Farmer's Weekly

Global agriculture is under pressure to produce more food, use fewer resources to produce food, and remain an important employer of rural communities. This is a lot of pressure to place on the shoulders of farmers but it is the nature of the sector.

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor Janine Ryan, janiner@caxton.co.za Senior designer Louis Kruger Designer Mario Ferlito Copy editors Fanie de Villiers and Yvonne Fontyn Digital editor Sindira Chetty, sindirac@caxton.co.za Office assistant Prenusha Moodley EDITOR

Losses due to weeds in lands and weed seeds in commercial grains in South Africa in 1985 were estimated at R1 billion a year [R11,5 billion today], according to Dr WP Grobbelaar, [then] chief director of agronomy of the [then] Department of Agricultu

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a US trade act that was enacted on 18 May 2000 as Public Law 106 of the 200th Congress of the US. The 2023 AGOA Forum was recently hosted in South Africa. It was a significant meeting between the US an

The 2023/24 apricot and peach harvests are expected to be below average, and the pear harvest slightly down, according to the Canning Fruit Producers’ Association (CFPA). According to feedback from regions, producers’ dams are full following “the wet

A major challenge for the domestic animal farming sector, and one that has been raised by our members in various engagements for some time, is the weaknesses in South Africa’s biosecurity system. Admittedly, biosecurity breaches are not uniquely Sout

Supply chain executive at Beefmaster Group Roelie van Reenen welcomed Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana’s acknowledgement of the pivotal role of local government in delivering effective services in the recent Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (M

The debt burden on Africa created by climate change has become a central topic of conversation ahead of the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). Despite verbal commitments, Africa has been left with its empty hand outstretched, awai

Despite the increase in the number of veterinary posts, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) has a vacancy rate of 32% for veterinarians. This translates to 103 unfilled posts from the 326 positions that were fund

The salmon farming industry could be completely halted in Tasmania due to the decline of the Maugean skate, said the Australian federal environment ministry. Minister Tanya Plibersek said that the skates, a species of fish, were only found in the Mac

Delegations from the Netherlands, UK, US, Vietnam and Thailand made their way to Beijing, China for the 2023 World Agrifood Innovation Conference at the beginning of November. According to the China Agricultural University (CAU), who co-hosts the eve

Zimbabwe’s high food inflation is a major source for concern, according to a recent report by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FewsNet). Food accounted for a substantial portion of households in the country’s financial outlays, said the orga

Northern Ireland’s Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) said that crop farmers suffered a major blow due to the floods that occurred in November. According to a statement by the UFU, the areas hit included the towns of Down, Antrim and Armagh where farmers lo

The South African Cane Growers’ Association (SA Canegrowers) is calling on Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana to reverse the decision to institute an increase in the Health Promotion Levy (HPL/sugar tax) in the Draft Rates and Monetary Amounts and

Rising farmers from 40 community food gardens across South Africa were given the opportunity to sell their fresh, organically grown produce to the public through the Shoprite and Checkers’ Market Day recently. Launched in 2017, the market day is part

A 23-year-old beekeeper from St Helena Bay on the West Coast, Dawid Rooifontein, is taking the honey industry by storm after winning one of the international categories in the UK’s National Honey Show. He accomplished this feat with a light, perfumed

Zimbabwe recorded a 13% increase in the number of cattle slaughtered during the 12 months ending in September 2023. This meant that 339 000 cattle were processed during the past year, up from 299 000 in the previous year. Finance, Investment Promotio

In keeping with the theme “Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind,” farmers and residents on the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) North Coast were urged to use water effectively and efficiently during the World Food Day celebration held recently. The n

Civil rights group AfriForum handed a memorandum to President Cyril Ramaphosa recently as part of their efforts to address and arrest the spate of farm murders in the country. In the memorandum, the organisation said: “Government’s denial, silence an

South Africa Wine has recently launched the South African Wine Industry Professional Body (SAWIPB) in Paarl. Kachné Ross, people and skills development manager at South African Wine, said the professional body was mandated to grow the competency of t

More than 9 000 farmers in the Eastern Cape will produce grain on 27 774ha through a R93 million investment from the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform. This was announced when MEC Nonkqubela Pieters kicked off the provincial grain p

The El Niño looming over the Southern African region may reverse Zambia’s gains made in the agriculture sector, with the period of October to March 2024 projected to experience normal to below-normal rainfall patterns, fuelling concerns of dry spells

The Brent crude oil market is usually influenced by global demand, which also correlates with the economic growth and activities of key consuming economies like the US and those in Asia. This piece explores key events that influenced global oil price

Landrace strains, the historical cannabis cultivars, have for generations thrived in specific regions. While modern cannabis genetics often seize the spotlight, these heritage strains are at risk, threatened by the passage of time and the pervasive t

Farmers frequently query the effectiveness of generic advertising campaigns. What is meant by generic advertising? In their book Advertising, Wright, Warner, Winter and Zeigler explain that the role of advertising is to inform consumers about goods t

If you are looking for a dessert wine or something different to pair with a cheese board or oysters, try Delheim Estate’s Noble Late Harvest, Edelspatz Riesling. The wine, which sells for about R360 for a 375ml bottle, has a perfect balance between s

A group of US scientists have conducted research that could lead to cows that produce 20 times more milk than dairy cows through crossbreeding. The team, from the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environment Sciences, publi

My Big Fat Greek Taverna by Costa Ayiotis (Melinda Ferguson Books, R320) Long before MasterChef and Come Dine With Me, Ayiotis was one of those quintessential entrants who longs to throw in a good job and run a restaurant. Trained as a lawyer and hav

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that each row and column, as well as each of the 3 × 3 squares, contains all the digits from 1 to 9. Look out for the answers to this week’s Sudoku puzzles in next week’s magazine. ■

Dear Prof McCrindle, Diesel is very expensive. Can donkey carts be used for transport on farm roads, or is it illegal? Kind regards, Anonymous Dear Anonymous, The use of donkey carts on farm roads is legal. If they are roadworthy and the donkeys and