Innehållsförteckning för 22 November 2024 från Farmer's Weekly

In early November, in what was a landslide victory, Donald Trump was named president-elect of the US. At the time of going to print, it seemed that the Republican Party was also on track to win both the Senate and the House, thereby making a clean sweep during the 2024 elections. Trump served as US president from 2016 to 2020, when he was replaced by current President Joe Biden. While Biden was elected as the Democratic Party's candidate to run for the presidency, he was, as some would describe, unceremoniously ousted and replaced by current Vice-President Kamala Harris around 100 days before the elections. While there seemed to be renewed energy among Americans with Harris as the new Democratic candidate in the beginning of her campaign, this was relatively shortlived.…

South Africa's agricultural growth in the first 30 years of the democratic era has been supported, amongst other things, by two pivotal interventions. The first was a deliberate and concerted strategy to invest in genetics for crops, horticulture, and livestock. The second was a strong push to expand export markets. As production continues to increase, and there remains capacity for its expansion, these two levers must be accelerated. The Department of Agriculture must support new ethical breeding techniques that the private sector occasionally presents, as they may be vital for continuous productivity improvement. More importantly, with climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme adverse weather conditions, improved seed cultivars that cope in such environments will become critical in supporting our agricultural system. Therefore, crop and livestock breeding should remain…

The fact that the South African government seems to be spending less on agricultural research is worrying, especially during increased climate change risks that call for even greater spending on research. This was according to Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz. Sihlobo said in a statement that the most recent government appropriation reports showed that the Department of Agriculture (the department) transferred an annual total of R1 billion to the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) to operate its various programmes to support the agriculture sector. This was roughly 1% of the total budget for the department this year. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Dr Theo de Jager, executive director at the Southern African Agri Initiative, said he agreed with Sihlobo and emphasised the fact that applicable and ongoing research formed the cornerstone…

Shifts in global fresh-produce trade point towards greater opportunities for high-value fruit like berries, avocados and grapes, while those for apples and citrus stagnate. These insights were published in the recent Fruit Logistica Trend Report 2025, which also stated that while volume demand from Europe was expected to remain steady, much growth in terms of the value of imports was anticipated. “The world's desire for imported fruits will not stop, not even in large, rather mature markets such as North America and Europe,” Cindy van Rijswick, global strategist for fresh produce at Rabobank in the Netherlands, said in the report. She noted that the key trend for 2025 was a shift towards high-value commodities. A comparison of fresh fruit trade flows in terms of value, rather than volume, showed the…

Despite predictions about the development of a weak La Niña weather phenomenon at the start of the South African summer season, significant uncertainty remains about its development. This was according to a National Agro-meteorological Committee (NAC) Advisory issued about the 2024/25 summer season. The NAC issued its Seasonal Climate Watch: November 2024 to March 2025 on 1 November. However, according to the World Meteorological Organization, there was a 60% chance of La Niña conditions emerging towards the end of this year. According to the NAC, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was currently still in a neutral state, but was expected to weaken as summer progressed. Current predictions indicated abovenormal rainfall for most north-eastern summer rainfall regions during the entire summer period, according to the NAC. However, the predictions might change…

EUROPEAN UNION The Guardian has learnt that the EU provided farming subsidies totalling €3,3 billion (about R62 billion) to 17 billionaires’ companies between 2018 and 2021, including those of British businessman Sir James Dyson and former Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš. Meanwhile, thousands of small farms have been forced to shut down. One-third of the EU's overall budget is allocated to farmers through its Common Agricultural Policy. The amount a farmer receives is based on the size of their land, rather than their actual need for support. However, rigid privacy rules, a lack of transparency, and complicated company ownership structures have made it difficult to investigate who receives the money. UNITED STATES Crop farmers are battling with weaker global demand and a surplus of maize and soya bean, which are…

Over 60 farmers from the Chris Hani and Sarah Baartman districts in the Eastern Cape gathered in late October in Graaff-Reinet, Queenstown, and Gqeberha for a three-day mohair marketing workshop. This event, organised by the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) in partnership with the Agricultural Produce Agents Council, was aimed at giving farmers critical insights into mohair production, quality control, and export strategies essential for sustaining the province's prominent role in South Africa's mohair industry. The workshop was structured to enhance farmers’ understanding of the market's stringent quality requirements and to provide exposure to factors affecting profitability. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Siyabulela Jakavula, deputy director of agricultural economics at the DRDAR, said: “This workshop included a classroom component and a practical exposure session at OVK,…

Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a state of disaster in the province after devastating storms that occurred at the beginning of November. Two adults and two children were reported to have died in the heavy storms, which destroyed buildings, infrastructure and roads. Ramathuba made her application during a meeting between Cabinet and the Limpopo provincial government's executive council in Polokwane in early November. According to a government directive, this meeting was the first of a series of engagements to occur between Ramaphosa and the executive councils of respective provinces, which aimed to enhance intergovernmental coordination and improve service delivery in line with the priorities of the seventh administration. Fanie Havinga, chairperson of TLU SA in Limpopo, told Farmer's Weekly that the organisation…

Most arid and semi-arid areas of western North America are not adapted to heavy hoof action, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout. Though bison were abundant east of the Rocky Mountains on the Great Plains, they occurred in limited numbers across western Wyoming, north-eastern Utah, and south-eastern Idaho. These low numbers and patchy occurrence would not have played the same ecological role as on the plains, according to an article in the International Journal of Biodiversity. Evidence indicates a low frequency of large hooved mammals in the western US during pre-Columbian times, so the opportunity for hoof action to sustain grasslands and deserts appears limited at best. The idea that current western North American plant communities are adapted to livestock grazing because the region supported a diverse herbivore fauna during the Pleistocene epoch…

Cultured meat is produced in a lab by growing animal muscle cells. This process requires animal serum (the liquid part of the blood), which poses challenges due to its high cost, the risk of contamination, and ethical concerns. In response, a team of scientists led by Prof Tatsuya Shimizu from Tokyo Women's Medical University in Japan have come up with a new way to grow muscle cells without the need for serum. This new method uses liver cells from rats to release the growth factors that muscle cells need. However, since these cells produce waste products that ultimately arrest muscle cell growth, the researchers combined them with photosynthetic micro-organisms called cyanobacteria, which are able clean up the waste. This waste is then converted into nutrients that further promote cell growth.…

With legislation to tax polluters and make them pay for past pollution, the climate change conference can advance measures that hold polluters responsible, writes environmental sociologist Llewellyn Leonard. The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly. This article was originally published by The Conversation. Visit bit.ly/48vFdMN. Environmental sociologist Llewellyn Leonard is a professor of environmental science at the University of South Africa. Email llewel@unisa.ac.za or visit llewellynleonard.co.za. At the time of going to print, the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) was already under way in Azerbaijan. The annual climate change conference must focus on holding corporations and countries accountable for greenhouse gas emissions. The ‘polluter pays’ principle has been a key part of climate discussions for years. It says a polluter…

South Africa is making progress in meeting requirements that will remove the country from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) ‘grey list’. However, it is unlikely that it will meet the deadline for full compliance by the next reporting cycle in February 2025. South Africa was grey listed by the FATF in February 2023 for not complying with international standards that relate to money laundering and addressing illicit financial flow. The country was given 22 action items that needed to be addressed before it could be removed from the list. National Treasury explained that institutions based in grey-listed countries that engage in cross-border trade and other activities may be subject to higher levels of customer due diligence by financial institutions outside of those countries. In practice, this means these institutions…

South Africa's fruit industry is gearing up for a bright future, as new and emerging markets open up opportunities for expansion. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing, said the company had a proactive approach to exports, despite significant logistical hurdles. He added that as global demand for South African apples and pears grew, Tru-Cape was actively navigating these challenges. “We are continuously making plans. However, it comes at a cost.” Pienaar added that due to the congestion at the Port of Cape Town, Tru-Cape had considered road transport to alternative ports like Gqeberha. This alternative, however, incurred costs of up to R40 000 per container and was constrained by limited truck availability. To manage exports efficiently, Tru-Cape was exploring options beyond traditional container shipping,…

The Competition Commission recently held a workshop in Eersterivierstrand, Eastern Cape, aimed at addressing the persistent barriers to entry for dairy farmers and promoting the ‘buyer power’ provisions outlined in the Competition Act (No 89 of 1998). Industry stakeholders came together to discuss how these amendments, designed to curb unfair trading practices, could foster a fairer marketplace for emerging dairy farmers facing competition from commercial producers. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Andile Gwabeni, acting divisional manager of the Competition Commission's Advocacy Division, said South Africa's economic structure often placed emerging producers at a disadvantage, particularly within the dairy industry. “[The commission's] aim is to protect producers from being required, through the abuse of dominance, to sell their goods or services at prices or trading conditions that are unfair,” he said. Gwabeni…

Jamie Fourie was celebrated as the recipient of the prestigious Animal Feed Manufacturers’ Association's (AFMA) Student of the Year award at the AFMA Symposium 2024, held in late October at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, Gauteng. The award, presented in honour of Dr Koos van der Merwe, pays tribute to his pivotal contribution to the animal feed industry in South Africa and recognises students whose academic work promises to uphold and advance his legacy. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly following her win, Fourie, who is completing a master's degree in food science at the University of Pretoria, said: “It feels a bit surreal. I never quite imagined that I would be the student to win this award, and I am extremely grateful. “It's even better to know that my…

Livestock trends were mixed over the past month, with red meat prices increasing, while chicken prices decreased and pork prices only saw marginal increases. As the festive season approaches, demand for livestock products is expected to grow, likely supporting prices towards the end of the year. BEEF After trading at around the R55/kg mark from the beginning of the year, Class A beef lost momentum in terms of price at the end of August. This was a result of an increase in supply as producers expected a rebound in demand due to lower fuel prices. However, demand was lower than predicted during September, causing prices to dip below R52/kg in mid-September. Carcass prices regained momentum at the end of October, increasing by 1,4% for Class A beef and by 6,4%…

The South African Keto & Intermittent Fasting Cookbook by Rita Venter & Natalie Lawson (Human & Rousseau, R390) That great, contradictory Afrikaans expression ‘Ja-nee’ seems to apply to here: it could be good timing if you're aiming to shape up for a beach holiday, but you might feel more dubious if you're planning some festive feasting. Venter and Lawson were both early adopters of the low-carb Banting plan, to the extent that Venter started a Facebook group for Banting fans. Lawson, who has an autistic son, entered the fold with an interest in the Banting diet's impact on neurological health. The first third is packed with the basics, testimonials, recommended shopping lists, and meal plans. The recipes are designed to tempt doubters with keto versions of family favourites and tasty…

This cattle breeder got the best possible return by using all his irrigated pastures as efficiently as possible. Taking on a beef herd when one already has a milking herd plus extensive sugar cane, maize and timber lands to look after may seem too heavy a workload. But Jersey breeder Ernest Taeuber of Fountainhill Estate near Wartburg, KwaZulu-Natal, has found the Sussex beef herd to be the answer to using his undergrazed pastures. The Sussex herd makes a good job of using the pastures left over by the more selective, milk-producing Jerseys. This move has enabled Taeuber to achieve total feed usage, with extra revenue and only a marginal increase in labour costs. But why Sussex? Taeuber was looking for an animal with a docile disposition, and also an animal…

Agricultural stakeholders have welcomed government's commitment to grow the economy, as outlined by Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana in his Medium-term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) in late October, but raised concerns over how this will be achieved. According to Godongwana, the MTBPS focused on lifting the economy to a “higher and more inclusive path”, as economic growth was forecast to reach a mere 1,1% in 2024 and an average of 1,8% over the medium term. He added that the growth strategy was anchored on the maintenance of macroeconomic stability, implementation of structural reforms, support of growth-enhancing infrastructure, and the building of state capability. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz, said the minister's statement showed government was committed to stabilising debt and that the emphasis on growth,…

The increasing importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles was highlighted during a panel discussion at a recent media day hosted by Agbiz and South Africa Wine in Paarl, Western Cape. Speaking at the event, Annelize Crosby, head of legal intelligence at Agbiz, said an international regulatory framework already existed for ESG principles, and South Africa was not going to escape the mounting consumer pressure to adopt these standards. For example, she said that since 2023, South African state-owned and publicly listed companies, including those on the the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, have been required to include sustainability reports in their financial statements. Crosby added that Agbiz and various industry bodies were creating awareness of this trend, with the aim of helping producers and agribusinesses to at least understand the…

Around 25% of Sardinia's 13 000 sheep farms have been affected by the bluetongue virus so far this year, with losses of sheep and lambs amounting to around 40 000 head – eight times more than last year, according to a report by Reuters. The island houses three million sheep (almost twice the number of people), which accounts for 40% of Italy's total sheep population. The sheep farming industry employs more than 27 000 people, and is a fundamental part of Sardinia's cultural heritage because of products like pecorino cheese, which is made from sheep's milk. In recent months, several parts of Europe have experienced outbreaks of bluetongue, aided by higher temperatures, which promotes the actvity of the midges that transmit the virus. However, Sardinia has been the hardest hit.…

The importance of networks and active participation within them was emphasised at the second Agri Synergy function, held recently in Paarl, Western Cape. Villiers Loubser, president of Agri Western Cape, said Agri Synergy was established last year to create a platform where farmers and other agricultural stakeholders could communicate, network, discuss issues facing the industry, and together seek solutions. Barend la Grange, chief operating officer of the Privilege Foundation, spoke about the importance of relationships in moving agribusiness and the country as a whole forward. “South Africa's diversity is one of its major strengths. We need to put less emphasis on the differences and instead focus on what we can do together to make this country better.” He added that South Africa had come a long way since 1987, when…

The closure of the Hardap Dam, near Mariental in the Hardap Region of central Namibia, was a disaster, according to Dawie de Klerk, chairperson of the Hardap Farmers’ Association. The supply of irrigation water from the dam was closed on 31 October. Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein said in a statement that at the time, the dam hadn't received any inflow during the 2024 rainfall season, leaving it at a record-low capacity of 6,3%. “At the current level, water will still be supplied to the town of Mariental and to livestock until February 2026, with no inflow this season,” Schlettwein said in an interview broadcast by the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). De Klerk told the NBC that the closure meant producers wouldn't be able to plant…

Farmers operate in a free market, but this does not mean that price formation in the market is fair. While the market is free in the sense that there are few legal barriers to entry, the markets where farmers buy their farm requisites and those where they sell their products are highly concentrated, with a few large firms dominating. When producer prices decrease, it usually does not result in lower ex-factory or retail prices. The Competition Commission recently stated that the lower price of sunflower seed did not result in lower sunflower oil prices, and that lower wheat prices did not result in cheaper brown bread. Processors and retailers are not motivated to transfer lower prices to consumers, as this results in lower profits. The same trends are evident in…

For some, high-density grazing (HDG) represents a set of management techniques that help them to increase livestock productivity per hectare, improve the quality of their rangelands or the performance of their herd, facilitate livestock management, and/or gain access to a network of like-minded farmers, says Roelof Bezuidenhout. In his research, he found that there may also be social benefits for farmers in the form of engagement with other producers with similar interests. Farmers practising HDG (a component of holistic management) in South Africa demonstrate higher adaptive capacity, greater social networks, and greater participation in study groups relative to their peers who use conventional methods.…

Dear Prof McCrindle, I live in the Eastern Cape and heard on the news about people dying from rabies after being bitten by dogs. There are a lot of stray dogs where I stay. It's too expensive to take my dogs to a private vet; where can I buy vaccines to vaccinate them myself? How many times must a dog be vaccinated? Ruben Dear Ruben, In South Africa, about 10 people die of rabies each year. Most cases this year were seen in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. If you are bitten by a dog, contact your local clinic and ask to be given a rabies vaccination. Two treatments are essential, so you must go back in three weeks for the second injection. Although rabies can be transmitted by cats,…