool Outeniqua in George, Western Cape, presented Farmer's Weekly medals to the top two Grade 12 students in practical agricultural sciences. In a letter to Farmer's Weekly, one of these learners, Divan Badenhorst, shared his perspective on the importance of agricultural science as a school subject. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of agricultural science as a school subject in today's world. As someone with a passion for practical, hands-on learning, agricultural science was the perfect fit for me at Hoërskool Outeniqua. For me, nothing compares to the excitement of attending an agriculture class. We were taught all the key practical components of farming. From designing animal shelters to optimise production, to feed classification and even the genetic selection of livestock based on Mendel's laws, the subject constantly…

ARCHIVE As this article showed, scientists working in Israel's Negev desert harnessed its extremes and proved that such inhospitable areas could be made productive and habitable. Arid deserts may be suitable for the rugged camel and the hardy cactus, but are they fit places for humans? Can they live and even prosper in that one-third of the earth's land mass that is dry, hot desert? Scientists working in Israel's Negev desert, an area covering 60% of this small Middle East country, offer an unequivocal ‘yes’. At the Blaustein International Centre for Desert Studies at Sde Boker, some 113km south of Tel Aviv, 72 scientists of various disciplines are working out the ‘how’. “In the desert everything is extreme,” says one scientist, who lives and works in an oasis community on…

Orchards in the Lowveld area of Mpumalanga took a beating in spring, as drought and then hail damaged crops. A hailstorm ripped through a stretch from Alkmaar, east of Mbombela, to Brondal further north, stripping many trees of next year's crop. The citrus, macadamia and avocado trees are in the fruit setting stage, with fruit and nuts just starting to develop. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Thomas Barnard, a macadamia farmer in the Brondal area, estimated between 70% and 90% of the macadamia nuts on his one farm had been hit off the trees. “The hail stones were close to the size of a golf ball. When I went through the orchards the morning after the storm, I expected to find damage, but not this much,” he said. The area received…

Inefficiencies at the Port of Cape Town are costing apple and pear producers around R26 000/ha or 17% of their net income per hectare. This emerged during a recent information session between Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing and its shareholders, Two-a-Day and Ceres Fruit Growers, and Western Cape Minister of Agriculture Dr Ivan Meyer. Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape, told Farmer's Weekly that new management and additional equipment at ports had improved efficiencies, with gross crane moves per hour increasing from an average of 11,8 between week 45 last year and week 15 this year, to 13,5 from week 17 to 39 this year. “This is positive, but port problems are far from over and the situation can still improve considerably, considering that the acceptable world standard lies between 26 to…

China has launched a five-year plan to improve its farming practices and boost food production. As reported by Reuters, the country's agriculture ministry said in a statement that the plan would focus on establishing a digital planting technology scheme and a national database for agriculture by 2028. As the world's largest grain producer, China is investing more in farming machinery and seed technology to secure its food supply. Despite producing a record amount of over 700 million tons of grain this year, the country still heavily relies on imports, bringing in more than 100 million tons of soya bean and grains every year, mainly from the US and Brazil, according to Reuters. The ministry added that this digital transformation was aimed at benefitting various areas of agriculture, including crop farming,…

In October, Wesgro announced the winners of the Great Wine Capitals 2025 Best of Wine Tourism and Wine Tourism Ambassador Awards, which recognise outstanding achievements in wine tourism across the world's most significant wine regions. According to a press release, the awards were initiated by Great Wine Capitals 26 years ago to highlight the “rapid evolution of the global wine tourism industry” and its importance as a driver of economic growth. Creation Wines in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley walked away with two awards in the Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices and Wine Tourism Services divisions of the Best of Wine Tourism category. In response to the award, Carolyn Martin, co-owner of Creation Wines, said on social media that wine tourism played a pivotal role in the economy of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley: “Through…

Almost three decades after South Africa introduced the Labour Reform (Labour Tenants) Act (No. 3 of 1996) to address historical land injustices, the resolution of claims remains woefully slow, with over half of labour tenant claims still outstanding. This was according to Siya Sithole, strategy manager at the Association for Rural Advancement. He added that the persistent delays in processing these claims showed substantial administrative inefficiencies, lack of governmental will and legal deadlocks. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Sithole said the ongoing delays reflected deeply rooted challenges that the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (the department) had yet to overcome. “The Act provides for land expropriation for reform purposes, as outlined in the South Africa Constitution, yet government hesitates to leverage these powerful tools. Without the willingness to use…

In a move set to boost local manufacturing in townships, the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) is distributing industrial sewing machines to 29 informal traders in Nelson Mandela Bay. This initiative, led by provincial MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe, is aimed at supporting township-based businesses, particularly those run by women and youths, in areas like Motherwell, Walmer, Zwide, Booysen Park and Kariega. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Konstiwe said that for many informal traders, having reliable equipment was transformative. “The industrial [sewing] machines will enable these entrepreneurs to increase output and improve the standard of their products, which in turn is expected to enhance their customer base and potential for income generation,” she added. Beyond the immediate economic benefits of this initiative, the longterm goal was to formalise…

While numerous vegetable and crop types are planted widely throughout communal farming areas, my focus is on butternut and pumpkin. They are reasonably easy to grow and have a good shelf life that can last many months. The acidity levels of soils can differ greatly, and you should always research the acid levels in your soil if you are considering planting crops like butternut and pumpkin. They like soils with a pH of between 6 and 6,8 (slightly acidic to neutral). Soil that's too alkaline or too acidic can result in micronutrient deficiencies that can have detrimental effects on plant growth. WATER NEEDS Soils in South Africa differ greatly and range from clay to loamy to sandy. Sandy soils allow water to drain away comparatively faster, so you may need…

Sdelo Mikhail Ceza is a small-scale livestock farmer driven by an unwavering sense of duty to his ancestors, his family, and his land, Glendower Farm near Peddie in the Eastern Cape. But his story is not just about the past; it is also about building a future in a sector in which producers like himself often struggle to prosper. Cattle farming is a time-honoured tradition in South Africa, and for many small-scale farmers like Ceza, it represents not just a source of income but a cultural inheritance, too. A LEGACY WORTH CHERISHING “My grandfather first tilled this land, eventually passing it down to my mother, Nonezile, who entrusted me with the responsibility of continuing the family's farming legacy. Today, I am not only keeping the family tradition alive, I am…

US tyre brand BFGoodrich has officially launched its highly anticipated All-Terrain T/A KO3 tyre in South Africa, marking a new milestone in off-road performance technology. Held at the Lion & Safari Park in Broederstroom, Gauteng, the event offered media representatives and special guests an exclusive first look at the advanced feature of this tyre, which is built to meet the unique demands of off-road driving. Building on the legacy of its predecessor, the KO2, the KO3 is engineered to provide improved performance across a variety of terrains, including gravel roads, rocky trails and mud. Guests had the opportunity to experience the tyre's capabilities first hand, navigating real-world off-road conditions that showcased its enhanced traction, toughness and durability. They were able to test the KO3's performance in a variety of challenging…

Blood Brothers: To Battleground Smokeshell and Back by Deon Lamprecht (Delta Books, R290) There seems to be an unlimited market for Border War books, or maybe it's an unlimited desire of troopies to write about a seminal point in their early lives. This book is slightly different as it is written by a journalist with two war books already to his name. Sadly, the photographs are rather poor quality but the drawings and maps are useful. It's a tale of a platoon of the old South African Defence Force's 61 Mechanised Battalion Group in southern Angola and an attack on a Swapo military base at what they called Smokeshell. Things did not go according to plan and the force met with stiff resistance and became a ‘lost patrol’. Forty-four South…

Dear Prof McCrindle My goats are dropping dead. I took one for a post-mortem, and heartwater was found to be the cause. We dip them once a month and I can't find any ticks in their ears. But this week, we found a strange hard tick that looked like a beetle. It had a black back outlined in red and black-and-red legs. The mouthparts looked very long. The tick was attached to the space between the hind legs on one of the goats that had heartwater. What sort of tick is this? I couldn't find a picture of it in books about ticks. Goat Farmer, Gauteng Dear Goat Farmer We are used to seeing large grey ticks attached to livestock and sucking their blood. These are mainly female. The tick…

HIGHEST PRICE: (RAM) R26 000 Hertzogville – The Malherbe and Waterpas SA Mutton Merino Production Sale was held at the Hertzogville Showgrounds on 10 September. The highest price of the day was paid for a ram, which was sold by André Malherbe of Hertzogville to Adri Roos of Hoopstad for R26 000. Rams were sold for an average price of R14 278, while young in-lamb ewes achieved an average price of R5 786. The sale was held by BKB, with Jan Mostert as the auctioneer. – Staff reporter…

The fourth winter mohair sale had 126 381kg on offer, of which 90% were sold. Most of the offering, of which 85% was Responsible Mohair Standard-certified, was of good quality. During the sale, the rand traded weaker against the US dollar compared with the previous sale, but not all buying houses were active, with the two top makers buying most of the mohair, according to Mohair SA. The average market indicator closed at R336,65/kg, which was 1% up in dollar terms compared with the previous sale. A best price of R900/kg was paid for a bale of good-style, 24-micron kid mohair. Compared with the previous sale, prices were: kids, young goats, and fine adults unchanged; and strong adults up 1%. Pierre van der Vyver, general manager, of The House of…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly. Bani Kgosana is the chief revenue officer at Pragma, a global enterprise asset management company with clients in 46 countries. Visit pragmaworld.net. “The condition of South Africa's government-owned assets and deteriorating infrastructure is a serious challenge that frustrates citizens and businesses daily. However, key issues like water management, hospitals and logistics in the country can be turned around using locally developed solutions. The South African government manages over 93 000 buildings and 74 hospitals. Many of these assets, belonging to municipalities and state-owned enterprises, have tremendous potential for improvement and revitalisation. Scheduled maintenance enables best outcomes. Eskom has shown the impact of maintaining its electricity generation and transmission fleet over the last year, which…

The board of Hans Merensky Holdings (HMH) and Westfalia Fruit recently announced the appointment of Chris Bush to the post of Group CEO, effective 28 October. Bush takes over from acting group CEO Rian du Toit, who has returned to his role as group CFO. Bush is a seasoned international CEO with almost 40 years of experience in the grocery retail industry. He has led complex multinational organisations, driving growth and turnaround across various geographies. He also has a strong track record in leading people and operations, at scale. Most recently, Bush was divisional CEO of DFI Retail Group, South East Asia (formerly Dairy Farm Group), directing DFI Retail's 1 500 stores across seven countries. Prior to joining DFI Retail Group, he worked at Tesco for 32 years, leading large-scale…

To combat the declining state of South Africa's port and rail network, the Presidency tasked a group of top academics and logistics experts to compile a ‘Freight Logistics Road Map’ that would guide us in the turnaround strategy. When Cabinet adopted the road map last year, it marked a seminal point in our economic development as it set the agenda to migrate from an outdated system of state monopolies towards a competitive system that would attract private sector investment. Among the recommendations, rail would move towards an open-access system whereby an independent regulator determines the costs and conditions that Transnet and any third party would use to operate trains on our railways in an open and competitive system. The building blocks are rapidly being put in place to accommodate this.…

The current steep price for bananas is expected to remain in place for the foreseeable future. Prices for the fruit went up from between R120 and R150, on average, for a 17kg container six months ago to double that amount at present. This was according to Thomas van Tonder, director of Exec U Fruit at the Joburg Market. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Van Tonder said the price spike could be attributed to the recent floods in Mozambique as well as unexpected cold fronts coupled with strong winds in South Africa. The inclement weather affected banana plantations in Komatipoort, Levubu, Tzaneen and Hazyview, among others, he added. Banana growers in Komatipoort, the biggest banana-producing area in the country, also experienced hail damage in October. In addition, the black frost that occurred…

The local tomato market is witnessing a significant drop in prices, with volumes surging 25% week on week, according to Johnny van der Merwe, managing director of AMT, in AMT's Weekly Vegetable Report dated 28 October 2024. According to the report, a surge in supply, largely driven by increased production from a major grower in the northern region, led to a drop in the average price of tomatoes to R9,50/kg. The current demand was unlikely to offset this high supply, leaving prices under continued pressure. In the report, Van der Merwe noted: “High volumes from a major producer in the north are still putting the average price under pressure at the moment. [The week of 28 October] also started with very high volumes on the markets, with demand not likely…

UNITED KINGDOM Ahead of expected severe budget cuts to the UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Environment Secretary Steve Reed has warned farmers and conservationists that they will need to find ways to achieve more with fewer resources. When The Guardian asked Reed what forecast cuts would mean for producers, he replied: “We all are going to have to do more with less. I think that's right because you should always look at how you can use any resource you've got more efficiently and effectively.” CAMBODIA Cambodia is progressing towards exporting durian to China, with export documentation currently under review by Chinese authorities. Pending approval, export agreements and site inspections will follow. Access to China represents a major opportunity for Cambodia's durian industry. This market entry could boost…

South Africa is finally making progress on the agricultural front within the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) alliance. While BRICS has historically been a political rather than a trade alliance, it is notable that South Africa's exports to these countries remain hindered by high import tariffs. During the 18th BRICS Summit, held in Kazan in Russia at the end of October, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pushed for a greater realisation of the economic partnership's full potential. Speaking from the summit, Ramaphosa said that BRICS leaders should undertake bold steps towards a mutual, shared and equitable prosperity. “In order for the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025 to be achieved, we must intensify co-operation among BRICS members by launching common development programmes in the fields of exports,…

Despite a clear strategic vision under new leadership, South African energy and chemicals giant Sasol is facing safety issues, financial challenges, and a fluctuating global market, all of which threaten to undermine its ambitious transformation goals. Sasol President and CEO Simon Baloyi told Farmer's Weekly that he had wasted no time in executing a range of strategic actions aimed at streamlining the company's operations and boosting its profitability. “Since I started my tenure as president and CEO, I have drawn on 20 years of experience at Sasol to implement decisive actions to bring about meaningful change,” Baloyi said. According to him, the first pillar involves optimising Sasol's core operations, while the second focuses on aligning the company with long-term sustainability goals. “We have an excellent portfolio of global assets, a…

The fresh produce market in mid-October exhibited diverse trends across the key vegetable categories of cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes, driven by fluctuations in supply and consumer demand. Cabbage prices eased due to higher supply volumes, while carrot prices surged as a result of reduced availability. Onion prices showed signs of recovery as volumes stabilised, and potatoes experienced relief from the black frost shock, with prices softening as supply increased. Tomato prices declined amid a recovery in volumes. CABBAGES Average month-on-month (m/m) cabbage prices in October experienced a 12,8% decline (see Graph 1), influenced by a 4,3% increase in the supply volumes across the five main fresh produce markets. Prices decreased from R3 093/t in September to R2 698/t in October, as market volumes rose from 2 765t to…

Please give us a brief overview of what happened with Land Bank over the past four years. Land Bank went into debt default in April 2020. The bank struggled to pay some of its debts, which caused one of the lenders to panic and demand an immediate repayment. Our inability to repay the loan triggered a cross-default clause, leading to the default of the bank's entire debt portfolio of R40 billion. Since then, Land Bank reduced its debt obligations to just over R16 billion and, after four years of negotiations, a repayment plan was finally approved and implemented, effective 16 September 2024. The bank will pay about R4 billion towards reducing the current outstanding balance of R16 billion, and two instalment tranches covering the 31 March 2024 and 30 September…

In his research on carbon farming, Roelof Bezuidenhout found that one researcher calls it the ‘carbon credit bandwagon’, arguing that carbon sequestration in semi-desert areas and much of our grasslands is largely ineffective. According to the researcher, at best, these regions might see a 3% improvement. Another researcher said that 3% is hopelessly out of reach and that many schemes being sold to farmers are totally optimistic and not based on sound science. Apparently, says Bezuidenhout, measurements taken on high-density grazing farms in the Eastern Free State and wetter parts of the central Free State have shown some improvement in carbon levels, root growth and soil properties, but that's about it. In the Eastern Cape, a 100 000ha spekboom rehabilitation project is under way. Participants are offered long-term contracts, with…

HIGHEST PRICE: (RAM) R16 000 Hoopstad – The Henk Harmse SA Mutton Merino Production Sale was held at Kareeboombult on 4 September. The highest price of the day was paid for two rams, which were sold by Henk Harmse of Bultfontein to Charl and Boeta Kleynhans of Hoopstad and André Smit of Wesselsbron for R16 000 each. Rams achieved an average price of R11 932. The sale was held by Vleissentraal, with Mike Killassy as the auctioneer. – Staff reporter…

Cool conditions in most cherry producing regions in South Africa have resulted in the fruit's season starting 10 to 16 days later than usual. Farmers in North West, which accounts for 17% of the production area, Limpopo (3%), and Gauteng (7%) also reported lighter fruit loads. This was according to Derick van Zyl, board member of Hortgro Cherries. In the Western Cape, which accounts for 63% of the area under production, yields have been negatively affected by early frost during flowering in Worcester, which accounts for 17% of the province's production area. Van Zyl said it was too early to say what would happen with production in Ceres, which accounted for just over 70% of production in the Western Cape, but so far it looked as if the early-season varieties…

South African food price inflation remained unchanged in September after a slight increase to 4,1% in August. Despite this, experts caution that monthly pressures, especially on staple foods like bread, cereals, and maize, continuen to burden household budgets. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Brendan Jacobs, head of agriculture for business and commercial banking at Standard Bank South Africa, said: “South Africa's food inflation isn't easing as quickly as we'd hope, with core staples continuing to bear much of the strain.” South Africa's food inflation, particularly for maize and wheat, is significantly influenced by broader global conditions and recent geopolitical issues. According to Jacobs, the latest South African Supply and Demand Estimates (SASDE) report put the maize harvest for the 2023/24 season at 12,8 million tons, reflecting a 22% yearon-year (y/y) decline…

Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi recently ascribed the cause of death of six children in the Naledi area of Soweto, Gauteng, to the consumption of a pesticide that contained organophosphates. The children died after eating snacks bought from a spaza shop. Motsoaledi said on SABC News that the pesticide was composed of a group of organophosphates normally used in agriculture as an insecticide. The organophosphate identified in this instance was terbufos, and all six children died as a result of terbufos ingestion. “Our investigations following the deaths [of the six children] showed that terbufos is widely available in spaza shops and even in the retail sector. The product is used by the shop owners against rat infestations and is also sold as such to their customers,” Motsoaledi stated. Specialist…

The Veterinarian Network is urging South African cattle producers to start vaccinating their herds against three-day stiff sickness (TDS) as soon as possible to augment the animals’ resistance and limit their exposure to the disease. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Dr Danie Odendaal, director of the Veterinarian Network, said outbreaks of TDS typically occurred during periods of high rainfall, and that these conditions were conducive to a surge in biting insects, which could exacerbate the spread of diseases. “TDS, or bovine ephemeral fever, is a viral disease transmitted by Culicoides midges. As we are on the cusp of the summer rainfall season, vaccinations must take place as soon as possible, as it takes an animal at least two weeks to build up immunity against a viral disease,” Odendaal explained. “In South…

As I write this, the airwaves and press are full of news about the Phala Phala saga. Unbelievably, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been unable to garner sufficient evidence to prosecute anyone involved in the theft of US$580 000 (about R10 million) from a couch in a house on the farm belonging to President Cyril Ramaphosa. The NPA, apparently for the same reason, is unable to prosecute the people who took possession of these dollars, failed to issue a receipt to the payee, failed to disclose the forex transaction to the revenue authorities, and failed to report the theft to the police. Meanwhile, Ramaphosa, who offered to step aside if prosecuted when the news originally broke, has denied all knowledge of the matter. He hasn't provided explanation or accepted…

A recent review conducted by the University of Georgia in the US suggests that new temperature-measuring technologies could simplify the process of keeping fresh produce fresher for longer. Preserving temperature, humidity levels and light is key to ensuring that fruit and vegetables don't spoil too quickly. Since increases in temperature are at the heart of undesireable outcomes like untimely rotting, quick and accurate monitoring of such changes is essential. According to the researchers, thermal imaging technology could help regulate temperatures before and after the harvesting of fresh produce. “Measuring temperature in food processing environments has to be done right,” said Kevin Mis Solval, lead author of the study and an associate professor at the university's College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. He added that thermal imaging tools were not only…