Innehållsförteckning för 1 September 2023 från Farmer's Weekly

Perhaps one aspect of livestock production that is not spoken about enough is the importance of veterinarians and animal health technicians in the expansion of the industry. In South Africa, where government and the private sector are actively trying to include more small-scale and emerging farmers in the agriculture sector, this is particularly important. Veterinarians and animal health technicians are essential for animal health and welfare. As Farmer’s Weekly has frequently reiterated: an unhappy and unhealthy animal will not be productive. Healthy animals have better growth rates and higher reproduction rates. Importantly, veterinarians also help in disease detection and ultimately, prevention and control. They also aid in genetic improvement, research and innovation, and regulatory compliance. Despite this, very little investment has been made by the state into the development and…

Karen Eybers is a farmer's wife, a mother and a teacher at the local school in Rietbron in the Karoo. This story starts in August 2021. Rietbron comprises many low-inome families with socio-economic challenges, hence the quantile three school (non-fee-paying school). Drug and alcohol abuse is high, and this affects the children directly as discipline is lacking at home, and this spills over into the schools. In fact, the whole situation seems hopeless. Karen mentioned that when you see children aged 10 to 14 smoking dagga, it keeps you awake at night. She prayed hard and then the answer came: to involve the local schoolchildren in youth shows (Karen says she knew absolutely nothing about youth shows and had no experience in this area). She chatted to Corné Nel, the…

In three years, R78,9 million has been disbursed to support black grower citrus operations across South Africa, creating 78 permanent and 625 seasonal jobs in total, and enabling 208ha of new trees to be planted. This is thanks to the Citrus Growers’ Association’s (CGA) R307 million Economic Transformation of Black Citrus Growers (ETBCG) Programme, launched in 2019 in partnership with the Jobs Fund, Land Bank, Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, AgriSETA, the LIMA Rural Development Foundation and FNB. Since then, just over R161,3 million of this funding has been approved. According to Justin Chadwick, CEO of the CGA, the programme was launched following the association applying to the Jobs Fund for a project that would make funding and technical support available to black citrus growers for orchard…

Veld fires pose a danger to agricultural activities, and farmers are being advised to put measures in place to mitigate against the risk of veld fires as winter ends and the windy season beckons. In a statement, Dawie Maree, head of information and marketing at FNB Agribusiness, said the increased risk came as South Africa braced for hotter and drier EI Niño weather conditions in addition to the risks associated with load-shedding. “Over the years, we have seen the negative impact that veld fires have had on farmers in certain parts of the country as they try to recover from a very difficult time that goes as far back as the 2015/16 season during the drought,” said Maree. According to Maree, veld fires can spread quickly during the drier seasons,…

Oats and wheat farmers in France have been affected by what climatologists in the area are calling a ‘winter storm in summer’. The UN has warned that extreme weather around the world is taking a toll on farming communities with heatwaves and flooding due to global warming. In Sangatte, in northern France, farmers told local media that some of them had lost half their harvest due to a storm experienced in August. According to weather service Meteo-France, Storm Patricia arrived at the beginning of August, together with heavy rains and winds, after an extreme heatwave. France’s livestock farmers would also feel the effects of the weather as the shortage of oats will cause a knock-on effect, according to local media. The World Meteorological Organization said there had been continuous warnings…

The South African National Parks (SANParks) was still investigating the death of a senior manager from the Environmental Crime Investigative Unit (ECIU). According to SANParks, Kobus de Wet (62) was based at Groenkloof, Pretoria and was camping at the Kruger National Park when he was apparently stormed and killed by a hippopotamus. The association made a brief announcement when the incident occurred on 12 August 2023 via social media. The management of SANParks sent condolences to the De Wet family, adding that the circumstances around the incident were under investigation. The minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, also sent her condolences to his wife, Almarie, and their children. The department said that De Wet had been an important member of the ECIU and played an integral role…

Uncertainty in the international economy as a result of weaker-thanexpected growth in China, as well as the war in Ukraine raising living costs in Europe, could severely influence mohair prices this coming season, according to Pierre van der Vyver, general manager of House of Fibre. Although the mohair market was usually not affected by the global economy, things were different this time around, because European countries were the biggest users of the fibre. This had caused those in the processing chain to be highly conservative and reluctant to invest in mohair stocks. According to Van der Vyver, other commodities would also suffer. “We are thus advising farmers to place a reserve price on their clips before a sale. We will not allow the market to drop by more than 10%…

In its bid to commercialise communal and emerging farmers through investment in agricultural infrastructure, the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform has embarked on handovers across the province. Department MEC Nonkqubela Pieters recently handed over a new shearing shed, dipping tank and 10 Dohne Merino sheep to the Upper Mkapusi Wool Growers’ Association. Pieters said the R1,4 million investment would improve the value of the association’s wool and increase its profits. She said the distribution of rams with superior genetics would also improve the quality of wool. The Mkapusi Association was formed in 1988 by a group of 12 sheep farmers through an initiative spearheaded by an extension officer who worked in the area. Before this initiative, the sheep farmers at Upper Mkapusi would shear their sheep…

During 2022, rapid inflation dominated global news headlines. This was underpinned by strong post-pandemic demand recovery, supply chain disruptions and the war in Ukraine. One of the key drivers of persistent inflationary pressures was surging food inflation (see graph). In this regard, the figure below shows how the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ Global Food Price Index peaked during the second quarter of 2022. Since then, and as is apparent in the figure, food inflation has eased considerably. Given the important role that inflation and food inflation play in monetary policy direction, this piece explores what global and local food inflation could look like over the months to come. A GLOBAL VIEW The consensus amongst analysts is that food inflation will moderate further as we approach 2024.…

Despite South Africa’s agricultural value chain, which contributes between 10% and 12% to the country’s overall economic output and being fraught with challenges, it still offers immense opportunity. The sector is one of the few that have thrived since the Covid-19 pandemic because of high crop prices and demand as well as high export activity, with agricultural exports reaching a new record of $12,8 billion (R234 billion) in 2022. But relentless Eskom blackouts, higher interest rates, poor infrastructure, service delivery failures, geopolitical tensions and now the government’s controversial draft water regulations are pushing the sector to the brink. According to Stats SA, agricultural output fell by a substantial 12,3% in the first of 2023, and the latest Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index has recorded the lowest reading for the past two…

Feed becomes stale when lipids, which include fatty acids and glycerol, become rancid. According to Feed Strategy, fats and oils present in feed undergo a chemical process called oxidation, which leads to the degradation of these fats. This results in the formation of undesirable compounds, such as free fatty acids and off-flavours, which can negatively affect the quality and nutritional value of the feed. As such, rancidity is often the result of factors that promote oxidation, such as: Exposure to oxygen. When feed ingredients containing fats or oils are exposed to air, oxygen molecules interact with the unsaturated fatty acids in the fats, leading to oxidation. Temperature. Higher temperatures accelerate the oxidation process. This is why feed stored in warm or hot environments is more susceptible to rancidity. Light exposure.…

MY 5 KEY WORDS: NINA DU PLESSIS Financial administrator Nina du Plessis has a perfect getaway from the pressures of work – hiking in places where cell phones can’t always reach! Du Plessis is based in Gordon’s Bay, about an hour eastwards from Cape Town, and has now generously shared the details of 40 of her favourite routes in Hiking Beyond Cape Town (Struik Travel, R290). The book is co-written with her father, travel and hiking enthusiast Willie Olivier. Immediately before our interview, she had completed a two-day hike on the Boesmanskloof trail from Greyton to McGregor. Here are her five key hiking words: • Blood: Hiking’s definitely in my blood – both my parents and my younger brother are keen and experienced hikers who love nature. My elder son,…

The infamous battle of Cuito Cuanavale in Angola began 35 years ago, and in his latest novel Vendetta (Macmillan, R350), Tony Park takes us back to that period and the horrors faced by all combatants, including South Africa’s conscripted troopies in the Border War. At the centre of the story is a small patrol sent to rescue two men, or neutralise them if necessary under the lieutenant’s secret orders. Fast forward a few decades and the lieutenant’s making a bid to be president. The sergeant has committed suicide after battles with PTSD, and a troopie’s been attacked. Is this coincidence or a mysterious vendetta? Cleverly selected detail about one of the settings, the South Coast, is elegantly woven into a narrative that moves smoothly between past and present. Hard to…

LIFESTYLE Travel Irish-born Major Johnny Bawden moved to Oudtshoorn in 1881 and was later awarded the Queen’s Medal for his efforts in the Anglo Boer War. He owned and managed the Queen’s Hotel in Baron van Rheede Street (formerly Queen’s Street) until his death in 1913. Built in 1880, it is claimed by the hotel’s management to be the third-oldest hotel in South Africa. Messrs Ford and Stokkam owned the hotel before Bawden. Operating uninterrupted since March 1880, this four-star hotel with 42 rooms is, today, managed by BON Hotels, and was named the Queen’s after Bowden’s medal. The first floor Colony Restaurant with its balcony overlooking the street, and Montague House, one of the former feather palaces and today a coffee shop, still serve up excellent cuisine that represents…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly. Taken from part of the Palgrave Studies in Agricultural Economics and Food Policy book series (AEFP) by Patrick Caron, Ellie Daguet and Sandrine Dury. Open Access. First published online on 26 March 2023. Access to food has never been so easy. The global food system has been resilient and able to adapt during the 20th century to many shocks and stressors, such as an unprecedented population growth. The huge increase in production has exceeded the demographic growth. Yet, a profound transformation is needed for the following reasons: food is today the major problem in public health; the economics of food chains fuel inequalities; and food systems are responsible for major environmental and climatic damage.…

ARCHIVE South African crop farmers can secure remendous benefits with the use of modern precision seed-spacing drills J. ‘Buck’ Burke of Stellenbosch, managing director of a rapidly growing farm machinery enterprise, introduced precision seed spacing drills to South Africa only about two years ago, but in the US and Europe, the concept has made tremendous strides. To obtain the best yield and quality with horticultural crops, says Burke, a full plant population accurately spaced is of primary importance. The benefits include uniform size roots and consistent height of plants to facilitate mechanical harvesting. “Precision drilling has already been established in the UK as the best method to cut down seed rates and labour requirements. The seeds must not only be spaced accurately, but must be drilled at an even depth…

The Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA) announced in its latest newsletter that the industry is aiming to deliver around 206 million cartons by the 2027 season as part of their projects related to Vision260. However, CGA logistics manager Mitchell Brooke said they have some concerns around transportation, cold storage and port terminal capacities, with the most important aspect being rail transportation. “When analysing the transport demand, it shows broadly each production region’s trucking demand. This has been looked at in terms of weekly truck trips currently undertaken to the number of weekly truck trips that will likely be required by 2027. Regions where there is high growth will demand higher transport needs than others where the growth rate is nominal,” said Brooke. In the newsletter, CGA broke down the road transport…

The South African Mantodea group needs support in its quest to find out more about the insect commonly known as the praying mantis. According to Prof Johnnie van der Merwe, a group member and entomologist at North-West University, very little is known about mantodean diversity, biology and ecology in South Africa. “These insects have fascinated humanity for millennia. Witness to this are the folklore and stories that have developed around them all around the world. Examples of these include the myth that mantises are able to direct people to lost cattle or children, while others tell of a mythical mantid that cuts off people’s hair at dusk, or mantids that give birth to snakes,” he added. Very little was known locally about their variety, biology and ecology, according to Van…

ISLE OF MAN The Royal Manx Agricultural Show, which featured the best of the island’s livestock, took place in August. Organisers said the aim of the show was to lessen the gap between farmers and those not involved in the industry. The two-day event, which took place in Knockaloe in Patrick, featured about 100 trade stands, varying from small homes crafts to large agricultural merchants. UNITED STATES Regulators in Portland, Maine, voted in August to consider raising the quota of a valuable baby eel that could be harvested from the state’s waterways, even though conservationists say the eel populations were declining and needed better protection. The move was a bid to assist local incomes as eels were worth about US$2 000 (about R38 300) a pound and were predominately sold…

South Africa’s milk producers have faced stagnant producer prices and sharp increases in input prices for many years. The milk:feed price ratio, the ratio between the price of a kilogram of feed and the producer price of a kilo of milk, provides a reliable indicator of the profitability of milk production. A milk-to-feed ratio of 1,3:1 will keep the industry in balance. If the ratio drops to below that, milk production will not increase. If the ratio stays at that level, production will decrease. Local milk production decreased in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Total production during the first half of 2023 is 1,7% lower than during the same period in 2022. The profitability of milk production has improved since mid-2022. The price of feed, based on 70% maize and 30%…

Dear Prof McCrindle, Could you please tell me more about the threat of avian influenza to my laying hens? Can it be carried to chickens by people? Kind regards, Anonymous Dear Anonymous, Influenza viruses are classified into types A, B, C and D. Type A influenza viruses are characterised by their genetic profile into A antigens and H antigens, with subtypes given different numbers. Avian influenza is a serious problem in poultry, and outbreaks in commercial flocks are prevented by vaccination. Influenza viruses tend to mutate, and despite vaccination, commercial layers and broilers are at risk of outbreaks. Mutation occurs frequently. In the past, some of the mutations caused influenza pandemics with high mortalities in humans. In 1918, the Spanish influenza pandemic killed thousands of people. Influenza viruses can cause…

Recently my colleagues and I took a road trip to visit members in North West. The purpose was to assess local conditions and find out what are the biggest factors hampering trade in the area. It didn’t take one too long to figure it out. Businesses in the area face the same challenges that other businesses in the country face in terms of complying with complex and difficult regulations, but their bread-and-butter issues are more fundamental. One particular agribusiness we visited is headquartered in a municipality that has experienced ‘water-shedding’ since 2012. Electricity is equally unreliable as they face prolonged outages, not as a result of load-shedding, but due to a crumbling distribution network, which is frequently targeted by vandals and criminals. The area is still serviced by freight rail…

Agri SA has announced it will be making a submission to government outlining the negative impact the national minimum wage is having on the growth and sustainability of the agriculture sector. Johan Wege, chairperson of Agri SA’s Centre of Excellence: Labour, said: “Unless the increases of the minimum wage in the agricultural sector are aligned with inflation, there is a real risk of the agriculture sector contracting, with devastating effects for employment in the sector.” He said the industry had shown how resilient they could be in the face of numerous crises, which included the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the pressure on the sector was beginning to show. “This slower pace of growth is reflected in the labour statistics released by Statistics South Africa this week, which showed a 0,8% quarter-on-quarter…

Tractor sales declined by 15% from 777 units sold in July last year to 660 units in July this year, according to the latest statistics by the South African Agricultural Machinery Association (SAAMA). Tractors sales were now about 4% down on last year, at 4 715 units for the year to date, in comparison with 4 907 units for the corresponding period in 2022. Combine harvester sales were down by 11%, from 36 units sold in July 2022 compared with 32 in July 2023. On a year-to-date basis, however, harvester sales were up 44% at 359 units versus 249 for the corresponding period in 2022. Tallie Giessing, chairperson of SAAMA, said it was likely that lower sales would prevail until the course of the forthcoming summer rainfall season was known.…

South Africa’s Agri Securitas Trust Fund, initiated by Agri SA, has contributed nearly R19 million to rural safety initiatives since its inception in 1988, the trust’s chairperson Cobus van Zyl recently told Farmer’s Weekly. This followed an announcement by the Agri Securitas board that R1,9 million had just been disbursed to local farmer associations and provincial affiliations to help fund rural safety projects around the country. “Our objective is to join forces with farming communities through local farmer associations. Safer communities are the only way to maintain sustainable food systems and to advance food security,” Van Zyl said. According to him, farmers and farmworkers were especially vulnerable to crime, with the farming community often subject to violent and sometimes deadly farm attacks. Every effort therefore needed to be made to…

In the realm of employment law and corporate governance, the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act No. 12 of 2004 (PCCA), holds significant importance, particularly when it comes to addressing employee misconduct involving theft, fraud, extortion, or forged documents. This legislation introduces a crucial dimension that employers must consider when contemplating the dismissal of an employee for theft. When an employee is found guilty of theft of funds belonging to their employer, the standard protocol often involves a thorough investigation and appropriate disciplinary procedures. Depending on the severity of the offence, the employee may be dismissed in accordance with established guidelines as set out in Schedule 8 of the Labour Relations Act No. 66 of 1995 (LRA). However, in cases involving significant monetary amounts, employers must now tread carefully…

The producer price for dryland seed cotton in areas of the North West, such as Schweizer-Reneke, stood, at the time of going to print, at R12 000/t, compared with the maize producer price, which hovered at R3 200/t and soya bean at R8 000/t at a yield obtained under dryland conditions of 3,40t/ha, 6t/ha and 3t/ha respectively. According to Louis Olivier, CEO of Vaalharts Cotton, the production costs for cotton in the 2022/23 season amounted to R22 620/ha, compared with R16 000/ha for maize and R10 000/ha for soya bean. In the case of cotton, it means a profit of R18 179/ha, compared with R3 200/ha for maize and R14 000/ha for soya bean. DOLLAR PRICE Jozeph du Plessis from Schweizer-Reneke is one of the pioneering cotton producers in North…