Innehållsförteckning för 25 August 2023 från Farmer's Weekly

At the end of July, at the EFF's 10th anniversary, president of the organisation Julius Malema was again seen (and heard) singing the song, ‘Kill the Boer’. Since then, there has been rampant debate on the topic not only in South Africa, but also abroad. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, X (formerly Twitter) and Space X, as well as the world's richest man, even tweeted about the subject, asking South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa why he was quiet while Malema and the EFF, the country's third-largest political party, were calling for the supposed “genocide of white South Africans”. Many in the global mainstream media have sided with the EFF on the issue: ‘Kill the Boer’ is a struggle song, and not to be taken literally, we have been told. Indeed,…

It was noted at the annual Grain SA-Fertasa planning meeting for the coming summer crop season that fertiliser imports in 2023 were taking place more slowly than in previous years. This was probably due to uncertainty around when falling international fertiliser prices would reach their low benchmark, and waiting for grain prices to increase. Both of the above have happened. The latter is due to the cancellation of the Black Sea contract. Additionally, a larger-than-average maize yield is expected. The above factors and the fact that Grain SA is motivating producers to buy their fertiliser earlier rather than later will most probably lead to a rapid increase in fertiliser demand. Fertiliser companies are therefore urged to finalise orders for their usual imports to avoid fertiliser shortages later this year. Transnet…

BIDEN RIPPED FOR LATEST ‘LAND GRAB’ BLOCKING KEY ENERGY, AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT President Joe Biden was blasted Tuesday after he designated about 405 000ha of public lands surrounding the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona as a national monument. – foxnews.com UREA SHORTAGE HITS HOME A national urea shortage has renewed calls for the US government to safeguard agriculture and food security by increasing domestic fertiliser production. – weeklytimesnow.com.au WORLD'S TOP FOOD PRODUCERS PUSH BACK ON DEFORESTATION RULES The world's largest agriculture producers are pushing back against new European Union rules that require proof that crops weren't grown on deforested land, which producers say will add to the cost of making food. – bloomberg.com…

South Africa has been in the global media over the past two months for all the wrong reasons. Most of it falls in the category of scoring own goals! August will be dominated by the BRICS summit that will take place in South Africa, and it is necessary to consider the context of the summit as well as the possible advantages it may have for South Africa and for agriculture specifically. The 15th BRICS summit will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 22 to 24 August. Apart from the five main members of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), several other nations with interest were invited, including a number of African countries and also Argentina and Iran. Some of the other potential BRICS partners…

Numerous challenges are threatening the long-term economic viability of the fresh produce sector worldwide, and therefore also economic stability, food security and health, according to Robert Guenther, chief public policy officer of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA). At the IFPA Southern African conference, recently held in Cape Town, Guenther said the supply side of the fresh produce industry experienced unprecedented increases in costs, such as fertiliser, fuel, shipping and electricity during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of the region of operation. While most fresh fruit operators were able to increase their selling prices, it was not enough to overcome the increases in production and operating costs. Guenther referred to an international survey by the Fresh Produce Coalition, which found that most of the participants did not get any government support,…

Research is underway in Australia and the UK to reduce methane emissions from beef cattle, and while these studies have shown that a seaweed supplement can reduce cattle's methane emissions, cattle that received the supplement weighed less at slaughter. In Australia, research conducted at James Cook University in Queensland, showed that by adding less than 2% dried seaweed to a cow's diet, methane emissions could be reduced by up to 60%. Meanwhile, a four-year trial in the UK has begun after research showed the benefit of feeding cows an extract from daffodils grown at a higher altitude to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), methane from burping cattle released about 2,1 billion tons of methane. The FAO said that it…

Bio-ethanol for fuel blending, food additives and bioplastics are some of the diversification opportunities being investigated by the South African Sugar Association (SASA) to ensure the sustainability of the hard-hit sugar industry. Following the announcement that there would be no tax increase in the healthy promotion levy, also known as the sin tax, in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years earlier this year, SASA had been able to investigate these diversification opportunities. While most projects were at the market analysis stages, with the Department of Science and Innovation and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) providing some financial support, diversification and restructuring were needed to ensure the growth and sustainability of the industry, which had faced serious challenges over the years. If the sugar industry was to compete in these growing…

South Africa's pork industry has undergone a few difficult years as market prices have at times traded below production costs. Dr Peter Evans, who was recently declared the new CEO of the industry body, the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO), said he hoped to turn the tide by increasing the value proposition of pork to consumers. Johann Kotzé, former CEO of SAPPO, was set to fill the position as CEO of Agri SA later on in the year. Evans has been hailed as an established member of the SAPPO team, bringing a wealth of experience as a renowned leader in animal health. He was pivotal in the development of Pork 360, as well as setting up various interventions to enable the sustainable growth of the industry. In his new…

Poor economic growth, high inflation and unemployment are the primary drivers of consumer trends in sub-Saharan Africa, Euromonitor consultant Rubab Abdoolla said at the International Fresh Produce Association Southern Africa Conference, held recently in Cape Town. She pointed out that GDP growth for African countries ranged between 3% and 6%, with inflation sitting at up to 35% in some countries. Unemployment was also high, with more than 30% of South Africa's working population being unemployed. However, she warned that most of these statistics only captured data from the formal market. The informal market, in contrast, was estimated to contribute 55% of sub-Saharan Africa's GDP, and 80% of employment. Urbanisation and the young age of Africa's population, averaging around 20, were other major drivers. She pointed out that 47% of the…

For a while now, there's been growing interest in the connection between cannabis and mental health. Endocannabinoids, or body-produced cannabinoids, enzymes and receptors make up the complex network known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which controls a variety of physiological activities. It is essential for preserving homeostasis (stability) in the body. The significance of the ECS increases when it comes to mental health. According to studies, the ECS helps to control mood, anxiety and stress reactions. It does this by controlling the release of neurotransmitters, which have a significant effect on mental and emotional states. For example, depression can affect the working of the ECS. Restoring ECS balance may lessen symptoms of depression. Cannabinoids from the cannabis plant, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), can interact with the ECS…

Frugal Feasts LIFESTYLE SERVES 4 600g beef sirloin steak, cut into 2,5cm cubes 250ml (1 cup) ready-made satay sauce 15ml (1 Tbsp) vegetable oil 2 avocados, peeled, stoned and sliced, or diced to serve 350g bag coleslaw, to serve Sesame seeds, to garnish Spring onion, to garnish Lemon or lime wedges, to serve • Place the beef in a bowl. Add 85ml satay sauce. Stir to coat. Thread the beef onto eight skewers. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook the skewers, turning, until browned. • Place the remaining satay sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. • Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. • Place the coleslaw in a bowl with half the avocado, and toss to combine. • Divide the salad onto serving…

Leander Jameson was born in 1853 into a well-respected Scottish family, which included barristers, doctors, professors and high-ranking army officers. He was educated at University College Hospital, London, and distinguished himself as a medical student, showing promise of a successful professional career in London. However, Jameson's health broke down, and he decided to go to the dry climate of Kimberley, which also appeared to be an exciting place to be due to the diamond rush. After the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, Cecil Rhodes, then governor of the Cape Colony, wanted to incorporate the Transvaal and Orange Free State in a federation under British rule. President Paul Kruger of the Transvaal was fully aware of Rhodes’ intentions; he kept a close watch on proceedings, importing German arms and ammunition…

Michelin is sponsoring the launch of a new thought leadership platform called What's Treading, an industryfocused podcast that looks at ways to get South Africa's economy moving. What's Treading brings key opinion leaders from across the commercial industry to share issues, insights and solutions on South Africa's key sectors, including construction, mining, transport and agriculture, among others. The South African economy has faced a barrage of issues in the past few years. Crippling power cuts, volatile commodity prices, ailing infrastructure and a challenging external environment have hampered growth, leading to low levels of business and consumer confidence. Using this as a starting point, What's Treading has curated the best minds in the commercial industry to give a holistic view of not only the issues, but also to offer innovative and…

ARCHIVE With feed prices at a very high level, this article looked at a few aspects of appetite and consumption in poultry. Appetite and food consumption are not strictly the same thing, the former being the physiological drive to eat, and the latter being the resultant effect of appetite. In other words, while a bird has a drive to eat, food intake can be reduced by factors such as competition from other birds, fineness of the mash, over-debeaking, and so on. Or food intake may be increased by the feeding of crumbled or pelleted feeds and moistened feeds. To my mind, food consumption is a vital economic factor and also one of the most useful guides to a flock's health, wellbeing and production. The astute poultry keeper should know when…

The California Department of Food and Agriculture in the US announced a quarantine for the fruit and vegetable industry after close to 30 invasive fruit flies had spread over the area last month. According to the department, this was the first quarantine in the area. The quarantine had been implemented to prevent further damage. The department said that the Tau fruit fly, native to Asia, was first found in the area in June. It could not confirm how it was brought to the area. The fly was generally attracted to most fresh produce, with avocado, tomato and watermelon topping the list. The department said that if the flies spread, it could destroy crops and force farmers to increase pesticide use. Jason Leathers, the environmental programme manager for the department, said…

Bayer Crop Science has announced a replacement for Dr Klaus Eckstein, lead for Africa, following his retirement after 25 years of service. Taking over as of 1 September 2023, Debra Mallowah will lead the South East Africa region for the company. Hailing from Kenya, Mallowah was the vice-president for east and central Africa operations for Coca-Cola. She has extensive experience in leading global multinational companies with a strong footprint in Africa, and has a strong passion for the continent and impact-generating businesses. Upon the announcement, Mallowah stated that she looked forward to the opportunity to cultivate a brighter future, empower smallholder and commercial farmers across the continent, transform lives and sow seeds of positive change. Mallowah would be based in Nairobi, Kenya. Eckstein would remain a senior Bayer representative of…

During a panel discussion at the recent International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Southern African conference held in Cape Town, privatisation, decentralisation, regenerative farming, collaboration and authenticity were identified as some of the solutions that could help the fresh produce industry overcome challenges. Charl du Bois, commercial executive of Capespan, said South Africa's fresh produce industry had grown from 150 000ha to more than 200 000ha over the past decade, with more than 50% of these hectares being replaced with improved varieties. “The private sector has invested billions of rands to grow the fresh produce industry and its supply chains, but weak links, such as infrastructural challenges and the energy crisis, are keeping us from fulfilling our full potential,” he said. Paulina Theologou Criticos, CEO of Westfalia, said these challenges were…

Consistent cattle vaccination can increase profits and make animal protein more sustainable, according to new research. South Africa's dismal vaccination track record is, however, hindering not only production, but opportunities for greater exports. Published by Oxford Analytica and global organisation Health for Animals (HFA), the report, titled ‘Animal Health and Sustainability: A Global Data Analysis’, showed that if global vaccination rates reached 60% for beef cattle, the industry would see a 50% increase in productivity. Based on global productivity levels, this rise was equivalent to the beef consumption needs of 3,1 billion people, since for every two cattle that were vaccinated, one less person went hungry. In terms of South Africa's vaccination levels, the situation did not look promising, said Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the national Red Meat Producers’ Organisation.…

Vegetable prices showed divergent trends over the past month, with tomato, cabbage and onion prices easing, while carrots and potatoes traded higher. Onion prices are still at a high level, but the data suggest that consumer resistance could be building against the price levels apparent over the past months. Limpopo potato producers were affected by low prices during the second half of 2022 as a result of strong volumes. Despite a projected increase in potato volumes over the coming months, price levels are unlikely to return to levels experienced in the second half of 2022 as producers reduce their planting areas to account for higher input costs and load-shedding. CABBAGE The cabbage price decreased by almost 14% over the past month (see Graph 1) on the back of a substantial…

As a proponent of holistic farming methodology, I believe good care, adequate nutrition, and ongoing veld management can prevent or greatly minimise the effects of many livestock diseases, and even parasite infestation. An example here, is that after animals have been dewormed, leaving such livestock in a particular camp to shed parasites for, say, two weeks is a good idea. After the stay in the camp, ‘clean’ livestock should be moved to a new camp that's been free of livestock for some weeks or months. Meanwhile, the area where parasites were expelled after treatment should be kept free of livestock for a few weeks or even a couple of months so that expelled parasites can die off. This is an instance of how a holistic or proactive management strategy can…

Stettyn Cellar was established in 1963 to produce wine from wine grapes produced in the Stettyn region, situated near Villiersdorp. Three years ago, the shareholders of the cellar were confronted with a difficult decision: they had to invent a totally new way of doing things because of the poor margins realised from wine grape production. To improve their margins, the shareholders decided to add more value to their wine. “We appointed Sarel Meyer, who specialises in the marketing of wine,” Hendrik Botha says. With the arrival of the new cellar manager to guide the business, new brands and labels with unique stories behind them were created, and marketing agents were appointed to manage and promote local and international sales. Today, they are exporting their wine to various countries, including the…

Piket seeders can be fitted with any of three types of press wheels, each suited to its own application and conditions. The disc seeder unit press wheel for small grain and fine seed performs two functions: it accurately controls the seed depth of the unit, and also acts as a press wheel to ensure good seed-to-soil contact. To plant small grain and fine seed accurately, the seed depth needs to be uniform, and to achieve good germination there should be sufficient seed-to-soil contact. Settings should not always be the same, since planting conditions change. Soil moisture, hardness and type of soil all influence the settings. 100mm PIKET PRESS WHEEL The Piket 100mm press wheel was designed for bigger planter units to allow for better seed-tosoil application, especially in sandy and…

While Europe suffers its hottest summer ever, the industry paying the price as a result of climate change is farming. The need for farmers to adapt in ever changing environments has become more imperative and research on how to improve the situation is ongoing. A research team from various universities in Spain conducted extensive research on root growth adaption to climate change in crops. The focus on purely roots is because this part of the plant is responsible for uptake of water and nutrients. One of the areas researchers looked at is whether roots could adapt to changing temperatures in soil, particularly in crops. In the research paper, the team wrote: “Plants have a greater water demand in warmer environments due to increased water loss by evapotranspiration and decreased water…

India officially announced a ban on rice exports in the week of 21 July 2023. But it does not cover all rice categories as some analysts, myself included, initially feared. The ban is mainly on non-basmati white and broken rice. Still, this affected category is significant. It accounts for 45% of the 22 million tons of rice that India exports to the global market annually. The rationale cited in various media articles is that India's government is worried about inflation ahead of the upcoming elections. However, the problem with this view is that India faces far less inflation pressure than other regions. For example, in June 2023, India's annual consumer inflation was at 4,8%, down significantly from the start of the year when inflation was at 6,5% in January 2023.…

While a BRICS currency is not on the agenda of the bloc's summit in South Africa in August, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will talk about ways to deepen local currency trading to have greater flexibility and be less dependent on the American dollar, according to Dr Anil Sooklal, BRICS representative in South Africa. Over the past months, there had been talks of the use of a common currency as a means to boost intraBRICS trade and eliminate the dollar conversion costs of international transactions. The switch might also make it easier for India, South Africa and Brazil, facing the dollar crunch, to repay debts owed to international organisations, while easing the impact of Western sanctions against Russia. Dawie Maree, FNB's head of agriculture information and marketing, told…

ARGENTINA The drought in Argentina has led to a 300% increase in the importation of soya bean year-on-year, with the country importing just over six million tons in the first half of the year. According to Argentina's board of trade, Argentina is the world's largest exporter of soya bean. However, the 2023 harvest has been affected by drought, which has forced farmers to harvest earlier than usual, reducing yields. This has led to Argentina having to import more of the oilseed than during previous years. Most of the imports came from Paraguay and Brazil. ITALY The Northern Region of Italy is known for its rice and maize fields, but these fields have reduced drastically in size due to a very hot summer and drought conditions, said the Italian government. The…

Taking the legal route in an effort to force South Africa's government to take up its responsibilities pertaining to deteriorating infrastructure and poor service delivery should only be considered as a very last option, said Dr Kobus Laubscher, an independent agricultural economist. He said even if the court decided in favour of the claimants, it could, and probably would, take years before any action was taken. His comments followed an announcement by Free State Agriculture's (FSA) president, Francois Wilken, during the organisation's recent congress in Bloemfontein, that FSA was seeking legal advice about the possibility of forcing the state to take up its responsibilities via the courts. He said the organisation had “bent over backwards” to address the vacuum caused by the state's failure to act on the ever-increasing disintegration…

Commercial ostrich production has for all intents and purposes collapsed in Zimbabwe. After 23 years of farm invasions, a billion-rand industry was nearly extinct, according to a recent report in the international Poultry World magazine. Before the land invasions in the country in 2000, Zimbabwe's commercial ostrich farmers produced about 30 000 birds, collectively earning R1,881 billion. Now there were barely any functional ostrich farms left, which were enterprises that required substantial land and long-term investments. According to the report, once prosperous EU-approved slaughterhouses and tanneries were barely functional. Cumulatively, the lack of regular power, fresh water, transport, and feed supplies, were detrimental to the industry. Of the initial 200 commercial ostrich farms, the few remaining ones were segregated into private wildlife parks. Most of the city abattoirs, as well…

The conflict and political unrest in Sudan have opened up an additional export market for red meat from Namibia in the Middle East. This was according to a statement by the Namibian Meat Board following a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar. The Meat Board said in the statement that the UAE had emerged as a market for the exportation of red meat. The UAE previously imported about 80% of its meat from Sudan, but the turbulence in that country had made further imports highly problematic. This created an ideal opportunity for Namibia to access that specific market. During the exploratory mission, the significance of halaal certification for exporting meat to Muslim-dominated countries like the UAE and Qatar was emphasised. Halaal certification ensured that meat processing procedures…

Strategy determines the future of any business. Don't get confused. Strategy is a simple concept. It's what you choose to do and how you choose to do it, and, most importantly, what you choose not to do. Any chosen business strategy, whether the outcome of formal planning or the intuition of its leaders, sets the entire team of managers and employees on a path that dictates how they will spend their time. So take great care. Strategy selection either leads to the business prospering, or, alternatively, drains the time and energy of everyone involved, achieving little. While the concept may be simple, strategy selection is not. There have been several excellent publications dealing with this process. While many business books provide a framework for selecting strategies and practices, the options…

Sexed semen breeding programmes for the beef industry have primarily focused on developing genetically superior replacement heifers. “Male sexed semen is an opportunity to capture value. The opportunity's greater when the price spread between oxen and heifers is significant,” says Dr Ken Odde, professor and department head emeritus of the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University. Since retiring from academia, Odde has focused on creating more profitability for his family's commercial cow-calf ranch in South Dakota in the US. “About six years ago, I was sitting at the sale barn in Mobridge, South Dakota, and the price spread between [oxen] and heifers just struck me that day,” says Odde. From that ‘aha’ moment, Odde started to pursue what a sexed semen breeding programme could look like…

The introduction of the JCB 530-70 Loadall to the South African market has brought owning a telehandler within easy reach of farmers who are looking for a versatile and ever-so-capable tool for almost any on-farm task. Sold and supported in South Africa by Bell Equipment's JCB Agriculture dealer network, the JCB 530-70 Loadall was on display at the Bell Equipment Forestry & Agriculture and JCB Agriculture stand at Nampo 2023 in May, where it garnered a huge amount of interest. Bell Equipment's Forestry & Agriculture dealer development manager Charles Inggs said: “It's been a year since we added the JCB Agriculture dealership to our business, and the partnership is really taking off now that we have established an independent dealer network. “Loadalls can be fitted with a grain bucket, grain…

Insights Into The Rugby World Cup by Nick Mallett with Lloyd Burnard (Jonathan Ball, R20) The countdown to this year's Rugby World Cup is getting closer and closer, and for those who want to bone up on what to expect, hope for and (perhaps) fear, Mallett's served up the perfect preview. From his highly personal memories of commentating on the thrilling 1995 semi-final against England, complete with that unexpected Mandela Moment, to the four changes he'd like to make to rugby laws, Mallett's signature forthright and engaging style shines through. Not surprisingly, he has strong views on how players and referee should interact and gives insights into how a ref can be ‘played’, whether during a match or beyond the pitch, which includes a rousing tribute to Siya Kolisi. Mallett…

Dear Prof McCrindle, What make of vaccines should be used for puppies? What diseases do they protect against? Kind regards, Anonymous Dear Anonymous, There are different makes of dog vaccines available in South Africa and the type used depends on the age of the dog. It is possible to get more or less the same ‘5-in-1’ puppy vaccine under different trade names. The ingredients in these vaccines differ, and if you are a breeder, you need to be aware that certain of these routine puppy vaccines cannot be used in pregnant bitches. The puppy vaccination schedule starts with the first vaccine at six weeks old and is repeated monthly (not less than three weeks apart) until the pup is 12 weeks old; then annually. Rabies vaccination is given for the…