livestock – Agri Limpopo

SA agricultural economy showing robust growth.

Arithmus — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 14:44:07 +0000

The second quarter agricultural GDP figures confirm that the sector is eventually out of the woods.

Data released showed that the sector grew by 33.6% q/q in the second quarter of 2017, which is significantly higher than the 22.2% q/q recorded in the first quarter of this year. This in line with the sentiment shared in the previous quarter that this positive growth path will continue throughout the year – sustained by robust agricultural output in the summer crops producing areas. Overall, we expect this positive growth path to be sustained throughout the year, but at a relatively lesser degree than what we observed in the first two-quarters of the year.

These results mirror the increased activity in the overall agricultural sector, particularly summer grains, oilseeds, vegetables, as well as a slight recovery in the livestock industry. The 2017 total summer grains production are estimated at 18.91 million tonnes, which is double the previous season’s volume.

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While the data paints an encouraging picture of the sector’s recovery, the persistent dryness is the Western Cape province remains a key concern. This could affect the performance of the summer horticultural products, as well as winter grains and oilseeds which enable the province to contribute a lion share of 22% to the country’s agricultural economy.

Over and above, we expect this positive growth rate to continue in the coming quarters, but at a relatively lower pace. This sentiment is also echoed in the recently released Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index, which typically signals how South Africa’s agricultural GDP could perform in the succeeding quarters. The index registered 54 points in the third quarter, which is an expansionary territory – above 50-index points.

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Decline in cattle, sheep and pig slaughtering activity

Arithmus — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 08:25:08 +0000

The 2015-16 drought led to higher slaughtering activity in livestock industry (cattle, pigs and sheep) as farmers struggled to feed their stock amid higher feed costs, coupled with drier pastures. With the drought now behind us (with the exception of the Western Cape province), farmers have started rebuilding their herds. Moreover, the relatively lower maize and soybean prices, as well as a good recovery in pastures have provided a conducive environment for the livestock rebuilding process. This, however, has led to a decline in slaughtering activity in almost all the aforementioned sub sectors (see Chart below).
Data from the Red Meat Levy shows that cattle slaughtering activity softened by 5% month-on-month (m/m) and 11% year-on-year (y/y) in February 2018, with 185 262 head of cattle slaughtered. In the same month, sheep slaughtering activity declined by 10% m/m and 23% y/y, with 286 564 head of sheep. Moreover, pigs slaughtering also soften by 13% m/m and 3% y/y, with 208 118 head slaughtered.
Above all, these slaughtering dynamics partially explain why meat inflation remained stickier in 2017. This year’s meat price inflation will again partially be influenced by the path of this slaughtering activity. We will monitor the developments over the coming months in order to see if the current trend persists for longer or shows improvement, and thereafter ascertain the impact on prices.

Source: Red Meat Levy Admin, Agbiz Research

Full report by Wandile Sihlobo available in the attachment below:

South African Agricultural Commodities Weekly Wrap 13 April 2018

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The search is on for the 2018 KZN Young Farmer of the Year

Arithmus — Mon, 07 May 2018 04:53:40 +0000

Every year the agricultural sector takes the time to acknowledge and celebrate the industry’s younger generation of farmers with the search for an exceptional farmer to be named the Toyota Young Farmer of the Year. The KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union, Kwanalu, has launched their hunt for a farmer under 40 years old to represent the province at the national competition, to be held in October in Pretoria.

Encouraging as many young farmers from KZN to enter, CEO Sandy La Marque said: “This competition highlights the great skills and entrepreneurial spirit required to be a successful farmer. We know we are blessed with a very high calibre of farmer in our province, but this competition is more than just how much a farmer is able to produce or how pretty their farm looks. It’s about sound business acumen and strong agricultural practices among a whole range of other criteria.”

The annual contest will see the most promising young farmers from all nine provinces compete for the coveted title, currently held by Northern Cape farmer Jaco Strauss, and drive away in a brand new Toyota Hilux Single Cab vehicle.

Young farmers, under the age of 40, whether they are owners or partners in a farm, male or female and full members of their provinces’ agricultural unions are eligible for entry.

The judging and evaluation of the farmers and their agricultural practices, takes place at provincial level with the applicants being evaluated on all aspects of their business, including their overall vision for the future of their farm/business.

The main feature on which the entrants are judged is their management/business philosophy as well as the technical competence with which this philosophy is applied. Judges, who visit the farmers on their farms during the selection process, consider all facets of the farmers’ business from financing, budgets, investment policy, to the technical aspects of livestock breeding systems, disease control, pasture systems and plans, to the fertilization, weed control and cultivation practices of crops and orchards. Labour philosophy and housing, attitude, and reaction towards land reform and black economic empowerment, as well as personnel practices, involvement in organized agriculture and the community, and even layout and appearance of the farm and farmyard are all areas in which the potential future Young Farmer of the Year is judged.

“We encourage all of our young farmers to enter this year; they are the future of this country’s food security and should be honoured. This competition highlights the great skill and entrepreneurial spirit required to be a successful farmer and we have no doubt that in KZN, we have hundreds of potential candidates,” said La Marque.

Entries for the KZN Young Farmer of the Year competition close on 31 July 2018. For more information and to enter now, visit www.kwanalu.co.za or call 033 342 9393. –Press release

Source: AgriOrbit

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Nampo Park abuzz ahead of largest agri sector showcase

Arithmus — Tue, 08 May 2018 09:15:16 +0000

The organisers of Nampo, one of the largest agricultural exhibitions in South Africa, say the premises near Bothaville in the Free State are already a hive of activity as exhibitors begin setting up for the annual show, which runs from May 15 to 18.

The theme this year is ‘Efficiency with Technology’ and there will be roughly 740 exhibitors at the show, which is hosted by Grain SA.

Nampo organising committee chairperson Cobus van Coller said much of the heavy equipment and machinery that will be on display was already at Nampo Park. He said though many people would be visiting Nampo to shop or browse, others would be there to network and bounce ideas off fellow farmers. He added there were still challenges for grain producers, especially maize and wheat, and many visitors would be looking for ideas on how to optimise or diversify their farming operations.

Grain SA CEO Jannie de Villiers said in a statement their aim was not necessarily to grow the event, but to improve it. “Grain SA’s focus on a better rather than a bigger Nampo Harvest Day will also be pursued continuously to uphold and promote this agricultural family experience,” he said.

Van Coller said numerous exhibitors had planned special events or would host product launches, with both Mercedes and Isuzu planning new vehicle launches. Machinery giants John Deere and Case would also be bringing their latest planters and harvesters to Nampo.

He was excited about the international presence this year, saying exhibitors included countries such as Israel, Poland, the UK, the US, Argentina, India, France, Italy, Denmark, China, Turkey and Russia. The British Department of International Trade would also be there.

Van Coller said they had expanded their women’s programme and the farmer patent competition, presented each year by Omnia, would receive greater prominence this year.

Challenges and opportunities in the agriculture sector would be addressed during the Nation in Conversation discussion sessions, he said.

The event has become a prominent feature at Nampo and the programme this year would include issues ranging from politics and policies to the importance of economy of scale, and how technology will change the face of agriculture by 2035.

Van Coller said all other logistical arrangements were on track, including coordination with provincial roads officials. He warned that the route between Bothaville and Viljoenskroon, which was in the process of being revamped, was not at a standard they would have wanted. However, they had engaged with officials, who were busy with interim patching of the roads. Van Coller urged those heading to Nampo to travel carefully. He advised especially those coming for a short visit to plan what they wanted to see. “Do your homework before the time, it is impossible to see everything in one day.”

Visitors can also see livestock displays, crop demonstration plots and vehicle demonstrations at the show site, which extends across about 38ha.

Source: Farmer’s Weekly

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Hidden danger: Why soil pollution should be a top priority globally

Arithmus — Tue, 08 May 2018 09:35:29 +0000

According to an FAO report, Soil Pollution: A Hidden Reality, little is know about the scale and severity of soil pollution, which poses a serious threat to agricultural productivity, food safety and human health. The report states that industrialisation, war, mining and the intensification of agriculture have all left a legacy of soil contamination across the planet, while the growth of cities has seen soil used as a sink for ever greater amounts of municipal waste.

“Soil pollution affects the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the health of our ecosystems,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helen Semedo at the start of the symposium. “The potential of soils to cope with pollution is limited; the prevention of soil pollution should be a top priority worldwide,” she added.

But even though agricultural intensification, industrial output, and urbanisation continue at a rapid pace, no systematic assessment of the status of soil pollution at a global level has ever been undertaken, FAO’s new report notes. Studies conducted so far have largely been limited to developed economies, so there are massive information gaps regarding the full nature and extent of the problem, according to FAO’s survey of existing scientific literature.

What little we do know is cause for concern, the report adds. For example, in Australia, some 80,000 sites are now estimated to suffer from soil contamination. China has categorized 16% of all its soils – and 19% of its agricultural soils – as polluted. There are approximately three million potentially polluted sites in the European Economic Area and the West Balkans. In the United States, 1,300 sites appear on that country’s Superfund National Priorities list of pollution hot spots.

Numbers like these help us understand the types of dangers pollution poses to soils, but “do not reflect the complete extent of soil pollution around the world, and highlight the inadequacy of available information and the differences in registering polluted sites across geographic regions,” says Hidden Reality.

Danger to food and health

Soil pollution often cannot be visually perceived or directly assessed, making it a hidden danger – with serious consequences.

It impacts food security both by impairing plant metabolism and thus reducing crop yields, as well as by making crops unsafe for consumption. Pollutants also directly harm organisms that live in soil and make it more fertile.

And of course, soil contaminated with dangerous elements (for example, arsenic, lead, and cadmium), organic chemicals like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) or pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics or endocrine disruptors pose serious risks to human health.

What causes soil pollution?

By far, most soil pollution is due to human activities.

Industrial activities including mining, smelting and manufacturing; domestic, livestock and municipal wastes; pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers used in agriculture; petroleum-derived products that are released into or break-down in the environment; fumes generated by transportation — all contribute to the problem.

So-called “emerging pollutants” are also a growing concern. These include pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, hormones and biological pollutants; “e-waste” from old electronics; and the plastics that are nowadays used in almost every human endeavour.

(Almost no science on the fate of plastics in soils exists, observes Hidden Reality, while most e-waste continues to be disposed of in landfills rather than recycled.)

Plugging the gaps

A three-day-long symposium at FAO headquarters represents a first step in identifying and plugging global information gaps and advancing a more cohesive international response to the threats posed by soil pollution. That includes establishing an agenda for action to promote the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Management developed by FAO and partners in 2016, as well as recent international commitments to better manage soil pollution.

Facts and figures

FAO’s report is a synthesis of existing scientific research on soil pollution. Noteworthy facts and figures from that research include:

• Production of chemicals grown rapidly in recent decades and is projected to increase annually by 3.4% until 2030. Non-OECD countries will be much greater contributors in the future.
• In 2015, the European chemical industry produced 319 million tonnes of chemicals. Of these, 117 million tonnes (MT) were deemed hazardous to the environment.
• Global production of municipal solid waste was around 1.3 billion tonnes per year in 2012; it is expected to rise to 2.2 billion tonnes annually by 2025.
• In many world regions, levels of persistent organic pollutants in human milk are significantly above those considered safe, with a higher incidence in India and in some European and African countries.
• Certain low- and middle-income countries have notably increased their use of pesticides over the last decade. Bangladesh, for example, did so by four times, Rwanda and Ethiopia by over six times, and Sudan by ten times.
• Global manure production increased 66 percent between 1961 and 2016, from 73 to 124 MT. The volume of manure applied to soils grew from 18 to 28 MT, and the amount of manure left on pasture increased from 48 to 86 MT. Manure can contain high amounts of heavy metals, pathogen organisms and antibiotics.
• Soils near roads have high levels of heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and other pollutants, posing a threat when food production occurs in adjacent areas or grazing on roadside soils takes place.
• Approximately 110 million mines or other unexploded pieces of ordnance are scattered across 64 countries on all continents, remnants of wars that can have deadly consequences for farmers and which can release heavy metals through weathering.
• Almost all soil in the northern hemisphere contains radionuclides in higher concentrations than the background level — even in remote areas, as a result of fallout from atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons and radiological events like the Chernobyl accident.

Source: Bizcommunity

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