Innehållsförteckning för 4 August 2023 från Farmer's Weekly

I have always been particularly passionate about children and ensuring that all children, regardless of race, background or religion, get offered the same opportunities for success in their adult lives. In my opinion, this begins with childhood education. But education obviously does not stand alone, and it is very difficult for many children to get the full benefit of any education without proper food and nutrition. According to Agnes Erzse and Aviva Tugendhaft, both at Wits University, South Africa has persistently high rates of hunger and malnutrition among children, with 27% of all children in the country stunted, and 61% iron-deficient. While there are government policies in place, such as school feeding schemes, to try and ensure that poor children receive at least one meal every day, this is not…

From 1 to 3 August, leaders from every segment of the fresh produce supply chain will meet at Cape Town's Century City Conference Centre for the International Fresh Produce Association's (IFPA) Southern Africa Conference, the largest fresh produce conference and trade show in Southern Africa. “The Southern Africa Conference is a truly vibrant and engaging event where growers, exporters, retailers, wholesalers, market agents, and many more throughout the supply chain convene to make strategic connections and exchange new ideas,” said Stephanie van der Walt, regional manager for the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Southern Africa. “This year, we're thrilled that attendees will get to enjoy a variety of new networking and education opportunities as they gain first-hand insights into global trends and business opportunities in the produce industry.” Conference sessions…

Farmers Week, held in the Falklands in July, led to deep discussions about what most affects the local farming communities. The Falkland Islands are situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 450km from Argentina. A large percentage of land is used for agricultural purposes, with their main product being wool. The Rural Business Association met for the special week of events to discuss various issues that affected farmers in the Falklands, an overseas territory of the UK that is also claimed by Argentina. Association chairperson Lewis Clifton said that, from his experience in agriculture, he understood that government could not afford to roll out systems to improve conditions. Clifton said that the wool industry, after an increase in price a few years ago, was now taking a tumble. This situation…

Botswana's first mega citrus project with around 800 000 citrus trees is expecting its first harvest in January next year. Giving an update on the SelebePhikwe Citrus project, company CEO Johan Janse van Vuuren last month said the plantation situated in the Central District comprised 811 000 citrus trees, and added that the farm was expected to produce fruit for target markets including China, the US and Europe. In a recent statement, the company said the project would be one of the largest consolidated citrus developments in Southern Africa. “Intended as a flagship horticultural project for Botswana, it will provide a source of employment for up to 1 500 people (permanent and seasonal). In addition, it will bring indirect benefits to the local economy, such as increased economic activity and…

Five men believed to be instrumental in the recent brazen attack on South Africa's trucking industry that prompted the deployment of the national defence force on all major routes in the affected provinces have appeared in court and were remanded in custody. Nkosikhona Gumede, Khulekani Shongwe, Fundile Mpondo, Mafika Sibande and Emmanuel Mthethwa were arrested in Mpumalanga and appeared in the Ermelo Magistrate's Court on 17 July in connection with the torching of 21 trucks on major routes in KwaZuluNatal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The men were charged with malicious damage to property, aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of an illegal firearm, and attempted murder and were due back in court. According to police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, the police had 12 people of interest who were under investigation…

Livestock theft plaguing farming communities has been under the spotlight recently with many farmers calling on the police to do more to assist them. In a show of faith, the Newcastle South African Police Service (SAPS) Stock Theft Task Team recovered more than R270 000 worth of livestock over nine days. This came thanks to intelligence operations that began in the first week of July in the Normandien area in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal. According to the Newcastle police, the task team responded to information about a suspect believed to be involved in the theft of two horses valued at R40 000 in Normandien on 1 July. They were able to apprehend the suspect and recovered the stolen horses. In another operation in the same area, the team apprehended another suspect, recovering…

COMMODITY PRICE TRENDS In monthly terms, the majority of vegetable prices reported here were down. The exception to this was potatoes, as cooler and wet weather impacted marketed volumes during June. The cold weather experienced during mid-July could also impact the potato volumes being sent to market over the next three months. CABBAGE The cabbage price decreased by 7,6% over the past month (see Graph 1) despite a reduction in volume of 14,4%. This points to soft demand as the disposable income of households is under increased pressure. In yearly terms, the price was 11,6% lower, with the year-onyear (y/y) volume up by 9,1%. During the last week of June, the average cabbage price across the five main fresh produce markets was around R2 430/t. Historical seasonal price trends suggest…

Employers in the agriculture sector are regularly faced with the situation where a foreign national they have been employing is no longer in possession of valid work documentation. Employers are then required to take the appropriate actions to terminate the contract of employment. But how does an employer do this legally? Employers are prohibited from employing any illegal foreign nationals in terms of the Immigration Act No. 13 of 2002. Where an employer is found guilty of contravening this Act, they face imprisonment of no longer than one year for a first offence, or they can be fined. Employers must ensure potential employees are in possession of a valid work permit/visa. Any contract with them should thus be for a fixed term. The contract must clearly state that it is…

Research conducted by the Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security and the International Livestock Research Institute takes a look at how livestock production could be affected by carbon constraints and animal welfare legislation together with the increasing demand for livestock products. The research paper noted that the livestock industry was organised in long market chains that employed about 1,3 billion people globally and supported about 600 million smallholder farms in developing countries. The author of the paper, Philip Thornton, said livestock demand was rapidly increasing due to the increase in the human population. According to him, historically the demand for livestock has been met by techniques that included breed substitution, crossbreeding and within-breed selection. Most of the technological gains have been made in developed countries, but according to…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly. Email Dr Kedibone Modika at modikak@arc.agric.za Meat is composed of about 60% to 70% of naturally occurring water. This makes meat and its products more prone to microbial spoilage and chemical reactions that can negatively affect quality characteristics such as colour, texture and flavour. Freezing meat is therefore a great way to preserve its nutritional value and keep it from spoiling by mainly reducing the rate of microbial spoilage and deterioration. Depending on the cut, type of meat and packaging, uncooked meats may be preserved in the freezer and remain at a high quality for anywhere from one to 12 months. THE ADVANTAGES OF FREEZING MEAT • Food safety Freezing has been proven to…

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture is requesting the National Disaster Management Centre to declare flood-damaged areas in the Western Cape a disaster. This came after the department estimated damage to primary agriculture sites on the West Coast and in the Cape Winelands and Overberg at R1,053 billion. The costs were broken down into damage to irrigation infrastructure at R7,7 million, fencing at R1,4 million, the rehabilitation of river, riparian zones, vineyards and orchards at R748 million, crop losses of R278 million, income losses of R18,7, million and the cost of clearing a weir to provide drinking water to 400 people at R120 000. The estimates did not consider potential losses experienced along the agriculture value chain, nor did they provide any insights into the impact of future exports. The…

Agri SA recently announced a decision by its board of directors to provide financial support to the appellant in the Moladora Trust v Mereki and Others case. The Land Claims Court ruled in 2022 that, in terms of the Extension of Security and Tenure Act (ESTA), occupiers and residents had rights to graze their livestock on the land they resided on. Willem de Chavonnes Vrugt, chairperson of Agri SA's Centre of Excellence: Land, said the decision was made after taking legal advice. “We've decided to provide support where necessary to protect the interest of the agriculture sector. “The case is expected to set an important precedent, with farreaching implications for private property rights in South Africa and the scope of the ESTA legislation. “The appeal is against a judgment that…

Farm Europe, a think tank that focuses on rural economies and presents alternative solutions, said the impact studies on the sustainable use of pesticides needed to be ramped up. In a statement, Farm Europe said new genomic techniques (NGT) would lead to the establishment of research centres to develop more plant options for greater sustainability, disease resistance and reduced use of inputs. However, it noted that the European Commission had decided to remove restrictions for herbicide-tolerant NGTs, and Farm Europe believed more research was needed before this could be done. The restrictions were in place for plant reproductive material for herbicidetolerant varieties and to ultimately avoid an increase in herbicide use. The Farm Europe statement said: “We regret that organic production will not be able to take advantage of NGTs…

Climate change is a reality and inevitably has an impact on the agriculture sector in Southern Africa, according to Bertus Kruger, agricultural consultant from Windhoek, Namibia. He said it was imperative that farmers in the region got proactively involved in decisionmaking processes pertaining to the matter and that they sensitised other producers to get involved too. Kruger was tasked with compiling a report following the recent climate change action regional workshop in Johannesburg, hosted by the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU). In the report, he said that although the contribution of Southern African countries to global GHG emissions was low to negligible, all of them stood to be adversely affected by climate change. “Adaptation is paramount for the Southern African agriculture-food sector to survive and continue to produce…

In June, tractor sales increased by 13% year-on-year (y/y) to 930 units, and combine harvester sales by 28% to 64 units, according to the South African Agricultural Machinery Association (SAAMA). In comparison with the corresponding period in 2022, total tractor sales for the year up until June declined by 1,8% to 4 055, whereas combine harvester sales increased by 53,5% to 327 units. Tallie Giessing, chairperson of SAAMA, ascribed the high sales volumes for June to orders placed in earlier months thanks to favourable gains of the past few seasons, along with the weakening of the rand. This had resulted in some farmers bringing forward their buying decisions to take up older and cheaper-priced stock. Giessing expected sales to come under pressure throughout the rest of the year, due to…

Ostrich production is expected to increase by about 7% to just over 140 000 slaughter birds in the current production season, according to Francois de Wet, managing director of Cape Karoo International. The season runs annually from July to June. Production fell from 162 000 slaughter birds during the 2020/21 season to 127 000 during the 2021/22 season, because of high input costs in combination with drought conditions spanning more than seven years in some parts of the Klein Karoo and Southern Cape. De Wet said production increased to about 137 000 birds during the 2022/23 season, thanks to improved market prices, which together with the recent good rain motivated farmers to produce more ostriches. He pointed out that the combined level of the Stompdrift and Kammanassie dams were still…

The World Bank defines food security as “when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. Food security thus implies that food should be both available and affordable. Policymakers have believed for many years that imports can secure a country's food security. When farmers complain about low prices, they are sometimes told they must be able to produce at import parity prices in order to survive. The 2008 global food crisis resulted in more than 29 countries limiting food exports. COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine resulted in global food shortages. Various countries enforced regulations to limit food exports, as they could no longer depend on imports to…

Paula Hynes (right) does the milking twice a day, often aided by her daughter, Georgie. To call Pete and Paula Hynes, farmers who hail from Aherla, Ireland, celebrities seems out of place. The down-to-earth couple, donning muddy rubber boots, overalls and worn T-shirts as they rake soiled manure, do not personify stardom. While Paula's lashes are tipped with mascara, there is little time to focus on personal luxuries as the couple run a dairy with 180 cows in milk and a cow stud, while balancing a full show schedule, raising three daughters and devoting any spare time to advocating for farmers. Pete and Paula have garnered nearly 20 000 followers on social media and are regularly featured in mainstream media, each has a weekly column in a national newspaper, and…

Renowned Cape Town chef Karen Dudley is back with her fourth book Onwards (Penguin, R360). After COVID-19 closed her beloved, 10-year-old restaurant, The Kitchen, she felt she had to make peace with moving on, finding deliverance from any business anxiety and looking pain and loss in the face. From chapter one's ‘Recipes to help with letting go’ to ‘The new imagination’ at the end, you'll hear how she's exploring new ventures and new ways of doing things, plus how The Kitchen's famous lemon squares evolved. Here are her current top five key words: 1. Closure: When you have to close a business, it helps to try for a good break-up, as in a personal relationship. You need to acknowledge the best things that came out of it: we made delicious,…

EASTERN CAPE 1 AUGUST Shashi Tuli Stud Inaugural Production Sale, Shahshi Farm, Macleantown. Visit sheard.co.za for more information. FREE STATE 1 AUGUST Schyff Beefmaster Production Sale, Rietfontein, Bultfontein. On offer: 35 bulls and 70 female animals. Phone Theuns Visser on 082 338 1356. 5 AUGUST Romagnola Showcase Auction, VKB Auction Centre, Frankfort. On offer: 38 SP female animals, 18 SP bulls, 10 weaners, and 10 bull-mature heifers. Phone PJ Muller on 060 966 9340. 9 AUGUST • Albus Brahman Elite Red Sale, Dankbaar Potch, Parys. On offer: 20 female animals and 10 stud bulls. Phone Hendrik Nel on 082 491 8289, or Stephan Serfontein on 082 788 5958. • Ottershaw Beefmaster Production Sale, Ottershaw, Westminster. On offer: 30 registered bulls and 20 registered heifers. Phone Jaco Pienaar on 082 782…

Readers who follow international relations will know that the US Congress is due to review the countries included in the African Growth and Opportunity Act. AGOA, as it is commonly called, is not a trade agreement, but a concession made to qualifying countries in sub-Saharan Africa to export duty-free to the US. It aims to promote market-based economies in Africa and development through the philosophy of ‘trade, not aid’. The list of qualifying countries is reviewed on a regular basis, but what makes the upcoming review particularly topical is the fact that South Africa is due to host the US-Africa AGOA forum later this year. That is, unless the event is moved in retaliation for what some congressmen view as South Africa's close ties with Russia. On 7 July, Agbiz…

Zimbabwe's rabbit farmers’ lobby group, the Zimbabwe Commercial Rabbit Breeders’ Association (Zicorba), has called for an immediate ban on the importation of live rabbits from South Africa. This followed the latest outbreak of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV2) in South Africa. Regis Nyamakanga, Zircoba president, said: “We're extremely concerned about the second outbreak of the disease in South Africa and need to protect our local industry at all costs. That is why we need to put protection measures in place as a matter of urgency. Zimbabwe's rabbit production industry is the second biggest in the SADC region and forms an important economic activity, especially among women and the youth.” He told Farmer's Weekly that rabbit meat was an important source of protein for people in Zimbabwe. The threat posed by…

There was a sharp focus on modernising agriculture in the face of socioeconomic crises at the SADC Parliamentary Forum's 53rd Plenary Assembly Session, which took place in Arusha, Tanzania, from 3 to 8 July. Led by the speaker of South Africa's National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the multiparty parliamentary delegation included Seiso Mohai, Nkhensani Bilankulu, and Desmond Moela of the ANC; Darren Bergman of the DA; and Ntombovuyo Mente of the EFF. The 53rd Parliamentary Forum, themed ‘Modernising agriculture to address food insecurity and youth unemployment in the SADC region: role of the parliaments’, discussed the importance of growing and modernising the agriculture sector, considered the backbone of most economies on the African continent, along with ways to create income and reduce poverty to address food insecurity. Speaking at the opening…

BRAZIL Brazilian beef exporters say their biggest client, China, has reduced its beef consumption in the past year. Researchers from Brazil noted that the Chinese demand for the product usually rose in the second half of the year (in preparation for Lunar New Year). However, the increase in volume did not mean higher prices. According to a report by Datagro, the price of 1t of beef dropped from US$7 000 (about R124 776) in the middle of last year to about US$5 000 (R89 126) last month. ITALY Higher-than-usual temperatures will continue to have an impact on farmers in Italy, Spain, France and Germany. The Italian government recently issued a red alert and warned residents to avoid sunlight in the middle of the day. Forecasters said Italians would have to…

The mechanisation of agriculture in Zambia could see the country produce more maize amongst other commodities, according to President Hakainde Hichilema. Currently, Zambia's maize output averaged between 2,7 million tons and 3,2 million tons. However, this was insufficient to meet local and export demands, which had led to the government aiming to double hectarage in order for farmers to produce more maize using mechanised farming methods. Hichilema said that the mechanisation of the sector could see an increase in maize output to 10 million tons, thus allowing the country to meet local and export demands. The president had therefore instructed the agriculture sector to step up. To mechanise the sector in Zambia, the widespread introduction of modern farming equipment to aid farmers was therefore needed. Launching the K3,6 billion (about…

The recent launch of FoodForward SA's (FFSA) ninth warehouse in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, comes at a critical time for NGOs offering developmental services. FFSA has an ongoing partnership with OneFarm Share, an initiative by HelloChoice and Standard Bank Group, which allowed the organisation to make a meaningful impact on society by reducing the environmental impact of food loss and waste while strengthening food security, especially in vulnerable communities, FFSA said. The opening of the ninth warehouse signalled the final milestone in FFSA's mission to establish a branch in every province, according to FFSA managing director Andy du Plessis. “Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic caused devastating scenes of acute food insecurity, we made it our mission to rapidly upscale our operations. This strategic expansion has been realised with the longawaited opening of…

The cannabis plant contains different kinds of cannabinoids. The cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), for example, is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, meaning it makes the user ‘high’. Terpenes are natural compounds from the plant, said by some cannabis experts to enhance the effects of THC. Successful production of oils, concentrates and edibles requires the extraction of cannabinoids, terpenes and other components from cannabis plants. SOLVENT-BASED METHODS OF EXTRACTION These methods involve using a liquid solvent to dissolve and extract cannabinoids and other desired compounds. Two popular solvent-based extraction methods are: • Hydrocarbon extraction This uses butane or propane for the separation/extraction, and is employed widely in the cannabis industry. The method is known for its efficiency in producing high-quality concentrates with potent flavours and aromas. In order to dissolve the…

Black rot (Xanthomonas campestris) is the most well-known disease of cabbages and other brassicas. Occurring around the world, it can render a cabbage crop totally unmarketable. Black rot is a bacterial disease, and many weeds host the pathogen. The bacteria are airborne. The disease typically starts on the edges of the leaf, with conspicuous V-shaped lesions appearing where the veins reach the margin. This is because, when the soil is moist, droplets of sap exude from the water-secreting pores (hydathodes) at night. The droplets can be seen in the early morning before the dew evaporates. The bacteria in the air then alight on these exposed droplets, and are sucked back into the leaf when the sun dries the dew. This is the main entry point for the bacteria. X. campestris…

SERVES FOUR ½x 500g packet spaghetti (for a healthier option, use wholewheat spaghetti) Olive oil, for frying 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed Salt and pepper 125ml (½ cup) chicken stock 2 eggs, beaten 150g block Cheddar cheese, finely grated 200g ham, cubed Parsley, for garnish (optional) • Cook spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet. • Meanwhile, heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan on medium high and fry the onion for 5 minutes or until golden. Add garlic and fry for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and bring to a boil. • Drain the spaghetti and immediately add to the pan with the onions. Stir through the eggs, 375ml (1½ cups) of the cheese, and the ham…

Robert Johnston and Thomas Crean first met each other on the rugby fields of Ireland during the early 1890s, when they played for Dublin Wanderers. Crean was studying medicine at the Royal College of Physicians, and Johnston was in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, which he had joined at the age of 18. Both men were chosen for the 1896 British Lions tour of South Africa under the captaincy of Johnny Hammond from Cambridge University. The tour lasted for two months and included four Test matches against South Africa, who played in green jerseys for the first time. Crean, a forward, scored a hat-trick of tries against Eastern Province in Port Elizabeth. Johnston, also a forward, sometimes found himself playing in the backline because of his versatility. After the tour, the…

Dear Prof McCrindle, It was recently announced that there was insufficient stock of African horse sickness in South Africa. What can I do to protect my horse when the season comes around? Could you recommend any herbal remedies that I could use to boost my horse's immune system? Kind regards, Anonymous Dear Anonymous, African horse sickness (AHS) is a deadly viral diseases found in horses. It is transmitted mostly by a tiny biting fly (Culicoides spp) that appears when the mornings are damp and misty, and lays its eggs in moist, manure-rich (hence acidic, nitrate-rich) earth. The most effective way to interrupt the life cycle of this fly is to reduce the acidity of the soil by liming the pastures and composting the horse manure from the paddocks and stables…