Innehållsförteckning för 19 April 2024 från Farmer's Weekly

From 3 April, the inland price of unleaded 93 petrol increased by 65c/ℓ to R24,78/ℓ, while unleaded 95 petrol increased by 67c/ℓ to R25,12/ℓ. Fortunately for farmers, the inland price of diesel only changed minimally: 500 ppm diesel was up 3c/ℓ to R22,45/ℓ, and 50 ppm diesel was down 1c/ℓ to R22,61/ℓ. We have seen almost continuous petrol and diesel price increases in South Africa over the past year. Rising inflation and rate hikes by the South African Reserve Bank have made it increasingly difficult for South Africans to keep afloat. Dire economic growth and an ever-increasing population also suggest that economically speaking, life is not going to get any easier any time soon. The recent hike in the petrol price is largely based on the increase in the price…

Improvement and research development were part of the aspects highlighted at the Mango Cultivar Day held recently in Limpopo. The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), the organisation that will oversee the co-ordination and implementation of the flagship Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP), participated in the event. The South African Mango Growers' Association (SAMGA) plays a key role in the success of this programme through the provision of funds to support research initiatives. The cultivar day was organised by the Agricultural Research Council's (ARC) Tropical and Subtropical Crops Division to showcase the four new cultivars that emerged from the ARC'S ongoing mango breeding programme. A wide range of processed products, such as dried mango, mango roll, atchar, jam and chutney, were displayed at the event. According to the NAMC, government…

The dragon fruit industry continues to grow from strength to strength as farmers report a better season in 2024 off the back of good yields and prices. Much work however still needs to be done to fine-tune production practices and introduce consumers to this novel fruit. Dragon fruit production in South Africa is a relatively new industry, with most plantings taking place over the last 10 years. Production areas stretch across the country, with the harvest taking place between January and June. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Fred Steyn, Mpumalanga farmer and chairperson of the Southern African Dragon Fruit Association, said demand for the fruit was picking up on both the local and international market, with prices holding steady throughout the season. “Demand is increasing each year as consumers become more…

Baltimore, Maryland, home to the US's largest entry point for agriculture and construction, came to a standstill after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed recently. The event blocked access for ships to the port. According to farm journal AgWeb, the port closure drastically affects the movement of farm machinery, but there might not be as much disruption for agricultural commodities. It said the region was responsible for producing sugar, soya bean, grain products and coffee, with the Port of Baltimore exporting about 200 000t of soya bean. The US government responded immediately following the collapse, with President Joe Biden telling media that federal government would send the resources needed by the city and the state. “It's my intention that federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that…

While Russia donated 25 000t of wheat and 23 000t of fertiliser to Zimbabwe in March 2024, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) pledged a contribution of R207 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) in Zimbabwe in the same month. According to USAID, the donation would support approximately 230 000 of the most vulnerable people in districts such as Mwenezi, Mangwe, Chivi and Buhera with critical food assistance after the El Niñoinduced drought had exacerbated food insecurity in the country. According to a Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee report, 26% of the rural population were affected by the El Nino weather phenomenon, which caused below-normal rainfall and high temperatures, leading to food scarcity. The funding from USAID will complement the governmentled Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy Programme, assisting a…

Zambia's dairy and livestock industries are under threat in the drought-ravaged country, with persistent dry spells predicted to drastically affect milk production and pasture for cattle and other animals. Livestock and Fisheries Minister Makozo Chikote said Zambia had hoped to double its cattle production to benefit from beef and leather for exports. The milk output, expected to grow at an average of 10% annually, is threatened because pasture for cattle has been depleted by dry spells and low rainfall recorded since October last year caused by El Niño. Last year, Zambia's milk production grew by 20% to 514 308t. The production is a huge increase from 47 100t recorded in 1973, indicating an average annual growth rate of 9,68%, which may be overshadowed by the effect of the current drought.…

The combination of export restrictions due to disease combined with lower disposable income and high incidences of load-shedding are, in our opinion, the main drivers that caused the decreasing trend in red meat prices during the first half of 2023. For lamb, this was further amplified by subdued export demand as ovine meat exports from Oceania flooded the market amidst high slaughtering due to El Nino dryness in that region. In contrast to this, pork and chicken followed an upward trend, with pork specifically showing high degrees of seasonal variation. Key price drivers in these sectors are broad-based cost increases, ongoing firm demand as consumers move to more affordable sources of protein, and the spread of avian influenza, where around three million broilers and laying and rearing birds had to…

What is green financing? Key policy measures around the globe are being implemented to reach Net Zero, where the amount of carbon emitted is equal to that being sequestrated, so that global warming will slow down. Countries around the world have committed to time frames and reduction rates for carbon emissions, with the EU having of the most stringent targets. This is important because the EU is a vital market for South African agricultural products, and the carbon footprint of farmers in South Africa will play a role in how their produce is accepted in the EU. South Africa too has committed to reaching Net Zero by 2050. Local and international pressure to align all business practices to this goal is therefore increasing. All companies will need to start accounting…

MOTORING Gone are the days that a farm bakkie is a simple, feature-free, uncomfortable set of wheels. Considering the affordable solutions offered by the Chinese automotive market to date, it is virtually impossible to overlook a range of bakkies that serve as affordable workhorses while doubling as luxury vehicles. The JAC T9 is a luxurious, large and powerful double-cab bakkie, filled with an impressive range of safety and comfort features. Most of these features are not available in bakkie brands nearly double the retail value, which makes me ask the question: why, in an economic downturn, are we not pursuing brands that offer the best value for money? At some point in the not-so-distant future, I hope that someone remembers this review and the warning that it gives to the…

With the recent announcement of the roll-out of tuberculosis (TB) vaccine trials, a group of researchers from the University of Cambridge and Penn State University conducted a study on the effect the vaccine could have on cattle. In the early stages of the research the team said their study showed that the vaccination reduced the severity of bovine TB in infected cattle and cut its spread in dairy cattle by 89%. Bovine TB is an extremely infectious disease that can result in economic setbacks on farms around the world. The team said this first-of-its-kind study showed the effect of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine on cattle. “BCG-vaccinated cattle infected with TB are substantially less infectious to other cattle. This remarkable indirect effect of the vaccine beyond its direct protective effect…

ARCHIVE This stud was winning awards and attracting top prices, thanks to a quality sire imported from Australia eight years ago. A decision in the early 1980s to import a world-famous Merino ram from Australia has paid dividends for Andries du Toit Pienaar's Diep River stud, near Hanover The ram, Barloo 74, combined excellently with Pienaar's stud sheep, which were producing rich, soft-handling wool. “The result was a big, well-built, less-pleated animal with medium wool, which was everything the South African Merino industry was dreaming of,” says Pienaar. The stud has achieved unequalled success at shouts this year. The animals dominated the performance-testing show at Goodwood in Cape Town, winning the major award for two rams and two ewes, as well as taking fifth place in the same category and…

Maltento recently announced that it aimed to transform South Africa's recycling landscape by using black soldier flies to convert agro-processing waste, such as spent grains from the beer industry, into high-performance, nutrient-dense feed. By feeding recycled waste from the beer-making process to black soldier fly larvae, Maltento claims it can produce a feed solution that is both functionally, economically, and environmentally friendlier than animal-based protein, which uses 95 times more natural resources per kilogram than insect-based protein. Beyond protein, soldier fly larvae also produce frass as a by-product in the form of excrement, which has substantial nutritional value. Dean Smorenburg, Maltento CEO, said the trass could be used to build soil nutrition levels and improve soil structure in the fields where brewery grains are cultivated, creating a sustainable cycle that…

With the South African citrus export season about to ramp up, a new bilateral protocol has been established with the Vietnamese government that will see local oranges in markets in Vietnam. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and the Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa (CGA) recently announced this new development. Justin Chadwick, CEO of CGA, said the opening of the Vietnamese market offered an export potential of 15 000t of oranges annually, which he said would translate into more local job opportunities and revenue generation. According to a joint statement by DALRRD and CGA, the historic protocol comes almost a decade after a change in Vietnamese import regulations necessitated a new protocol. The department and the CGA, since that time, have worked together to ensure…

Following a ban of 13 years, South Africa will soon be able to export registered equines directly to the EU again, according to the South African Equine Health and Protocols (SAEHP). This followed the endorsement of EU member states of an amendment to Annex IV of the Implementing Regulation. This amendment would place South Africa's African horse sickness (AHS)-free zone, which is found in the Western Cape, back in Annex IV as a zone within South Africa from which registered equines could be directly imported to the EU, following the required in-country pre-export quarantine period. The pre-export quarantine period would take place at the existing Kenilworth Quarantine Station, from where horses could then be directly exported to the EU. Before this amendment, exporting horses from South Africa was a months-long…

UNITED KINGDOM Dairy farmers in Gloucestershire reported that an increase in dumped waste was harming their cattle. According to the Cotswold District Council, there has been an 8,4% increase in dumping in the area as they received more than six reports a day. Dairy farmers said their grazing cattle had been exposed to the dumped items and had con sumed items that led to them needing medical attention. BELGIUM Farmers' protests in Brussels have reached new heights as one individual set fire to a subway station. Law officials used tear gas and water cannons to keep the protesters at bay. Police said farmers threw beetroots, sprayed manure at the police and set hay on fire close to the EU headquarters in protests that have been ongoing since the beginning of…

With the aim of making sustainable rural economic growth a priority among communal farming projects, the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Agriculture and Rural Development launched the Agricultural Communal Investment Programme at the Blackburn Sports Stadium in KwaMpumuza, Pietermaritzburg. As economic growth remains the most powerful instrument for poverty reduction, according to KZN Agriculture Minister Super Zuma, the new programme is designed to increase farm productivity by upgrading and rehabilitating communal infrastructure. The communities in wards 1, 2 and 40 are now equipped with five fully functioning dip tanks. Three grazing camps and two community gardens have also been fenced. Some of the livestock associations in the area received Bonsmara breeding bulls, which will assist with improvement of existing meat quality and enhance the economic value of local cattle. Accompanied by…

The importance of integrated pest management, good-quality, disease-free plant material and compliance with market standards were highlighted at the Cheeba Cannabis Cultivation Summit recently held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). Kristin de Jager, director of Qure, said the cloning of cannabis plants was relatively cheap, required no specialised equipment, and was a fast way of producing plants that were genetically consistent. It, nevertheless, required a lot of space and a risk of diseases being introduced from the mother plants to the new plant material. “The risks of plant material having diseases is especially high for home growers and subsistence farmers,” he said. The use of tissue culture to propagate plants was more expensive and required specialised equipment, consumables and a clean space. It allowed the rapid propagation…

According to Calle Schlettwein, Namibian Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, the demand for fresh water in Namibia is increasing and will continue to do so over the coming decades. “If we mismatch water demand with available water resources, we risk disrupting the fresh-water cycle, depleting our resources and the chances of us meeting many sustainable development goals. These goals are aimed at alleviating poverty, improving public health, improving education, protection of the environment and ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation for all,” he said during a commemoration of World Wetlands and Water Day in March 2024. Speaking at the event held in that country's Kunene region, Schlettwein said climate change was causing disruption of the fresh-water cycle, bringing about severe negative consequences, including rising temperatures and rainfall variability.…

There was great excitement as we flew into Cape Town airport recently for the annual Rugby Sevens tournament. Running through arrivals, my grandson stopped in his tracks and pointed at a public phone. “What is this?” he asked, looking at me quizzically. It raised a smile all round, and despite being digitally semi-literate, I did my best to explain. The subject came up that evening, and my somewhat more tech-savvy son suggested I use ChatGPT for help. I'd heard about this amazing new artificial intelligence (AI) tool but had never tried it. He had the app on his phone, so I typed in the following question: “My grandson, seeing a public phone for the first time, asked me for an explanation as to what it was. Can you help me…

The New Cold War: How the Contest Between the US and China Will Shape our Century by Robin Niblett (Atlantic Books, R370) In ancient Greece there was the Oracle of Delphi. Today there is the Chatham House think tank in London. Both set out to do the impossible: predict the future. As any historian will tell you, it is changing circumstances that make the future unpredictable. That said, Chatham House's Robin Niblett is a modern oracle whose logical and well-written book is like a 101 political science textbook. He selects 10 differences between today's Cold War and the last one, when the West faced the USSR. Niblett argues that this time the West's main protagonist is China, a different kettle of fish from the old Soviets and the saga will…

The 27th sale of the wool season followed the downward trend observed in Australia. However, there was still good participation from buying houses, which resulted in an overall sales clearance of 93,8%, according to Cape Wools SA. A total of 8 197 bales were on offer, with the bulk consisting of fine micron wools. Sustainably certified wools made up 53% of the Merino wools on offer. The non-certified indicator decreased by 1,3% to close at R149,11/kg, while the certified indicator eased by 1,2% to close at R166,79/kg. The Australian market closed 0,8% down in Australian dollar terms from the previous sale. BKB's top performers were Kareekrans & Draai in Somerset East, who received R200/kg for an AH lot of 15,9 microns with a 72% clean yield and R173,10/kg for a…

Dear Prof McCrindle, I recently took my dog to be sterilised. She is an 18-month-old German Shepherd. The sterilisation went well, but the vet told me that she had heard a murmur while listening to her heart. She has never shown any symptoms of a heart problem and is a very active dog (no breathlessness, fatigue or coughing). The vet said she may grow out of it. Kind regards, Frank Dear Frank, Heart murmurs can be very serious, depending on the cause. A sound similar to a heart murmur can, however, occasionally be heard when a dog is put under anaesthetic. It can also be due to the surgery itself, as there is sometimes blood loss, which leads to lowered blood pressure and a cardiac murmur. When she goes back…

The livestock industry plays a pivotal role in South Africa's economy, contributing significantly to economic growth and job creation. However, the persistent threat of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) poses a considerable challenge to the industry. That said, the purpose of this article is not to labour the point about the impact of FMD on the livestock industry, but to propose some solutions that we can explore to prevent its reoccurrence. BETTER BORDER MANAGEMENT To enhance South Africa's efforts in preventing and managing FMD, several best practices can be adopted from other countries. These practices encompass a range of strategies, from border control measures to technological advancements and collaborative efforts: • Integrated border management: South Africa can learn from countries like the US, which has established integrated border management systems to enhance…

China, which was previously against the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops, approved the planting of 37 GM maize seeds and 14 GM soya bean seeds in October 2023, in a bid to improve food security and self-sufficiency in the country. In March this year, the Chinese government approved an additional 27 GM maize and three GM soya bean varieties for planting. Last year alone, around 267 000ha of GM crops were planted as part of trial projects. To date, China has also approved the planting of GM papaya and cotton seed for commercial production. Now, in a bid to give Chinese consumers the “option of choice”, as reported by state-owned news agency The Paper, the government is changing its food labelling laws. The new laws, as reported by Nasdaq,…

Zambia has banned exports of all-maize related products until it audits the perceived losses after a severe drought swept through the country, leaving over six million people without the staple food. President Hakainde Hichilema has declared the drought, spurred by El Nino weather conditions, a disaster and emergency after 1,1 million of the 2,2 million hectares of land planted to maize withered in 84 of the country's 116 districts. Hichilema called for a review of the 2024 budget to provide supplementary funding to meet farmers' needs, and extended various waivers on duty and tax paid on imports of irrigation equipment. The government, he assured, would provide crop insurance in future against such disasters and would be a guarantor for farmers having loans secured from lending institutions for maize production during…

Despite many concerns in red meat production circles, the importation of live animals for slaughter from Namibia played a very small role in the South African market. According to Dr Frikkie Maré, CEO of the South Africa's Red Meat Producers' Organisation, data gained during the past seven years showed that the imports had very little impact locally. “These unfounded concerns led to erroneous perceptions and claims. Fact of the matter is that red meat prices historically tend to go down in March. On the other hand, Namibian imports make up a very small portion of the formal South African slaughterings. Statistics show that the imported weaners constitute about 8% of South Africa's market. The imports from Namibia are too small to cause large price shocks,” he said in a statement.…

Bringing legacy farmers into the formal market also received a lot of attention at the recent Cheeba Cannabis Cultivation Summit at the CTICC Trenton Birch, CEO of Cheeba Cannabis Academy, said that there was a feeling that government had failed legacy farmers, and that these farmers needed to be included in discussions and the formal market. Malombo Dlamini, chairperson of Mpondoland Cannabis Belt, said the body was created because farmers in the region of the former Transkei Bantustan, who have been producing cannabis for many generations, felt that no-one was speaking up for them when it came to the legalisation of cannabis. Instead of unlocking better income opportunities for this region, the legalisation of cannabis in South Africa has resulted in continued marginalisation and prosecution of these farmers. “Mpondoland farmers…

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) North Coast will play host to more than 400 delegates at the fifth Urban Agri World Summit in September. The iLembe District Municipality's economic development agency, Enterprise iLembe, partnered with the KZN Convention Bureau (KZNCB), the KwaDukuza Local Municipality and other KZN tourism partners to exhibit at the 2024 edition of Meetings Africa, where they were able to secure the hosting of the event. Meetings Africa is hosted annually by the South African National Convention Bureau and South African Tourism in Gauteng. Now in its fifth successful year, Urban Agri World is a leading agriculture event focused on agritech, controlled environment agriculture (CEA), indoor farming and small-scale agriculture. The summit brings together growers, investors, produce buyers, academics, policy makers, technology and system integrators and CEA business owners.…

It may be a relatively simple task to successfully get rams to mate and for females to give birth, but the first couple of weeks of the life of a lamb or kid is a crucial period in livestock farming, writes Shane Brody. My previous article was primarily about preparing goat ewes for birth and the monitoring of these animals during the birth process. During my years of project management in communal farming areas I noted high conception (pregnancy) rates, but lamb and goat weaning rates were often very low (offspring reaching adulthood). Remember, if you have a number of ewes that lose offspring, these animals are essentially bringing in little or no yearly income for you (barring wool sheep that earn you some money via wool). Basically, these animals…

Anna Russell, the Duchess of Bedford, was the first to formalise what so many people now around the world enjoy as Afternoon Tea. She needed a pick-me-up between lunch and dinner and Afternoon Tea was it. Although nowadays the terms Afternoon Tea and High Tea are used interchangeably to mean a lavish afternoon spread of scones, finger sandwiches and cakes accompanied by tea to drink, this wasn't always the case. High Tea, or simply Tea, was something quite different and more akin to an early supper at the end of a hard day's labour and taken at a high table while sitting on high chairs, in other words, at a dining or kitchen table. WHAT'S IN A NAME? There is another nomenclature, which speakers of American English use. For example,…