Tabla de contenidos para 2 May 2025 en Farmer's Weekly

The US ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs have dominated news since the announcement made by President Donald Trump on 2 April, when he imposed a 30% tariff on all goods from South Africa, along with tariffs on several other countries. However, at the time of writing, a 90-day pause on South Africa’s tariff had been implemented. The question most people have been asking is why Trump has imposed these tariffs. Tariffs are, after all, a ‘silent’ tax on consumers; it is US citizens who will end up paying more for imported goods, as the cost of the tariffs will essentially be passed on to them. I assume Trump’s reasoning behind the tariffs are twofold. First, by increasing tariffs, he hopes that the US’s trading partners will negotiate lower tariffs on US goods.…

This story showed how in the Eastern Cape some varieties of tomatoes can stand wet weather, cold, strong winds, and drought and still maintain good yields and resistance to disease. Tomato trials in the Eastern Cape have shown certain commercial varieties to be extremely high yielding, widely adaptable and multi-disease-resistant compared to cultivars currently grown in the area. The technical managing director of Mayford Seeds, Rodney Zingel, says these varieties were bred under local conditions to suit South African requirements. “The breeding programme is part of an ongoing development that has been conducted over the past 25 years,” says Zingel. “Local farmers and market agents helped select the varieties for their adaptability to local conditions and market requirements. “Some attributes selected for were firm fruit, pleasant taste, and long shelf…

The Eastern Cape MEC for Agriculture Nonceba Kontsiwe recently tabled the policy and budget for 2025/26 at the Eastern Cape Legislature. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Kontsiwe said that the department had once again achieved a clean audit for the fifth consecutive year, demonstrating sound financial management and governance. “We are proud that our department has continued to uphold good governance and accountability by achieving yet another clean audit. This is a reflection of our dedication to transparent and efficient service delivery,” she said. Kontsiwe said that a key highlight of the department’s budget was the R70 million allocated to support grain production on 23 000ha in the province’s major grain corridors in the Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo, Amathole, and OR Tambo districts. “This allocation is meant to ensure…

Favourable weather points to an exceptional wine grape harvest this year, according to Dr Etienne Terblanche, head of Consultation Services at Vinpro, who told Farmer’s Weekly that the harvest was now past the halfway mark and seemed slightly up on initial estimates. The industry estimated in February that production could be above the 1,116 million tons produced in 2024 and on par with the 1,183 million tons produced in 2023. Terblanche said producers were excited about the quality of this year’s harvest. “We’ve had near-perfect climatic conditions so far. Although early winter rainfall was below average, the record rainfall in July replenished water sources and ensured sufficient irrigation. Disease pressure was also low in most regions, thanks to moderate spring and summer conditions.” According to industry reports, early-ripening cultivars like…

The Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) led a high-level delegation in April to the award-winning Ivili Loboya animal fibre processing and manufacturing facility in Butterworth, as part of efforts to stimulate inclusive economic growth through the wool value chain. The delegation, headed by ECRDA CEO Simpiwe Somdyala, included representatives from the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, the Amathole District Municipality, the Mnquma Local Municipality, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the National Agricultural Marketing Council. Somdyala told Farmer’s Weekly that the visit marked a crucial step in building partnerships that would transform the rural economy by unlocking the full potential of the wool industry. “Ivili Loboya is a shining example of rural industrial innovation, and we are proud to support its mission,” he…

Since market deregulation in 1996, South Africa’s agricultural growth strategy has been based on access to export markets in the EU and US, while also expanding its footprint in markets in Asia and the Middle East. Government and the private sector in South Africa have been successful in forging new trade relations and promoting the country’s image as a trusted and capable exporter of quality agricultural products. In terms of product composition, the country has a competitive edge in fruits like citrus, table grapes, avocados, apples and pears. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE South Africa also has a competitive advantage in sugar, wool, mohair, maize, nuts, and wine. It does have the capability to export meat, but biosecurity issues, coupled with inferior cattle genetics among black farmers – who are estimated to own…

The newly introduced 30% import tariffs on goods from South Africa to the US, which, at the time of writing, were paused for 90 days, are set to have far-reaching consequences for South Africa’s high-value agricultural exports. In April, US President Donald Trump announced steep import tariffs on multiple countries, including a 30% tariff on all agricultural goods from South Africa. According Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz, 4% of South Africa’s agricultural exports are destined for the US. While this is comparatively small, the US market is crucial for high-value exports like citrus, macadamia nuts and wine. Around 98% of macadamia nuts produced in South Africa are exported, of which around 20% was consumed by the US in 2023. South Africa is the largest supplier of macadamia nuts to…

In early April, Brazil received significant rain in the south-central area of the country, bringing relief to second-crop maize farmers, according to Successful Farming. More rain had also been predicted for the rest of April. Mario Antonio dos Santos, an agro-meteorologist, said that Brazil’s second-crop maize, which would likely account for more than 75% of the country’s 2024/25 output, was the focus of traders’ attention now that the soya bean harvest was almost complete. According to Successful Farming, the second maize crop is generally planted on the same land as soya beans, after they have been harvested. The first maize crop is planted in tandem with the soya bean crop. At the time of writing, Brazilian farmers had already harvested 88% of the first maize crop. Before the rain, concerns…

The Organic & Natural Products Expo held recently in Cape Town gave producers and organisations an opportunity to unlock new markets, raise awareness about their products and broaden their networks. Skoobi Schoeman, owner of Laharna Farm, who attended the expo, told Farmer’s Weekly that table olive production and processing had proved to be three times more lucrative than olive oil production for him in Rawsonville, Western Cape. His sales model, however, also helped to cut costs, as he sold his produce to people at wholesale prices, who then sold it directly to consumers at markets. “The model has helped to unlock good representation in Johannesburg, [Gqeberha] and Cape Town, thanks to consumers wanting a more personal relationship with the people from whom they buy their food,” he said. He pointed…

The 1 April announcement of US President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs sent shockwaves around the globe, with few political and market analysts expecting the reach and magnitude of the duties. The precise impact of this announcement is still being assessed. A consideration that could affect further announcements out of the US is the impact of tariffs on food availability and/or affordability in the US. Citrus exports from South Africa provide an interesting case in this regard. The main citrus products exported to the US are oranges and mandarins. EXPORTS OF ORANGES In the case of oranges, our analysis shows that South Africa’s main exporting months to the US are July to October. During these months, another notable Southern Hemisphere exporter to the US is Chile. From July to October,…

Cutworms are an ever-present threat to vegetable production. The first danger to transplanted and direct seeded crops comes from cutworms that have been living off weeds, however small the weeds that were present prior to land preparation. Cutworms can survive on just about any organic material, even when it is dry. Having a land unplanted for a while before planting can lull you into complacency. The best and most cost-effective way to ensure that the land is cutworm-free is to spray it with a pyrethroid a couple of days before planting. I apply a pre-emergence weedkiller at planting, then a post-emergence product to ensure a longer-lasting effect and eliminate any weeds that emerged but weren’t affected by the earlier product. MOTHS LAYING EGGS If you find no indication of the…

SERVES FOUR For the panna cotta 3 gelatine leaves 300ml cream 200ml full-cream milk 50g white sugar 10ml vanilla essence For the strawberry sauce 125g fresh strawberries, plus two to garnish 30g sugar 15ml lemon juice • Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of water. • Mix the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla essence together in a pot, and bring to a simmer. • Remove the gelatine from the bowl and squeeze out any extra water. • Stir the gelatine into the cream mixture, ensuring it is completely dissolved. • Use a ladle to decant the mixture into ramekins (or whatever you’re going to use as serving dishes). • Put the ramekins in the fridge and leave them for at least five hours to set, preferably overnight.…

5 KEY WORDS: KERSEY LAWRENCE Professional and life partners American Kersey Lawrence and UK-born South Africaraised Lee Gutteridge grew up on opposite sides of the globe. However, both had free-roaming childhoods and shared a love of nature that led them to become tracking experts. Now they’ve worked together to produce Tracking Animals (Jacana, R395), an in-depth look at tracking from its ancient origins to current skills and CyberTracker, a field-certification system for traditionally skilled trackers and new students. Here are five of Lawrence’s key guiding words: 1. Familiarity. Fortunately, I was raised in a generation where parents just kicked kids outside in the morning and told us to be home for dinner when it got dark. I developed a real comfort and familiarity outside in the forests, following my curiosities. 2.…

Environmental stress causes distress in plants. Thus, early detection, before visible signs like wilting or discolouration appear, is vital. Researchers from Iowa State University in the US have developed a wearable patch for plants that detects stress signals in real time. The electrochemical sensor, which attaches to plant leaves, monitors hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels, a key indicator of plant distress. Plants under stress release H2O2 as a signal to activate their defence mechanisms. Early detection of this chemical helps optimise plant care and prevent further damage, thereby boosting crop yields. Chlorophyll interference can impede the use of external detectors or the removal of plant parts, which are the traditional methods used to detect H2O2. To get around this, the researchers made a flexible patch of tiny plastic needles covered in…

South Africa was not spared the ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump against many countries. South Africa will face tariffs between 10% and 30% in the US for all products. The specificity for by-products is not yet clear. We know now that a baseline tariff of 10% will apply to imports into the US from all countries. It remains unclear if there are differences in the remaining 20% (that makes up the rest of the 30%) of duties levied against South Africa. In this environment, it is prudent to assume that South Africa will be excluded from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which afforded us duty-free access to the US for a range of products, including the auto industry and agriculture. I suspect there may…

According to Cobus Olivier, a prediction research scientist at the South African Weather Service, above-normal rainfall is anticipated over the eastern coastal areas until August, which may lead to flash floods in flood-prone regions. “However, below-normal rainfall conditions, coupled with above-normal minimum and maximum temperatures, are likely to reduce water levels through evapotranspiration processes in the south-western part of the country, particularly in the [drier] areas,” he said in a statement. According to Olivier, the April to August forecast indicated that minimum temperatures were largely expected to be above normal across most regions, with maximum temperatures also expected to be above normal, except in the southern and south-eastern coastal areas, which were expected to experience below-normal maximum temperatures. “Overall, the country is likely to experience predominantly above-normal temperatures,” he said.…

A delegation from the University of Queensland (UQ)’s School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability in Australia recently visited the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) at Nietvoorbij near Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, to strengthen collaboration between the two entities. Prof Bongani Ndimba, ARC research director, gave an overview of the council’s activities and emphasised the importance of collaboration with universities and industry organisations to fulfil the ARC’s mandate of transforming the agriculture sector, improving agricultural production efficiencies and strengthening food security. Prof Sagadevan Mundree, head of the UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, outlined the various faculties and activities offered by the university, and pointed out that UQ was counted among the top 50 universities in the world. It currently boasted an average of 57 000 students, of which 21…

Jacques Smalle, the DA’s Limpopo provincial chairperson, recently expressed utmost concern about the “collapse of control” along the LimpopoZimbabwe border, which was leading to an increase in crime in the area, as well as the alleged illegal movement of animals in and out of South Africa. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Smalle said the failure of border authorities was especially evident in Leeukraal, situated close to the Musina (Beitbridge) Border Post. While there are a number of other crime hotspots in the area, Leeukraal was the most affected. “Nearly 20 000 vehicles were confiscated in the area, the majority in Leeukraal in 2024. We’ve had one case where 7 500 domesticated goats were driven through the Limpopo River from Zimbabwe to our side of the border. In one instance, when the…

CHINA China recently unveiled its plan to accelerate building up its strength in agriculture for the 2024 to 2035 period, according to the Xinhua News Agency. By 2035, the country aims to show progress in all-round rural revitalisation, the basic realisation of agricultural modernisation, and the establishment of modern standards of living in rural areas. By the mid-century, China hopes to ensure a stable and reliable supply of agricultural goods and produce, making it less reliable on imports. SOUTH KOREA South Korea’s agricultural exports rose 7,9% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, according to the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, as reported by The Peninsula. This was a new record high for the Asian country. From January to March, South Korea exported agricultural products to the value of US$3,18 billion…

This year’s Giant Pumpkin Festival winner, Piet Lotz of Riversdale in the Southern Cape, broke the South African biggest pumpkin record with his first pumpkin that weighed in at 1 062kg, and then bettered the record with his second pumpkin that tipped the scales at 1 120kg. Unfortunately, his pumpkins were not heavy enough to beat the world record of 1 247kg, which was produced by Travis Gienger of the US and presented at the 50th Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California, on 9 October 2023. André du Plessis of Riversdale took second place with a pumpkin that weighed 954kg, while last year’s winner, Pieter Conradie of Nuy Valley, took third place with a pumpkin that weighed 737kg. Lotz told Farmer’s Weekly that he knew that…

Considering the burgeoning global human population, water will be one of the scarcest – and therefore most valuable – commodities. On our farm, we have converted a massive old shed into a housing unit, and ‘grey’ water from the kitchen and two bathrooms has been channelled into the adjoining vegetable garden that supplies us and our employees with a variety of fruit, vegetables, and herbs. In undertaking this water conservation project, I used 40mm PVC plumbing piping that exits the building and has been laid/buried just under the surface of the garden beds. Pipes, which will eventually be hidden from view, irrigate the soil via 6mm holes drilled at intervals of 10cm to 15cm. A wood or steel drill bit works quite well. Take care when drilling to avoid injury.…

In an industry where food safety and public trust are paramount, South Africa has developed a rigorous framework to safeguard meat products from farm to fork. At the heart of this framework is the Meat Safety Act of 2000 (the Act), a legislative cornerstone that has redefined the standards for meat processing, inspection, and distribution. Dr Gerhard Neethling, general manager of the Red Meat Abattoir Association in Pretoria, Gauteng, is a prominent advocate for these measures, ensuring that every stage of meat production meets nationally recognised benchmarks. A LEGISLATIVE FOUNDATION FOR MEAT SAFETY According to Neethling, the Act was established to promote meat safety and maintain essential national standards within abattoirs. It clearly stipulates that “no person may slaughter any animal at any place other than an abattoir”, and further…

BODY CONDITION Goal: more sows in ideal body condition at farrowing and weaning Best practices Use the sow calliper to measure body condition consistently and accurately. Record all measurements. EARLY GESTATION Goal: breed Camborough gilts between 135kg and 160kg and between 200 to 225 days of age to set females up for lifetime performance Best practices • Feed ad lib from birth through first breeding. • Feed a gilt development diet, not a market gilt diet. Diets adjusted for development include: » Approximately 97% of market gilt diet lysine-to-energy ratio to hit average daily gain and weight targets. » About 8% higher concentrations of calcium and phosphorus to maximise bone mineralisation.1 » Appropriate levels of vitamins and trace minerals, as outlined in the PIC Nutrition and Feeding Guidelines. FIRST BREEDING…

How long does it take to become a bread-making phenomenon? In Lacey Ostermann’s case, just a few weeks. About five years ago, this Californian followed Instagram videos to begin making her own sourdough bread during the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown. While her first loaf was “burnt, flat and poorly shaped”, the achievement at the time “felt like magic”. Ostermann began making loaves so fast that she sold them to neighbours, along with biscuits, cakes, brownies, and other baked goods. Her Lace Bakes microbakery lasted 16 months of 3.45am starts, but post-COVID-19, that became too difficult to maintain alongside normal family hours. So, she redirected her efforts to @lacebakes on social media, and now to her cleverly themed book, 3 Doughs, 60 Recipes (Quadrille, R575). The three doughs she chose are focaccia…

Dear Prof McCrindle, My breeding stallion has been pacing in his stable at night and he is getting thin. His stable is outside of the barn where my mares are kept. How can I keep him calm? Russell Dear Russell, Mares are coming into season, and their scent may be a reason why your stallion is pacing. Pacing in horses is classified as stereotypic behaviour. It is often a result of anxiety due to a feeling of restriction in the stable or separation from other horses. During the day, a stallion usually settles down if he has a ‘buddy’ or can see his mares passing his camp on the way to where they graze. He will nicker at them – greeting them in the same way a human husband might…