Innehållsförteckning för 20 October 2023 från Farmer's Weekly

The World Bank's Global Report on Food Crises (the mid-year update) shows that food insecurity is on the rise in 2023. (The report was published at the end of May 2023, but has since been updated.) The report shows that 21,6 million more people face high levels of acute food insecurity in 2023 in 48 countries, which brings the total number of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity to 238 million. But this is not the end of the story, with people facing critical food insecurity, emergency food insecurity and catastrophe also set to increase. Overall, the total number of people in various phases of food insecurity is reaching close to one billion. Considering the world's population is at around seven billion, this means that around 14% of…

We recently experienced another round of fuel price hikes, with the 0,05% and 0,005% sulphur content diesel grades increasing by Rl,97/l and Rl,94/l respectively to highs of R25,02/l and R25,22/l. This brought the cumulative increases in the price of the two grades of diesel to a whopping R4,81/l and R4,70/ln in just two consecutive months. This comes at the onset of heightened fuel consumption in the agriculture calendar as planting of summer crops begins followed by harvesting of winter crops towards the end of the year. Fuel accounts for about 10% of the annual grain and oilseed variable costs. In the livestock and horticulture subsectors, it is critical for transportation of produce and a huge input in farm operations and cold storage facilities due to load-shedding in South Africa. This…

The agriculture sector has suffered a severe blow because of the strong winds and heavy rains that raged in the Western Cape from 23 to 27 September, with initial estimates of damage ranging around R1,4 billion. Daniel Johnson, spokesperson for the Western Cape Ministry of Agriculture, told Farmer's Weekly that many farmers were still unable to reach their farms or were stuck in their houses at the time the estimate was made, so the full extent of the damage would become clearer later in October. After the heavy rains in July, Johnson said that officials together with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, approached the National Disaster Management Centre with the aim of having the flood-damaged areas declared a disaster and unlocking the relevant funding and support…

In the many years I have spent running development and skills transferral projects in communal farming areas, I have noticed a distinct problem that occurs across vast expanses of these areas, and this relates to a lack of handling or loading facilities where livestock can be viewed, sorted, and loaded by prospective buyers or agents. The same counts for facilities needed to process and market crops and vegetable produce. Essentially, you can produce good quality livestock, but if buyers are expected to struggle while processing and later loading your livestock because of poor or non-existent facilities, there will ultimately be two detrimental outcomes. Firstly, reputable buyers will stop buying in your village, and secondly, buyers prepared to struggle under these circumstances (often being unscrupulous buyers) will often pay you way…

Breaking the Bombers: How the hunt for Pagad created a crack police unit by Mark Shaw (Jonathan Ball, R320) Remember Pagad, People Against Gangsterism and Drugs? A grass-roots organisation based in Cape Town and the Cape flats, it emerged in the mid-1990s to oppose gang violence, intimidation, extortion and an alarming increase in drug selling. It was well-organised and had widespread support from people fed up with the crime and violence affecting their society. But, not unsurprisingly, Pagad developed into a vigilante group with its own rule of law and evolved into a violenceperpetrating organisation involved in assassinations and even bombings. No country could allow such a state of affairs to exist. This book tells that story – the characters involved, the successes and failures, and the activities of the…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly. This article was first published by The Conversation. Read the original at shorturl.at/oIOS3. “With all the terrible news on climate change, it's easy to lose track of what's happening with particular species. So, in case you missed it, a new report has bad news for Earth's five surviving species of rhino. Poaching for rhino horn continues to threaten populations of rhino in Africa, and the two smallest and most endangered species of rhino – the Sumatran rhino and the Javan rhino – tread ever closer to being unable to sustain themselves in the wild, due to habitat loss and low population sizes. THE GOOD NEWS FOR RHINOS While we should never become desensitised to…

For the second time in the short space of only four months, Van Ryn's brandies have received another World's Best Brandy Trophy. This time it was the Van Ryn's 12-year-old potstill brandy, which received the World's Best Brandy Trophy for brandies 11 years and older at the 2023 International Spirits Challenge announced in London. The International Spirits Challenge is one of the definitive spirits awards ceremonies, where brandies from around the world are each tasted in a series of rigorous blind tastings led by a panel of the industry's most renowned and influential experts. In May this year, Van Ryn's 15-yearold potstill brandy was awarded as the World's Best Wine Brandy at the 2023 World Brandy Awards, also announced in London, beating fierce competition from France, the US, Australia and…

South African farmers together with representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development participated in the sixth International Exhibition of Agriculture and Animal Resources held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from 28 September to 8 October. Known as the Salon International de l'agriculture et des Resources Animales (SARA), the bi-annual event brings together agricultural experts present in Côte d'Ivoire, the sub-region and the world. SARA aims to promote agricultural products, livestock farming, fishing, forestry, and the agro-food industry. The event was held under the theme, ‘African agriculture facing the challenges of internal and external shocks: what structural innovations can improve the agriculture sector and guarantee the food sovereignty of our countries?' The main aim for South Africa attending the event was to strengthen diplomatic relations and to unlock…

It is uncertain how recent strong winds and floods will affect the volume and quality of grain produced in the winter rainfall area. Richard Krige, chairperson of the Wintergrain Grain Group, said lands in low-lying and wet areas in the Overberg and Southern Cape might have been flooded, whereas drier lands might have benefitted from the rain. The challenge now for farmers would be to get into their lands to make spray applications and to harvest their crops on time. Krige was worried that farmers would not be able to source necessary inputs, such as diesel. Delivery of crops at silos would be affected due to road damage. Damage to the N2, for instance, would drive up fuel costs and the time to deliver goods. Also, some of these routes…

Residents of a farming community in Scotland have put an ancient farming practice into good use to help build their food bank. The practice of gathering leftover crops after the harvest has been completed is called gleaning. A group of Scottish volunteers have decided to put this practice in place at a local blueberry farm where the harvest is not profitable. According to volunteers, they will be building the food bank in the Dundee area to support the Dundee Community Fridge, which offers free food to residents who are struggling. In order to offer this aid, the Dundee Community Fridge usually collects goods from local supermarkets to stock up their food banks. Volunteers who work with the community fridge project picked blueberries from fields in Blairgowrie and added it to…

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is urging animal owners to vaccinate their animals to prevent the spread of rabies and reduce the risk of human infection and death. Department MEC Super Zuma made the call at a commemorative World Rabies Day event in Nongoma, northern KZN recently. Emphasis during the awareness campaign was placed on domestic animal owners to take the responsibility of vaccinating their animals to prevent fatalities. At least 15 people in KZN have died from rabies since 2021. Between January and September 2023, the province has recorded four human deaths, according to Zuma. The majority of the fatalities occurred in eThekwini and those affected were primarily children between the ages of two and 13 years old. The most recent death occurred last month…

Stone and pome fruit farmers have become more cautious when it comes to the planting of new orchards. According to Hortgro's recently released Key Deciduous Fruit Statistics 2022, the area under apple production increased from 24 212ha in 2016 to merely 25 438ha in 2022, while the area under pear production increased from 12 279ha to 12 950ha, and the area under nectarine production increased from 2 131ha to 2 776ha. The area under plum production increased from 5 093ha to 5 465ha, but was 58ha smaller than in 2021, whereas the areas under peach production declined from 7 338ha to 5 281ha, and apricot production from 2 838ha to 2 241ha. Nicholas Dicey, Hortgro chairperson, expected a decline in planted areas to continue in the coming season, especially in…

Vegetable quality is on the rise as summer approaches. Markets exhibit varying price shifts, from subtle changes to significant fluctuations, but the overarching sentiment remains positive. CABBAGE Cabbage procurement centres include Brits, Delmas, Bapsfontein and Tarlton. The cabbage market has shown a stable nature, but the volume saw a significant rise of 61% for the week ending on 30 September. The average volume reached 3 404t, in contrast with the previous week's sales of 2 119t. The market price saw a month-onmonth (m/m) decline from R2 072/t to R1 957/t for September, indicating a fall of 5,5% (see Graph 1). The decline may be linked to a combination of restricted consumer demand and an oversupply on the market. Additionally, it is worth noting that consumer demand tends to be stronger…

SERVES 4 Sunflower oil, for frying 450g packet beef sausages 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed 10ml (2 tsp) mild mustard 400g tin chopped tomatoes 180ml (¾ cup) beef stock 410g tin baked beans in tomato sauce 2 handfuls baby spinach Salt and pepper 4 eggs • Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan on high and fry the sausages and onion for about eight minutes or until browned. Stir in the garlic and mustard and fry for two minutes. • Stir in the tomatoes and stock and cook for five minutes. Stir through the beans and spinach. Season with salt and pepper. • Use the back of a spoon to make four wells in the filling and break an egg into each. Cover the…

32 YEARS AGO This stud breeder was rearing the sacred Gir cattle which, he said, have many plus factors, including tick resistance. Despite farming in a notoriously bad area for gall sickness, heartwater and redwater, a thornveld farmer has had no stock losses or incidence of disease in his Gir cattle during the past five years. What is surprising is that this has been achieved by dipping his animals only once or twice a year. Mike Bentley, who runs the Barjona Brahmans Stud at Skietsdrif, between Winterton and Ladysmith in KwaZuluNatal, says the Gir is one of the most hardy and genetically strong breeds, and is naturally resistant to ticks. The breed is under the auspices of the Brahman Breed Society in South Africa. But Bentley believes it is as…

With close to 35 000ha of pecan nut trees in South Africa, the industry has witnessed significant growth in recent years, said the South African Pecan Nut Producers' Association. According to the association, South Africa is the third-largest pecan producer globally, with the bulk of the production coming from the Northern Cape. As global demand for pecan nuts soars, ensuring optimal tree growth and production is critical for sustained success in the industry. Simon Norton, executive director of the International Zinc Association's Africa Desk, said zinc was an essential element for its role in promoting pecan nut tree growth. He said that as an essential micronutrient in enzyme activation and protein synthesis, zinc regulated various growth hormones in plants. “It is also key to energy metabolism and DNA synthesis. Despite…

The agriculture sector in the North West had to overcome numerous severe challenges during the past year, of which the loss of more than a million hectares to veld fires was probably the worst, said Willem de Chavonnes Vrucht, Agri North West chairperson. The large-scale foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks also added to the woes of the sector, he said. De Chavonnes Vrucht, who was re-elected as the organisation's chairperson at its recent congress in Lichtenburg, rendered a plea to members of the public for help to assist all farmers in the province to mitigate the effects of the fires. “We need all the support we can possibly get to render assistance to the farmers and landowners who have lost vast tracts of grazing and in many cases, all the grazing on…

MEXICO The price of limes in Mexico has increased by close to 60% due to criminal gangs extorting farmers in the area of Michoacán. This was according to the Agricultural Market Consulting Group, which said that in Mexico City, the cost of limes was close to US$5/kg (about R96/kg). The group said this was cause for concern as Mexico was the largest producer of the fruit in the world. Police said they would provide escorts to lime shipments that have to be transported to the rest of the country as a result of the increasing crime. UNITED STATES The US agriculture department announced that the maize harvest was going ahead despite the continuous heat experienced in the maize belt in the Midwest, including in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, eastern Nebraska…

The threat posed by invasive alien species (IAS) such as lantana (Lantana camara), black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) and silver wattle (Acacia dealbata) in Zimbabwe has escalated to such an extent that the Zimbabwean government has called on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for support. According to a recent FAO statement, IAS were increasingly expanding their invasion ranges due to inadequate management and control interventions. In the affected areas of the country, the invaders threatened ecosystem structure, integrity, biodiversity and ecological services. This consequently affected ecosystems' production capacities and, indirectly, the livelihoods of millions of people depending on forests for food, commodities and energy. At a workshop facilitated by the FAO, Zimbabwe's director for Environment and Natural Resources, Edward Samuriwo, said Zimbabwe spent nearly R953 million…

The EU recently published the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism regulation to tax imports and exports based on the carbon emissions generated during the production and delivery of goods. Wolfe Braude, manager of the Agbiz Fruit Desk, told Farmer's Weekly that the tax was introduced because the EU realised that the competitiveness of European companies would be negatively affected if they were taxed, while imports were not taxed. Carbon-intensive EU firms might also relocate to areas with less regulation if no border tax were introduced. The tax will be introduced in phases, with the first phase set to start from 1 January 2026. Commodities such as cement, iron, steel, aluminium, fertiliser, electricity and hydrogen will be covered in the first phase. Agricultural products have not been included in the first or…

A part of the British past, which many citizens would prefer to have expunged from their history, was the Roman invasion in 43 BCE, which resulted in the Romans ruling much of present-day Britain for over three-and-a-half centuries. In the late 14th century, English historian John Wycliffe was researching this sad period in the life of Britons, pondering why and how it had been possible for Roman soldiers to defeat the great armies of the British kingdoms and subjugate their people for so long. In his search for answers, he stumbled upon the history of playwright Publius Terentius Afer, better known as Terence, who used to entertain Roman soldiers with stories of why they should zealously look after themselves before worrying about other people. It triggered an epiphany for Wycliffe,…

The effective root depth for green beans is 450mm to 500mm. In a well-prepared loose soil, bean roots can penetrate to a depth of 1 200mm. Incorrectly prepared soil will limit the development of roots. It not only impedes root penetration and branching, but also reduces the plant's resistance to drought and root diseases. Irrigating deeper than 500mm is a waste and will increase irrigation cost, says Antonius Lecuona at horticulture.org.za. Rip the land before planting. When the soil moisture content is suitable, the soil must be crumbled with a disc harrow or renovator to obtain the desired fine structure and an even surface. Pulverised soil isn't desirable as it promotes crust formation and destroys soil structure. “Soil structure is important for water percolation, aeration and permeability. So a structureless…

Sip & Savour Shannon Vineyards' Mount Bullet is one of the most awarded Merlot wines in South Africa. The wine, which sells for roughly R650 per bottle, is made from a blend of five French and Italian clones grown in 3ha of vineyard planted on easternfacing slopes. The soil is primarily Table Mountain sandstone with a high percentage of silica and clay. The clones are harvested on ripeness from the last week of March up until the first week of April, with an 11 to 14-day difference between the picking of the first and last clones. The berries are wild fermented and matured separately in French oak barrels for 20 months before being blended and bottled. The 2020 Mount Bullet is smooth textured, beautifully balanced, with a fragrance of ripe…

China is the world's largest producer of cotton even though farmers face constant challenges to meet production demands. Research on mechanised cotton farms conducted in the area and funded by the China Agricultural Research system shows the long way they have come. The research team was investigating using machines for the harvesting process, which in turn will replace cotton pickers. In a paper written for Science Direct, researchers Jianlong Dai and Hezhong Dong said that scientifically based cultivation methods had been adopted in the area since 1949. “Many factors have contributed to the increased average yield, including adoption of improved varieties and intensive farming technologies,” they wrote. The purpose of the research was to improve farming technologies of cotton around the world, not just in China. It took into account…

Dear Prof McCrindle, When should you mate a horse? Kind regards, Anonymous Dear Anonymous, This is a very good question. However, it could be interpreted two ways. It could refer to the optimal time of the year for mating, but could also mean: “How old should a horse be before it is mated?” Mares come into season in spring and summer. In the Southern Hemisphere, that means any time from the beginning of September to about April. If you import a mature mare from a country in the Northern Hemisphere, they may instead cycle during the northern spring and summer season, which starts in May and ends in September. TIME OF YEAR MAKES A DIFFERENCE The time of year also influences stallion fertility, and semen counts can be a lot…