Farmer's Weekly

You might have read, in media reports that have been circulating on social media these past few weeks, about the case of Western Cape farmer Ivan Cloete, a land reform beneficiary who was facing eviction from a farm he was previously granted access t

Delays at Cape Town’s harbour are causing major headaches for South Africa’s fruit export industry. Mitchell Brooke, logistics development manager at the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA), said the citrus industry experienced probl

Agritech is a growing segment of start-ups seeking to improve or disrupt the global food and agriculture industry by using technology to improve sustainability, efficiency and profitability. In Africa, agritech is not a new phenomenon. Tech start-ups

Sheep dogs have been invaluable to stock farmers for many decades and even centuries. However, the dog must be able to work. This article explored the characteristics that a farmer should consider when choosing a sheep dog. When selecting a dog, two

In the article, ‘Transveld Meatmaster Club Production Sale’, (FW, 12 March), it was incorrectly stated that Willem Avenant is from Vryburg. Avenant is, in fact, from Gordonia. • Farmer’s Weekly has a high regard for factual accuracy and welcomes rea

The land rights of African women were addressed during a recent webinar hosted by the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) at the University of the Western Cape. The webinar focused on the state of research, training, implementati

The US Department of Agriculture has raised its export forecast for US white wheat to a 27-year high of 245 million bushels (about 6,67 million tons) due to strong demand from China. This was the latest disruption on commodity markets as a result of

Loskop Cotton Gin in Marble Hall, Limpopo, is officially under the new management of Vaalharts Cotton, located in Hartswater, Northern Cape. During the transition period, the cotton gin will be known as Vaalharts – Loskop Cotton. Vaalharts Cotton’s m

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is becoming increasingly popular in the Far East, especially China. According to China-based market research company Daxue Consulting, changing eating habits in that country could be the reason for increased sales of EVO

Africa remains the youngest continent in the world, with almost 60% of its population under the age of 25. With much of this population set to enter the labour market over the coming decade, this scenario has been viewed as an immense opportunity, bu

Australia’s AU$1,6 billion (about R18,5 billion) annual timber trade with China hangs in the balance after requests to that country’s customs officials to resume log exports were ignored. Reuters reported that the four-million-ton log trade was large

South African citrus farmers were recently warned by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) about Asian citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing (HLB). The disease, although not yet prese

Demand for fruit budwood has been on a downward trend for pome and stone fruit over the past three to four years. The total quantity of pome fruit budwood supplied to nurseries annually increased by an average of 31% between 2015 and 2018, but declin

The safety of farmworkers, especially in terms of transport, came under scrutiny recently when the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, responded to questions from members of the National Council of Provinces (NCO

The recent interception of about 100 donkeys believed to be destined for slaughter in Lesotho, where gelatine from their skins will reportedly be harvested for making traditional Chinese medicine, has South Africa’s National Council of Societies for

While international controversy over the use of neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics) continues, with its use in the EU now severely limited, there are currently no plans to limit or ban the use of these chemicals in South Africa. In recent years, neoni

Although over 70% of South Africa’s pigs are produced within geographical compartments intended to minimise threats from economically important diseases, urgent measures are needed to enhance biosecurity and health controls within the balance of the

The fynbos cut flower industry is on the path to recovery following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the latest estimates for protea flowers up 15% on the previous year. This was according to Karien Bezuidenhout, manager at Cape Flora SA, wh

The agriculture sector spends about R7 billion a year on electricity, and the lack of a stable power supply puts food security and prices at risk over time. This was according to Kulani Siweya, agricultural economist at Agri SA, who added that over 2

The Namibian beef export industry is so intensely regulated that it is virtually impossible for any meat contaminated by disease to leave the country. This was according to Thinus Pretorius, chairperson of Namibia’s Livestock Producers’ Organisation

International beef prices have continued their upward trajectory since mid-2020, supported by tight supplies. In South Africa, prices have also shown a rising trend since August 2020 after experiencing a slump during the first phase of the country’s

One of the key principles of Allan Savory’s holistic management planned grazing system is that nature functions as a holistic community, with people, animals and the land all interconnected. Removing or changing the behaviour of any keystone species

South Africa’s labour environment is highly regulated and an employer must take care to comply with labour law. Compliance, however, requires specialist knowledge, so it is perhaps unsurprising that there are a number of myths surrounding labour law

iKetle produces essential oils and skincare products from herbal plants grown on a farm near Bronkhorstspruit in Gauteng. The business focuses on the production of essential oil plants such as rose geranium, vetiver and marjoram. The plants are g

The expectation that high performance brings with it high reward is deeply embedded in the human psyche. Yet how do you evaluate the performance of a job as complex as management and reward the manager accordingly? ‘Performance management’, as it’s c

According to Statistics South Africa, the country’s economy contracted by 7% in 2020. This poor performance pushed the total number of unemployed people in South Africa to 7,2 million. It is tempting to attribute all of the country’s economic misfort

Know and understand what a healthy, balanced grassland system looks like under your specific production conditions. Manage veld in a way that unlocks animals’ full production potential, without resulting in degradation or erosion. Give your lives

Starting small enabled Jason Buys to learn how to run a pig operation and make mistakes without these being financially crippling. He ensures that his animals live as naturally as possible: he does not cut the piglets’ teeth, dock their tails, cast

The correct timing of the silage harvest is crucial to success. Maize should ideally be harvested at a moisture content of between 34% and 39%. Maximum compaction is needed in the bunkers for a quality end product. A compaction level of around 265k

With so many factors that can influence the quality of silage, keeping a finger on the pulse of operations is crucial. While Hano Lombard, co-owner of Westend Landgoed in Morgenzon, Mpumalanga, is modest about the farm’s success at the Santam Agricul

Leaf analysis is the only technique according to which sensible fertilisation can be applied to a specific planting. The following aspects are important: • The correct time for sampling is from mid-September to mid-November. • The first leaf sample o

Online marketing has entered the fresh-produce sector, with enthusiastic vendors seeing an opportunity to sell fruit and vegetables to huge markets. It seems so simple and matches modern requirements for ease of purchase. Has technology found the ult

Liver fluke infestation can have a major impact on sheep and cattle production systems. It can cause death or lead to chronic production losses. In South Africa, two species of liver fluke are found, namely the giant liver fluke (Fasciola gigantica)

The BOSE HOME PORTABLE SPEAKER is a light, easy-to-transport wireless speaker with a battery life of around 12 hours. It connects via Bluetooth and charges via a USB cable. According to various reviews, the speaker is well designed and offers warm, w

The body’s circulatory system comprises the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Newly oxygenated blood flows from the lungs to the heart. From there, it flows through progressively smaller arteries until it reaches the smallest vessels, called capillarie

In RATTLING THE CAGE (Picador Africa, R310), Brent Meersman presents a collection of often provocative essays that will have your brain running along tracks not oftened explored. “Should we come to terms with climate change, like we have to with canc

Travel writers Hlengiwe Magagula and Denis Costello have captured the burgeoning sense of reconnecting with nature that’s been reinforced by COVID-19 lockdowns. Whether you see this as a template for your own ecotourism business or want to try one of

EDITOR Denene Erasmus (denene@caxton.co.za) MANAGING EDITOR Janine Ryan (janiner@caxton.co.za) NEWS EDITOR Julinda Schroeder (julindas@caxton.co.za) ART DIRECTOR Vian Roos DESIGNER Louis Kruger CHIEF COPY EDITOR Paul Sulter COPY EDITORS Fanie d