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4 Desember 2017

Alle belanghebbendes in die landbousektor moet saamwerk om die onaanvaarbare vlak van misdaad wat plaasgemeenskappe ervaar aan te spreek, veral gedurende die feesseisoen. Op 2 November het ‘n groep bekommerde belanghebbendes in Pretoria byeen gekom om idees te deel oor hoe om landelike veiligheid te bewerkstellig. Tydens hierdie vergadering is die Agri Sector Unity Forum (Asuf) versoek om `n inklusiewe subkomitee op die been te bring om misdaadbestryding tussen boeregemeenskappe, diensverskaffers en ander belanghebbendes te koördineer. Asuf is `n inklusiewe, verteenwoordigende liggaam wat bestaan uit Agri SA, die African Farmers’ Union (Afasa), die National African Farmers’ Union (Nafu) en die TLU SA.

 Daarom het Asuf onlangs in Centurion vergader om die veiligheid van alle boere, plaaswerkers en landelike gemeenskappe te bespreek. Japie Grobler, voorsitter van Asuf, het `n beroep gedoen op alle boere en plaaswerkers om saam met die polisie en hul bure te werk om `n einde te bring aan misdaad en `n veilige omgewing vir almal te verseker. Grobler het ook `n beroep gedoen op die publiek om geldelike skenkings aan die Agri Securitas-trustfonds te doen om dié fonds te steun in sy pogings om boerderygemeenskappe te beveilig.

 Boere-unies het `n behoefte aan kameras, hommeltuie, tweerigtingradio’s en ander tegnologie om die veiligheid van boerderygemeenskappe te bevorder. Oor die jare heen het Agri Securitas `n belangrike rol gespeel in `n reeks praktiese ingrypings om die veiligheid van boere en plaaswerkers te verbeter.

 “Misdadigers hou `n geweldige bedreiging in vir voedselsekerheid en uiteindelik ook sosio-ekonomiese stabiliteit,” sê Grobler. “Ekstra voorsorg, paraatheid en netwerke op grondvlak tussen boere onder mekaar, asook met die polisie, is dus noodsaaklik – veral gedurende die feesseisoen.”

 Grobler prys die landelike veiligheidsvennootskappe tussen die onderskeie georganiseerde landbou-organisasies in sekere provinsies en hul pogings om misdaad te bekamp en misdadigers aan te keer. Hy het ook die pogings van `n wye verskeidenheid  belanghebbendes om `n veilige omgewing binne die gereg te bewerkstellig, verwelkom.

 Ongeag die grootte van hul boerdery, ras of geslag, word boere en plaaswerkers voortdurend geteken deur gewetenlose misdadigers. Misdadigers het geen respek vir die mense- en grondwetlike regte van boere en hul werkers en hul bydrae tot voedselsekerheid, werkskepping en die ekonomiese bevordering van plaaslike gemeenskappe nie.

 Misdaadvlakke op plase in Suid-Afrika is bó internasionale gemiddeldes. Die direkte en indirekte koste van misdaad vir individue, gesinne, woonbuurte, sake-ondernemings, die regering en die ekonomie hou `n ernstige bedreiging in vir voedselsekerheid en sosio-ekonomiese stabiliteit. Dit veroorsaak ook aansienlike finansiële verlies, verbrokkeling van vertrouensverhoudinge tussen plaaslike gemeenskappe en wakker vrees aan. Slagoffers van misdaad moet ook met erge trauma en langdurige fisiese en sielkundige letsels saamleef.

 Die situasie het onhoudbaar geword. Misdadigers word toenemend roekeloser. Hulle teiken en steel nie net die vee, plaasprodukte en infrastruktuur van kommersiële, opkomende en bestaansboere, maar martel en vermoor ook boere, plaaswerkers en hul gesinslede. In sommige gevalle word vee wreedaardig vermink terwyl hulle nog lewe.

 Asuf beplan om mettertyd met die polisieminister en kabinetslede te vergader en sal die publiek inlig oor die uitkoms van dié vergaderings en die aksies wat daarop gaan volg.

Uitgereik deur Agri SA, Direktoraat:  Korporatiewe Skakeling namens Asuf

Navrae

Mnr Japie Grobler, Voorsitter, Asuf, 0828258018

Christo van der Rheede, Sekretariaat Asuf, 012-643 3400 of 083 380 3492

The post Asuf Mediaverklaring: Landelike veiligheid in die feesseisoen appeared first on Agri Limpopo.

Maize:

The maize crop conditions across South Africa paint a mixed picture. The eastern regions which predominately produce yellow maize, are in fairly good shape, although currently experiencing heat stress due to the heatwave. This area mainly covers Mpumalanga, Kwa-Zulu Natal, northern parts of the Eastern Cape, as well as the eastern Free State province. In Limpopo province, farmers managed to plant the intended area and the crop also appears to be in good condition.

Meanwhile, the western regions which largely produce white maize, are in bad shape. In fact, farmers have not managed to plant all intended hectares in the North West, as well as the western parts of the Free State province.

The most recent survey from Grain SA suggests that farmers in the North West province have only planted 70% of the intended area. The crop that has been planted also appears to be in poor condition due to persistent dryness and heatwave. In the central and north-western parts of the Free State province, the crop conditions are the same as the North West province, but the area planted is at 75% of the intentions.

As indicated in our note yesterday, the South African farmers planned to plant 2.47 million hectares of maize this season, which is 6% lower than the 2016/17 production season. About 56% of the area is set to be for white maize, with 44% for yellow maize. However, this might change due to the aforementioned delays in planting in the western regions of the country. An update will be released on 30 January 2018.

In the near term, the weather forecasts promise improvements, with chances of showers of between 16 and 60 millimetres across the South African maize belt within the next eight days. If this materialises, crop conditions could improve, but there is a limited chance for additional plantings as the ‘optimal window’ has already passed.

Wheat:

It is an off-season period in the South African wheat growing areas, therefore the current dry weather conditions are not much of an issue. However, they have already negatively affected the 2017 harvest, which is estimated at 1.48 million tonnes, down by 23% from the previous season. An update of this estimate will also be released on 30 January 2018.

While imports are set to increase significantly this season in order to fulfil domestic needs, the market is well supplied for now. South Africa’s wheat stocks were at 1.05 million tonnes in November 2017, double the previous month’s volume due to large deliveries on the back of the harvest activity. However, this is 30% lower than the corresponding period in 2016.

Soybean:

South Africa’s soybean crop looks promising in Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal provinces. With that said, some areas experienced hail damage in the past few weeks, but the extent of it is still yet clear. There are rising concerns that the current heatwave could negatively affect the crop. Fortunately, the weather forecasts for the next two weeks shows a possibility of rainfall which should ease concerns and improves crop conditions.

As indicated in yesterday’s note, the South African farmers intended to plant an area of 720 000 hectares in the 2017/18 production season. Most provinces managed to achieve the targeted area with the exception of provinces such as North West – a relatively small soybean producer – which planted roughly 85% of the intended area thus far, and it is negatively affected by dryness.

Sunflower seed:

The key sunflower seed growing areas of the country, particularly North West and north-western parts of the Free State province last received good rainfall in the second week of December 2017. As a result, the planting process has been delayed due to lower soil moisture.

A recent survey by Grain SA shows that farmers have planted roughly 40% of intended sunflower seed area in the North West province. In the north-western parts of the Free State province, the progress is much slower, with only 20% of the intended area planted thus far.

More concerning is that crops in areas that managed to plant have been negatively affected by the current heatwave. For areas that have not yet planted, the optimal planting window has narrowed. To be precise, the optimal planting window for sunflower seed closes next week in the north-western parts of the Free State and North West provinces.

Planting outside the ‘optimal planting window’ implies that crops could be negatively affected by frost later in the season, which will, in turn, lower the yields.

Overall, the weather forecasts currently paint a constructive picture of rainfall of between 16 and 60 millimetres across the sunflower seed growing areas within the next two weeks. While this will not be sufficient to replenish soil moisture, it is a welcome development following weeks of dryness.

As indicated in yesterday’s note, the South African farmers planned to plant 665 500 hectares of sunflower seed in the 2017/18 production season, up by 5% from the previous season. At the moment, there is still uncertainty as to whether this will be achieved or farmers will actually plant more. The weather developments this week will be a key deciding factor. In the end, the National Crop Estimate Committee will release the preliminary area planted estimates on 30 January 2018

RSA Potatoes:

The South African potatoes market started the week on a negative footing with the price down by 0.28% from the previous day, closing at R42.53 per pocket (10kg). These losses were on the back of large stocks of 824 387 pockets (10kg bag) at the beginning of the trading session.

However, during the day the market saw strong commercial buying interest, coupled with relatively lower deliveries on the back of slow harvest activity over the weekend. This subsequently led to a 30% decline in daily stocks to 577 342 pockets (10kg bag).

RSA fruit:

The market was again mixed in yesterday’s trade session. The prices of apples and bananas declined by 9% and 3% from the previous day, closing at R7.92 per kilogram and R7.42 per kilogram, respectively. This followed a 15% increase in apples daily stocks to 158 000 tonnes and a 3% uptick in bananas stocks to 208 000 tonnes.

Meanwhile, the daily price of oranges marginally increased by 1% to R4.98 per kilogram due to lower stocks of 24 000 tonnes (down by 4% from the previous day).

Click below to read more reports by Wandile Sihlobo

Agbiz Morning Market Viewpoint on Agri-Commodities 09 January 2018

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Die Nasionale Rampbestuursentrum het op 13 Februarie 2018 die voortslepende droogte in die Wes-, Oos- en Noord-Kaap as ‘n nasionale ramp verklaar. Dit beteken dat ingevolge die Nasionale Wet op Rampbestuur van 2002, die uitvoerende gesag (d.w.s. die Kabinet) met ‘die nasionale ramp moet handel ingevolge bestaande wetgewing en gebeurlikheidsreëlings.

Die verklaring van ‘n nasionale ramp behels dat die Minister van Samewerkende Regering en Tradisionele Sake, mnr Des van Rooyen, in beraadslaging met ander kabinetministers, regulasies mag uitvaardig en instruksies mag uitreik in verband met, onder andere, die volgende:

• Die beskikbaarstelling van enige hulpbronne van die nasionale regering;
• Stappe om die gevolge van die ramp te versag, beperk en te minimaliseer;
• Stappe wat nodig mag wees om te verhoed dat die ramp verder eskaleer; en
• Fasilitering van reaksie asook post-ramp herstel and rehabilitasie.

Die Nasionale Landboubemarkingsraad wat die Ministerie van Landbou, Bosbou en Visserye adviseer, het onderneem om ‘n groep belanghebbendes, insluitend Agri SA, byeen te bring om te handel met die vernietigende impak wat die droogte op die landbousektor gehad het en om vorendag te kom met ‘n “slim” droogterampbestuursplan. Agri SA, wat reeds sedert 2016 vir ‘n nasionale rampverklaring pleit, het sy Smart Disaster Aid Plan aan sy nasionale kongres in Oktober 2017 voorgelê. Daar word gehoop dat die Nasionale Rampbestuursentrum hom sal beroep op die aanbevelings daarin asook op die geweldige ervaring binne die organisasie om die huidige droogte aan te spreek.

Agri SA president Dan Kriek het die organisasie se volle ondersteuning aan die nasionale regering gebied, met spesifieke verwysing na die aangewese toekomstige President van Suid-Afrika, Cyril Ramaphosa, gedurende die droogte en veral te midde van die onstuimige politieke klimaat wat tans heers.

Uitgereik deur Agri SA, Direktoraat: Korporatiewe Skakeling

Navrae

Mnr Janse Rabie, Hoof van Natuurlike Hulpbronne, Agri SA, 076 451 9601

Dr Requier Wait, Hoof van Ekonomiese Sake en Handel, Agri SA, 073 304 0932

The post Droogte is die Wes-, Oos- en Noord-Kaap word verklaar as ‘n nasionale ramp appeared first on Agri Limpopo.

Game Of Stars Project

On Tuesday 13 February 2018 a ground breaking venture between Limpopo farmers and the Mark Fish Foundation (MFF) was launched by Mark Fish in Polokwane. At a Agritable event of Agri Limpopo at Bolivia Lodge, attended by banks, insurance companies, agriculture input providers, agri businesses, SAPS, the CCMA, DAFF, farmers’ organizations, Womens Agricultural Union, farmers and friends of Limpopo agriculture, Fish announced the project that “will use the game of soccer to build relationships on farms, give hope to workers and youth, develop life skills and scout for soccer talent on farms and in rural areas in general”. 

The Project will be known as the Game of Stars Project. The initial survey amongst farmers in Limpopo drawn interest from no less than 80 existing farm soccer teams. After the announcement indications are that this number may well double prior to the first finals to be played in August 2018.

According to Mark Fish, the shortened version of soccer, the project will be based upon, called “Fast Footie”, will grow spectator numbers. This version of soccer makes for a faster, more entertaining game. In this tournament players will play 20 minutes a side with a power play of 5 minutes called by the respective captains of the teams. During power play 3 players of the opposing team will be asked to leave the veld. Goals further out as the 18 meter circle will count for 2 goals. Penalties will be scored by hitting the cross bar of the goal post of an undefended goal box!

“We are committed to develop and train team coaches, game officials, team managers and players alike” Fish indicated. “Although we are going to play soccer, we are focusing on the people and families involved with the game. Every individual deserves the chance to become the best person possible. This  is our aim” he added.

Enquiries:

Willem van Jaarsveld: CEO Agri Limpopo 082 451 7913

Lourika Vlietstra: MFF Coordinator 083 632 7223                                

The post Media release / Mediaverklaring Game Of Stars Project appeared first on Agri Limpopo.

The season is just kicking off in the warmer areas of Limpopo Province like Mooketsi and Levubu with Fuerte and Maluma, and the very first export consignments have left to reach the market in week 12. Early South African exports are primarily Fuerte. The South African harvest will get underway in all earnest by the beginning of March.

ZZ2 harvests some of the first Maluma avocados, a South African Hass-type cultivar, of the season. This allows them to provide the European market with a Hass-type avocado at a time when there is a huge window for Hass in Europe and prices are excellent. Apart from the early Mooketsi area, the company also grows avocados around Tzaneen, Politsi and Houtboschdorp (Magoebaskloof) and have about doubled their avocado acreage over the past five years to reach 1,000ha of avocados in a Hass: greenskin ratio of 60:40. Last year sizing was a challenge, due to the drought, but ZZ2 is currently peaking at sizes 12 to 16, says Clive Garrett, ZZ2 marketing manager.

South African greenskinned avocados are primarily destined for Russia, Eastern and Southern European countries, but there, too, demand for Hass is growing.

Allesbeste Boerdery, the owners and developers of the Maluma avocado, are hosting their annual Maluma Day next week and international interest in the cultivar has never been as strong, as evidenced by the sizeable foreign contingent confirmed for this year’s event. In their area of Tzaneen, avocado harvesting could start towards the end of the week.

The South African avocado industry is waiting for bilateral negotiations on pears to conclude, for work to start on access for South African avocados to China. At present the bulk of South African avocados still go to the EU, a market which is growing at a brisk clip, not least because of the work done by the World Avocado Organisation in which South Africa and Peru are driving forces.

Source: Fresh Plaza

The post The South African avocado season starts and harvests are ready appeared first on Agri Limpopo.

From summer crops perspective, the 2017/18 production is set to decline by 25% y/y to 14.6 million tonnes. White maize and sunflower seed production are the key reason for this overall downswing. Meanwhile, winter wheat production estimate was revised up by 3% from the previous month to 1.5 million tonnes, which is however 21% lower than the 2016 harvest.

Overall, this data was slightly better than market expectations but had limited impact on this week’s prices. The grain and oilseed market ended the week on a positive footing, with commercial buying interest, slightly weaker domestic currency and higher international prices providing support

Apart from grains and oilseeds, the fruit and vegetable prices were volatile this week with large daily stock levels underpinning the market. The SAFEX beef carcass market recorded marginal gains from levels seen last week.

Click below for the full report by Wandile Sohlobo

South African Agricultural Commodities Weekly Wrap 02 March 2018

The post South African Agricultural Commodities Weekly Wrap: 02 March 2018 appeared first on Agri Limpopo.

‘n Bekende boer, weldoener en gemeenskapsleier, Dirk Steenkamp is vroeg Sondagoggend op sy plaas in die Vredefort-omgewing vermoor. “Moorde en ander geweldsmisdade waaronder die landbougemeenskap voortdurend gebuk gaan spreek van ‘n gemeenskap waarin daar ernstige tekortkominge met die uitleef van waardes en die respek vir lewe is”, sê Dan Kriek, president van Agri SA.

Steenkamp was in die gemeenskap bekend as ‘n weldoener wat nooit gehuiwer het om behoeftige mense te help nie. Die Steenkamp moord het weereens die fokus geplaas op die sinneloosheid en lafhartigheid van die daad, asook die kwesbaarheid van boere en plaaswerkers wat in die buitelug hulle werk moet doen in belang van die land. Die moord het onmeetbare hartseer en woede vir sy familie, plaaswerkers en die gemeenskap tot gevolg. Kriek het namens Agri SA sy meegevoel met die Steenkamp-familie uitgespreek en ‘n beroep op die polisie gedoen om die aanvallers so spoedig moontlik aan te keer.

“Die onverantwoordelike en roekelose uitsprake oor die grondkwessie wat op ‘n gereelde basis in die media gerapporteer word, lei tot die polarisasie van mense en gemeenskappe, asook die aanhitsing van geweld teenoor ‘n sekere groep van die samelewing. Die tipe uitsprake hoort nie tuis in ‘n samelewing waarin onderlinge respek en verdraagsaamheid noodsaaklik is vir nasiebou en stabiliteit nie”, sê Kriek.

Kriek sê verder dat, “ongekwalifiseerde uitsprake oor grond katastrofies vir landbou-ontwikkeling en verdere belegging in die landbou is, veral omdat dit op ongegronde en verkeerde aannames gebaseer word. Hierdie uitsprake kan deur sekere individue vertolk word as ‘n regverdiging om lede van die boerderygemeenskap aan te val en te vermoor”.

“Ons glo dat daar nog genoegsame verbintenisse tot die handhawing van die beginsels van die Grondwet in die regering is om toe te sien dat landbou steeds sy regmatige plek in die ekonomie sal behou, werk te skep en toe te sien dat die landbou steeds voldoen aan die beginsel van voedselsekerheid”, sê Kriek.

Kriek het ‘n beroep gedoen op landbougemeenskappe om hulle plaaslike veiligheidstrukture te ondersteun en in gemeenskapsverband met die polisie saam te werk om hulle eie paraatheid op te skerp. Geen beskermingsmaatreëls is egter ‘n waarborg dat ‘n plaasaanval nie sal plaasvind nie, maar dit kan die aanval vertraag en inwoners ‘n kans gee om noodmaatreëls in werking te stel.

The post Agri SA Mediaverklaring: Weldoener betaal met sy lewe appeared first on Agri Limpopo.