Tabla de contenidos para 27 June 2025 en Farmer's Weekly

Before I begin my editorial this week, I must first address something that has been brought to my attention. In my opinion piece in the 13 June issue of Farmer's Weekly, I wrote something that could be misconstrued to mean that members of President Cyril Ramaphosa's delegation to the Oval Office said that farm attacks and murders were part of ‘ordinary crime’ in South Africa. However, nobody in the delegation said that, and it was merely my interpretation of the events that occurred during the meeting. It was certainly not my intention to suggest that these words were spoken by any member of the delegation. Nevertheless, I understand why my wording may appear ambiguous, and I therefore apologise to our readers and the affected parties for any confusion caused. Now…

With youth unemployment levels in South Africa currently sitting at a staggering 46,1%, according to Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2025, the urgency to find sustainable solutions has never been greater. In rural KwaZulu-Natal, nonprofit organisation (NPO) Thanda is expanding its Food Security & Economic Development (FSED) Initiative with a renewed focus: supporting the youth to build dignified, sustainable livelihoods through agroecology. Thanda has been running communitybased farming programmes in rural South Africa for the past decade. In 2024 alone, participating farmers earned R3,6 million in direct income, money that not only supports their families but also circulates through and uplifts their communities. Now, Thanda is doubling down on supporting young people at a time when KwaZulu-Natal has seen the largest provincial employment…

Calves play the most important role in the production chain, according to this Caledon farmer. Cyril Walker, who runs a successful dairy operation on Ou Plaas farm near Greyton in the Caledon district of the Western Cape, loses less than 1% of his calf crop. Over the past few years, he has lost only one calf a year from a herd of 200 Jerseys in milk. Walker, who was a civil servant in Caledon, bought an almost undeveloped farm in 1979 and turned it into a highly productive unit. One of the farm's boundaries is the Sonderend River. At present, 250ha of the 270ha farm is arable, and almost all the land can be irrigated if necessary. Permanent irrigated pastures cover 54ha, apples are produced on another 8,5ha, and about…

Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen recently announced a significant breakthrough for the poultry industry at AVI Africa 2025 in Johannesburg, Gauteng: the roll-out of mass vaccination against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The move comes after poultry producers appealed to Steenhuisen to intervene in government requirements that made it too onerous and expensive to allow vaccination against HPAI in the country. The minister said that a vaccination team, comprising poultry specialists and vets from the University of Pretoria (UP) and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), had been established, and 50 animal health technicians had been appointed on short-term contracts to assist with the roll-out. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Izaak Breitenbach, general manager of the South African Poultry Association's Broiler Organisation, welcomed the development: “It is a huge relief to the…

The fine wine industry is being revolutionised through the launch of the wine Actively Managed Certificate (AMC), which is turning collectible vintages into securitised financial assets. The innovation was spearheaded by wine experts Roland Peens, director of Wine Cellar, and Johan Malan, investment and brokerage manager at Wine Cellar, who sought a way to address the challenges associated with fine wine investments, such as specialised knowledge to buy investment wines, the physical storage of these wines and liquidity. The solution addresses all these pain points: “Where fine wine investments were previously dominated by collectors and connoisseurs, the AMC has opened the class to everybody, institutional and private investors, by enabling the buying and selling of shares in fine wine portfolios rather than dealing with physical bottles,” Peens told Farmer's Weekly.…

What advances have been made to develop new apple and pear cultivars or improve current ones? South African growers have access to the latest promising apple and pear varieties from around the world. Organisations and companies like the South African Plant Improvement Organisation, Stargrow, Topfruit, and Fruitways are all part of different alliances and can import and test new varieties in our growing areas. Furthermore, Stargrow and Innovapome's breeding programmes focus on adaptability under South African conditions (warmer winters, excessive heat and light in summer), good eating quality, and storage potential for the export market. Innovapome also explores varieties suitable for Limpopo (a warmer, non-traditional area for pome fruit cultivation in South Africa) to expand apple production areas. Traditionally, we haven't had much success with locally bred apple varieties, and…

SERVES SIX For the savoury mince Avocado or olive oil, for cooking 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 500g beef mince Salt and pepper, to taste 30ml (2 Tbsp) cake flour 50g packet tomato paste 500ml (2 cups) beef stock 15ml (1 Tbsp) soy sauce Handful parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish For the waffles 30ml (2 Tbsp) sugar 2 avocados, sliced 250ml (1 cup) milk 2,5ml (½ tsp) salt 2 eggs 375 ml (1½ cups) cake flour 7,5 ml (½ Tbsp) baking powder • For the savoury mince, heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and sauté the onion for five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then remove and set aside. • Heat another splash of oil…

In the 30 May issue of Farmer's Weekly, an error appeared in the article titled ‘How the SA Saddlebred has built a global reputation’. A caption accompanying an image, also pictured here, read: ‘Ukuqala, the South African Grand Champion Single Harness, shown by owner Cecil du Plessis’. However, it should have read: ‘Gift of Class, the South African Grand Champion Stallion, owned by Wim van Bergen and shown by Jack Boyi’. Farmer's Weekly has a high regard for factual accuracy and welcomes reader input.…

While everybody was focused on the recent TrumpRamaphosa White House discussions, and other geopolitical conflicts, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa made a very important announcement regarding local government in South Africa. He announced the beginning of a review of the White Paper on Local Government. Although our relations with the US are important, and tariffs are crucial for trade, the failure of local government in South Africa is very important to the agriculture sector in general. The previous White Paper published in 1998, following the acceptance of the 1996 Constitution, created the policy and legislative environment to consolidate more than 1 100 city, town, district, and village councils into the current 257 councils. It was done with the aim to create a local government environment that…

Farmers took Agri SA to task over its response to the Expropriation Act at AgriCulture Mpumalanga's congress held in White River in June. During an open session, several farmers representing their local farmer unions said that Agri SA's response to the bill being signed into law wasn't strong enough, and that a case should have been made at the Constitutional Court to challenge the Act. Jaco Minnaar, president of Agri SA, emphasised that the organisation was opposed to the Act and was in the process of compiling a case to take to the court. “But we need a watertight approach before a case can be made. We have one chance to present a case to the Constitutional Court. If we lose, there is no higher court we can appeal to,”…

Hortgro Science recently held its annual research showcase in Somerset West, Western Cape, split into a Hortgro Pome Research Day and a Hortgro Stone Fruit Research Day, where it highlighted the importance of research in navigating industry challenges. André Smit, outgoing chairperson of Hortgro Stone, noted at the stone fruit day, that plum prices hit a trough in 2020 until 2022, which negatively impacted farm profitability. Plum production profitability substantially improved in 2023 and 2024, with plums, apricots, peaches and nectarines currently in an upward market cycle, and especially nectarines showing substantial export growth. Smit emphasised the risk of commoditisation: “Market growth and the development of new markets are required to manage these risks, along with strong research to navigate increasingly restrictive market demands.” He highlighted that industries needed to…

In a celebration that brought together industry leaders, policy experts and long-time members, the Road Freight Association (RFA) marked its 50th anniversary at its annual convention held at the Champagne Sports Resort in KwaZulu-Natal's Central Drakensberg. Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Gavin Kelly, CEO of the RFA, said the event honoured the association's five decades of commitment to South Africa's road freight industry and reflected on its pivotal role in shaping the sector's past, present and future. Kelly explained that since it was founded in 1975 as the Public Hauliers Association and rebranded in 1989 as the RFA, the organisation has grown into a leading voice for road freight operators across the country. Over the past 50 years, the RFA has been instrumental in advocating for better transport regulations, supporting its…

We live in an ever-changing world, and changes in political and economic conditions are no exception. In 2024, there were more than 70 elections around the world. Many of these, such as the US presidential election and the South African election leading to the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU), changed the political and economic environment completely. In the global economic environment, a new trend emerged from 2022. This trend is called ‘vibecession’ and is defined as a disconnect between economic data and consumer confidence. SLOWDOWN IN INFLATION In South Africa, lower interest rates and a slowdown in inflation did not lead to an upswing in consumer confidence. In fact, according to the Bureau for Economic Research, the country's consumer confidence index dropped to a record low of…

Tom Lasater, the developer of the Beefmaster, developed the ‘Six Essentials’ philosophy on his ranch in South Texas in the US during the 1930s and 1940s. These essentials suggest that farmers select animals for breeding based solely on economically relevant traits. His method was revolutionary for its time and focused on a practical, results-driven approach to cattle raising. The Six Essentials include: TEMPERAMENT: this refers to the cattle's nature. Lasater recognised that gentle cattle were safer to handle, required less labour, experienced fewer injuries, and were generally more efficient. A good disposition in a herd therefore translates directly to reduced costs and a safer working environment. FERTILITY: considering this trait as the ‘first among equals’ and the cornerstone of his philosophy, Lasater believed that if a cow didn't produce a…

Three Wild Dogs and the Truth: A Memoir by Markus Zusak (Pan, R395) We're not talking here about wild dogs, also known as painted wolves, in game reserves. Although, if Zusak had been aware of them, he'd probably have enjoyed playing with the image for his earliest hero dog, Reuben, who looked like a brindle wolf. Reuben, Archer, and Frosty were rescue dogs, all with very different characters, remembered for some extraordinary escapades. Although so many of us share our lives with domestic dogs, there are few memoirs about it. An earlier standout was 1984's The Common Years, by Jilly Cooper, a fun account of her decade walking dogs on Putney Commons in London, UK. Zusak, on his dog runs at Centennial Park in Sydney, Australia, generally avoids more than…

Farmers buying into rhetoric that is not based on facts has created an unnecessarily negative mindset within agriculture. Speakers at AgriCulture Mpumalanga's congress held in White River in June said that there was an increasing tendency among farmers to adopt opinions of vocal naysayers on social media rather than those actively involved in agriculture. “There is a lot of information on social media about farming, but not much of it is accurate,” Jaco Minnaar, president of Agri SA, said at the congress. “The danger of social media is that you follow people who share your opinions, and your ideas keep getting verified and strengthened. Eventually it's all you believe, even though it could be very far from the truth.” He cautioned farmers to be mindful of fact-checking information before believing…

Despite macroeconomic headwinds, Omnia Holdings Ltd delivered a resilient performance for the year ended 31 March. Revenue increased by 3% to R22,8 billion, while operating profits amounted to R1,7 billion, slightly lower than the previous financial year's R1,7 billion. However, excluding chemical restructuring costs of R99 million to ensure the long-term sustainability and profitability of Protea Chemicals, operating profits increased by 6% on the previous year to R1,8 billion. Headline earnings per share increased by 1% to 704c, compared with 699c in the previous year. Tiaan Kotzé, chief operating officer at Omnia, said the company was satisfied with the results, considering persistent macroeconomic headwinds encountered over the financial year, and improved economic, social governance parameter performance. Omnia's carbon dioxide intensity per ton manufactured decreased from 0,04 the previous financial year…

As the South African winter settles in, the vegetable market continues to show dynamic trends across crops, reflecting both seasonal factors and broader supply and demand shifts. CABBAGES The last week of May saw strong consumer demand, with monthly average prices down by 17,4% (see Graph 1), supported by a 9,9% increase in average monthly volumes supplied. Average monthly prices declined from R4 605/t to R3 801/t. Year-on-year (y/y), average cabbage prices declined by 1% (see Graph 2), supported by a significant 183,7% increase in average annual volumes supplied. Cabbage prices are expected to trend upward from June until August, as analysts anticipate stronger consumer demand while volumes supplied remain under pressure. Prices are likely to remain within the R3 000/t to R4 000/t range before potentially peaking again during…

Johan Reyneke, owner of Reyneke Wines near Stellenbosch, has been following biodynamic and organic production practices since the early 1990s, and started producing biochar in 2021. “We have a big vineyard renewal drive, so I was looking for a way to recycle the old vineyard on the farm. Initially, the removed vineyard was chipped to be used as mulch, but it did not work well because it was difficult to remove all the trellis wire from the chipped product,” says Reyneke. Wihan Bekker, civil engineer at Ikhala Impact, told Reyneke about the benefits of biochar and the use of the Ring of Fire kiln, after which Reyneke decided to use it on the farm. For one, the biochar is being thrown in the kraal where Reyneke's cattle sleep at night,…

New research from US universities Colorado State and Cornell shows that solar panels placed in Colorado's grasslands can help plants grow better, especially during dry years. According to the study, solar panels improve soil moisture and lessen water stress, which results in plant growth of at least 20% greater than in open fields without panels. Although solar panels produce clean energy, they can block sunlight, which may have a negative effect on wildlife, grasslands and grazing for livestock. This is the first field study to examine their impact on grasslands, using four years of data from a site near Longmont, Colorado. Colorado's semi-arid grasslands often don't get enough rain, but the research showed that plants near and under the panels benefitted from their shade and the extra water dripping from…

Dear Prof McCrindle, The rain has made my sheep pens very wet, and all my Dorpers now seem to be lame. With all the water, though, I don't know what to do. I cannot market my sheep because they can't even walk. Injecting antibiotics is a waste of money, because then they can't be sold for slaughter. Help! Sheep Farmer, Gauteng Dear Sheep Farmer, These are the seven steps you can take: (1) drain water from the one side of each pen; (2) move the manure and all the sheep to the other side; (3) put silica sand on the ‘clean’ side; (4) move the sheep back to the ‘clean’ side; (5) move the muddy manure from the ‘dirty’ side to the ‘clean’ side; (6) put sand on the former…