AgriBulletin Newspaper May 2021

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MAY 2021

André Ernst, managing director of Allesbeste, is seen here in one of the avocado orchards that have started to bloom. These buds will only bare fruit round April next year. Although overseeing the business operation of the farm, Ernst’s primary focus is the Allesbeste Nursery, commercializing of cultivars and the research of cultivars. Photo: Roelof de Jonge

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“Government has no business-sense” ■ Roelof de Jonge The farmers union, TLU SA, did a presentation recently to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure as part of the public participation process of the Expropriation Bill.

The committee received more than 250 000 submissions regarding the Expropriation Bill between the 10th of December 2020 and the 28th of February 2021. TLU SA indicated that it wanted to make an oral presentation in this regard as well.

This part of the process caused controversy after the committee stated that they would not accept any oral submissions. The decision was later overturned. Various organisations, including TLU SA, however, had to take additional steps to receive a slot.

“We emphasised the economic impact of the Expropriation Bill with our presentation. It is basically an attack on private ownership,” said Henry Geldenhuys, president of TLU SA. “The fact that the questions from the committee had nothing to do with economic prosperity just proves that the decision-makers in government have no clue how to run an economy sustainably.”

In its presentation, TLU SA made it clear that modern agriculture is a business, and that farming is not just a job but a calling. Most farmers, who farm successfully and sustainably, view agriculture as a free market economy. Restricting private ownership through expropriation without compensation puts the free market in danger.

“Once again, we pointed out that the country urgently needs foreign investment for the economy to grow. But policies like transformation, BEE and now expropriation without com-

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Minister mum on farmworker vaccination

pensation goes against economic growth. Which investor of sound mind will invest in a country where his or her assets are in danger?”

“The question that should be answered is not if we, COSATU or the Parliament will accept this bill, but if the markets will accept it. The country is on its way to irreversible poverty and all the evils which accompany it.”

With this presentation, TLU SA called on the government to admit to South Africa that its policy of poverty for all will make it much easier for cadres to stuff their own pockets at the country’s expense.

■ Roelof de Jonge

Henry Geldenhuys, president of TLU SA

On the 21st of February, the South African agricultural union, TLU SA, wrote a letter to the Minister of Health requesting that farmworkers be considered as a priority group for vaccination against Covid-19.

According to TLU SA, farmworkers perform an essential service and have been classified as such since the beginning of the restriction.

“The potential exposure of workers to Covid-19 is significantly high and it would be harmful if production units had to be placed in isolation in the event of an outbreak. To date, we have not received any response from Minister Zweli Mkhize,” said Henry Geldenhuys, the president of TLU SA. Since the beginning of the pandemic, TLU SA has held the view that everything possible must be

done to fight the virus, but that it must be done with a functioning economy. By severely restricting the economy, a second threat is created, namely poverty and famine.

“We need a balance to ensure that these two threats are both addressed. The need to maintain food chains and production is one of the most important things currently needed. We cannot afford to have farms quarantined should a Covid-19 outbreak occur.”

“What worries TLU SA is that President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that Phase 2 will start in mid-May and that 5.5 million people over the age of 60, with comorbidities, will be vaccinated between the 17th of May and the 31st of July. TLU reiterates its urgent call to the Minister to prioritize the vaccinations of farmworkers.”

‘Tiny’ fuel decrease for May ■ Roelof de Jonge Fuel prices have made a turnaround from last month, with across-the-board price reductions in all fuel types expected when the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announces its adjustments for May. Petrol is expected to be cheaper by around 13 cents a litre, with diesel showing a 32 cents-a-litre drop and illuminating paraffin down by 23 cents.

The exchange rate has continued its strengthening trend against the US dollar. International petroleum prices, which increased slightly in the first two weeks of April, have held steady since. As a result, fuel users will have a small breather in May from the series of some hectic fuel price increases

earlier in the year.

As we head into winter, South Africans who use paraffin for lighting, cooking, and heating especially will no doubt be glad to save a couple of Rand or rather a few cents. The AA is hopeful the recent streak of price stability will continue to provide more price relief to fuel users in the short to medium term.

The Automobile Association (AA) does not regulate or adjust fuel prices in South Africa, nor does it have any input in how the fuel prices are calculated. Fuel prices are officially calculated and adjusted on the first Wednesday of every month by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). The DMRE is the only entity which regulates, sets, and adjusts fuel prices in South Africa.

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New Navara to be produced in South Africa

The new and locally produced Nissan Navara model range is set to be launch in June.

■ Roelof de Jonge Orders are now open for the new, locally produced Nissan Navara, which is set to roll off the production line at Nissan’s Rosslyn plant in June.

With prices starting at R311 000 for the Navara 2.5 Petrol XE SC, and R474 000 for the Navara 2.5D SE MT DC, the modernised lineup is well-positioned to compete in most of the one-ton pickup segments, according to Stefan Haasbroek, Marketing Director at Nissan South Africa.

“With the introduction of the all-new Navara pickup in South Africa, we are confident that the significant technical changes implemented across our extensive line-up, will deliver the ultimate customer experience, with enhanced ride comfort, load carrying capacity, and a powertrain selected specifically for the South African market,” said Haasbroek.

In the South African context, the Navara is renowned for its rugged and redefined looks, robust capabilities, reliability, and versatility, making it one of the most respected and anticipated models across the Nissan line-up and around the world.

Keen to provide exceptional customer satisfaction, Nissan has produced an exciting range of models, ensuring there is a Navara to suit everyone’s needs, whether you are buying to empower your business, or taking the family on an off-road adventure.

Priced competitively, the Navara’s innovative technical changes, modernised styling, and high-power specs will impress existing customers and appeal to those looking for a new workhorse or an adventure vehicle.

The new Navara single cab 2.5l DDTi Diesel mid-output (XE and SE Grades), with its 2.5 litre dual overhead camshafts with direct injection, turbocharged with intercooler diesel engine producing 120kW of power and 403Nm of torque, is set to be a popular choice for South African pickup drivers.

Drivers of the all-new Navara will experience significantly enhanced balance, superb handling, and heightened performance, both on-road, and off the beaten track thanks to the successful combination of a new chassis with its revised mountings.

Nissan has reaffirmed that severity-testing of South African roads has been accounted for when fine-tuning the suspension grade, which, Haasbroek iterated, is a big focus for the single and double-cab line-up.

Choose two-wheel-drive for maximum efficiency or shift to four-wheel-drive at speeds up to 100km/h with the Navara’s shifton-the-fly 4x4 gearbox. To achieve maximum performance, Nissan’s 4H gearbox constantly monitors conditions and adjusts the balance of power between the front and rear axles to maintain traction, while the Active Brake Limited Slip Differential system (ABLS) manages power delivery and wheel braking between the front and rear axles and between the left and right of the vehicle, depending on traction and speed.

The new Navara also have the option for drivers to select low range 4WD (4LO) for attempting to drive on more difficult terrains.

Perfect for delivering building supplies to sites or squeezing an extra tent in for camping, the all-new Navara’s payload is now 100kg bigger, thanks to an increase of 36mm in the front, and 64mm in the rear of the height of the load-box.

An added step to the rear bumper for the SE Plus and LE grades, and an easy-lift tailgate and a torsion bar on all DC derivatives, also makes loading and unloading easier.

And if that’s not enough space, and you need to bring the offroad bikes on a trailer too, then new Navara’s Trailer Sway Control (TSC) system, with yaw-rate-monitoring can detect the trailer’s self-oscillation, while the Vehicle Dynamic Control system (VDC) enables it to handle the brake pressure of the trailer to reduce self-oscillation.

The Navara line-up also features additional safety technology through Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM), and offers a host of cabin features including an 8-inch touch screen with NissanConnect, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.

The new Nissan Navara offers customers good value-for-money, has low running costs, competitive parts pricing, and competitive fuel efficiency, strong aftersales service, all designed to help your business’s bottom line, while being rugged and tough enough to do the job right, minimising downtime, and maximising uptime.

Cele must tsamaea! – TLU SA ■ Roelof de Jonge The Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa (TLU SA) had enough of the Police Department’s mismanagement and have since launched a campaign to get the minister of Police, Bheki Cele, fired.

According to the TLU SA, under his mismanagement of the department, the police cannot trace their official firearms, around 8 million pieces of evidence, many from gruesome farm attacks, were lost because the minister refuses to pay for an approved system within the approved budget, a Brigadier from KwaZulu-Natal was promoted to major-general ten years after 98 firearms went missing on his watch, and detectives must pay out of their own pockets for equipment, transport and uniforms because of poor management of resources which affects their work.

As police commissioner, Cele was investigated and suspended in 2011, after evidence of corruption and maladministration came to light. He continued to receive his salary of R1,3million until 2013, when he was finally given the boot.

“Research proved many times over how a bad manager can negatively influence a whole

company,” said Henry Geldenhuys, the president of TLU SA. “In the police force, we have members who follow his example, and they give the members who genuinely want to uphold their responsibility as protectors of safety a terrible reputation. Our problem lies not with police officers who support our farmers and walk the extra mile, but with criminals in the force and the number-one-enemy of safety in the country, Bheki Cele. He must tsamaea!”

According to Geldenhuys, the parliamentary portfolio committee for police recently heard that the Forensic Data Service switched off the police’s firearm permit system to manage thousands of official firearms. The police neglected to pay for the software’s copyright even though it had an approved budget, and the case went to court.

“Forensic Data Services handles the register of the DNA evidence gathered at crime scenes. They switched this system off as well, and now more than 8 million pieces of evidence are lost.”

Both systems are currently updated manually. It holds an enormous implication for tracking stolen firearms and evidence and, as a result, gives criminals free reign. “The police system is a mess because Minister Cele is obsessed with a show of power instead of protecting South Africans. Cele must be fired as the Minister of Police. We hope that his replacement will be able to sort out the mess and that the department will follow a fresh approach to strengthen safety in South Africa.”

The new Nissan Navara offers customers good value-for-money, has low running costs, competitive parts pricing, and competitive fuel efficiency.

New Zealand Police recruited an unusual new officer to the force: an Artificial Intelligence police officer called Ella. Ella is a life-like virtual assistant that uses real-time animation to emulate faceto-face interaction in an empathetic way. It will be stationed in the lobby of the force’s national headquarters in Wellington.

Its chief duties there will be welcoming visitors to the building, telling staff that they have arrived, and directing them to collect their passes. It can also talk to visitors about certain issues, such as the force’s non-emergency number and police vetting procedures. Perhaps this will be South Africa’s solution in the end?

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South Africa produces top export avocados ■ Roelof de Jonge Avocado production in South Africa has traditionally been concentrated in the warm subtropical areas of the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. Due to the growing global demand and to produce avocado’s all year-round, production has since expanded to KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern and Western Cape provinces.

The annual rainfall in most of these areas is high which measures up to a 1000mm per year, although there are some orchards in semi-arid regions with rainfall of approximately 400mm per year.

The South African Avocado season extends from February to November with most of the fruit being harvested from March to September. Due to climatic variability between the growing regions, most of the major cultivars are available over an extended period during the season.

For example, the Fuerte type is harvested from March to May in the northern regions and is harvested in July and August in KwaZulu-Natal.

The avocado industry in South Africa for example has expanded steadily from the early 1970’s to 2003, with orchards of about 2000 hectares that have since increased to approximately 12 000 hectares.

This growth in expansion slowed a bit down from 2003 to 2008. However, since 2009, the total plantings have increased due to a growing demand for avocados. The area under commercial avocado orchards is about 17 500 hectares with new plantings amounting to approximately a 1 000 hectare per annum.

In the region of 80% of avocado trees produced in South African nurseries are the dark-skinned Hass and Hass-type cultivars such as Carmen, Gem, Lamb-Hass and Maluma. Green skinned cultivars such as the Fuerte, Pinkerton, Ryan and Reed make up the remaining 20% of nursery tree production.

High summer rainfall, with 1000mm per annum in most areas and warm temperatures, contribute to incidences of root rot caused by disease Phytophthora cinnamomi. This disease is effectively controlled through phosphorous acid trunk injections integrated with practices that promote root health, such as the addition of compost and

mulches.

Most plantings since the early 1980’s have been on Phytophthora- tolerant rootstocks such as the Duke 7, and in recent years a growing number of trees on the rootstock Merensky II have been planted. Approximately 60% of current nursery trees are on the Merensky II principle. Other commonly used rootstocks include Bounty, Duke 7 and the Velvick seedling.

In 2018, the total production was estimated at 170 000 tons of which approximately 86 000 tons was exported, mainly to Europe and the United Kingdom. The remainder of the crop was consumed domestically and approximately 10% is processed for oil and purée.

Although the South African industry is export orientated, the South African market also plays a significant role with demand having grown considerably over the past few years.

The South African Avocado Growers’ Association (SAAGA) has a voluntary membership that accounts for 95% of South African avocado exports. Activities of the association are funded by its grower members through levies on local and export sales.

The aim of SAAGA is to improve the profitability and sustain the viability of growing avocados in South Africa. To this end, the association is involved in the following activities: • Technical support and

Zander Ernst with Izelle Hoffman the Viavi brand ambassador

advisory services to its growers.

• Funding of appropriate technical and market research.

• Provision of relevant market information.

• Local market development through generic promotion.

• Liaison with government and other bodies both locally and abroad.

Although SAAGA is funded by growers other role players, such as export companies, are also members.

Quality standards for export are determined by SAAGA in association with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development of South Africa. These standards ensure that a good quality product, meeting the standards of the country of destination, is exported, and include factors such as fruit maturity, size, and blemish levels.

Quality inspections are carried out by a parastatal organisation, the Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) on a consignment basis prior shipping. The PPECB also ensures that standards for refrigerated road transport and refrigerated containers are met. In addition, growers that export must comply with Good Agricultural Practice standards that are laid down by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

This however, is the minimum standard and more than 95% of the industry is GlobalGAP accredited.

Other accreditations such as HACCP, BRC. LEAF, Fairtrade and Tesco Nature’s Choice are commonplace.

Most of South African avocado growers adhere to the requirements of SIZA which is an ethical labour practice standard for the South African fruit industry.

The majority of avocados are exported by sea in refrigerated containers under controlled atmosphere (CA). The treatment, 1-MCP (SmartFresh®), is used as an alternative to CA for fruit destined for markets where avocados are not ripened prior to retail. Airfreight is expensive and is only viable when prices are abnormally high. Fruit exported by sea is packed and cooled in the production regions.

It is either loaded directly into refrigerated trucks at the packhouse or into refrigerated containers for transport by road to the port. Avocados transported in refrigerated trucks are containerized in the port prior to shipping.

Cape Town is the major export port and is approximately 1800km from the production regions.

The sea voyage from Cape Town to Europe takes up to 14 to 18 days. Because it takes fruit about 25 days from packing to reach the European retailer, strict control of all links in the cold chain is vital in order to maintain high standards of fruit quality.

SAAGA funded generic promotions of avocados in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2014. During this period, smaller campaigns were run in France, Sweden and Germany for periods of 2 to 3 years.

Since 2016, SAAGA members have contributed to the funding of the World Avocado Organization (WAO) which runs generic avocado promotions of avocados in Europe. South Africa and Peru are currently the major contributors to the WAO. SAAGA has funded generic promotion of avocados in the domestic market for 20 years. Campaigns have been largely public relations based, educating consumers about the health aspects and culinary versatility of avocados. These campaigns have contributed to the steady growth in demand for avocados in South Africa.

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New citrus exports look promising this season ■ Roelof de Jonge The Southern African citrus industry is set to reach even greater heights as the 2021 export estimate was released, said Justin Chadwick, the CEO of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA).

“CGA is excited to announce that the South African citrus industry will likely break all previous export season records with an estimated 158.7 million cartons in 2021. If the estimate is reached, it would represent a third consecutive season of record export volumes, with 130 million cartons exported in 2019, followed by 146 million cartons in 2020. Our current projections for 2021 indicate a 22% growth in export figures in just 2 years.”

Eswatini and Zimbabwe combined have also increased their export figures from 3.9 million cartons in 2020, to an estimated 4.4 million cartons in 2021, an increase of 13%, bringing the total Southern African volume to be exported through our ports to more than 163 million cartons.

Navel oranges and lemons have shown a small increase since last year, while Valencia oranges (5%) and grapefruit (16%) have shown a stronger increase. Soft citrus producing regions are projected to show the most significant growth, with an estimated 30.5 million cartons for export in 2021, 29% up on last year.

“The Late Mandarin varieties in particular stand out within the soft citrus category, with an expected growth of 42% this year.”

The Soft Citrus Focus Group chairperson has cautioned that these estimates may be adjusted downwards once the season gets underway, as the continued drought in the Eastern Cape and exceedingly wet conditions in the Northern growing regions may affect export volumes negatively.

“The medium-term crop estimates indicate

that the citrus industry is expected to continue increasing its exports by another 300 000 tons over the next three years. The growth projections for soft citrus, lemons and Valencia oranges alone indicate an expected additional R6.8 billion in foreign exchange earnings and the creation of 22 250 sustainable jobs over the next three years.”

“These figures indicate phenomenal growth within the South African citrus industry, and for our local economy. The demand for our produce overseas is a wonderful testament to the quality of South Africa’s citrus fruit.”

“There is no doubt that citrus growers are investing heavily for the future, with more than R1-billion in grower levies over the next four years going into research and technology to support market access and transformation, while creating an enabling logistics environment to move the fruit.”

“To maximise the potential of the citrus industry as a South African export, we are going to need government and other stakeholders to play their part. For example, we will be relying heavily on the efficiency of our ports in order to successfully ship the additional 13 million cartons estimated for this year alone. We will also need to work hand-in-hand with government to secure, maintain and retain as many market access opportunities as possible. Optimising access conditions will be essential for the continued growth of our industry.”

“The citrus industry will continue growing as a valuable source of both income and jobs while we work together with government and other stakeholders to help rebuild the South African economy. Increasing agricultural exports, creating jobs and investment in transformation are all fundamental ingredients of the South African citrus story. Together, we can and will continue to exceed expectations.”

Farming on Mars: Can it be done?

■ Joe Dreyer Martian colonies of the future will require vast quantities of food. But bringing an endless stream of foodstuffs from Earth would be costly and dangerous. The best answer to this conundrum is to grow food in greenhouse, specially constructed for that purpose. However, such a system would likely require large quantities of topsoil as a growing medium for the plants (water to supply a hydroponic system would probably be in short supply).

University of Georgia (UGA) researchers developed a series of artificial soil mixtures mimicking the topsoil of Mars. These substitute samples of Martian regolith were composed of mixtures of soil, clay, salts, and other components readily available on the surface of Mars.

Investigators examined these samples, exploring how fertile the ruddy surface of Mars might be.

“Simulating the mineral makeup or salt content of these Martian mixtures can tell us a lot about the potential fertility of the soil. Things like nutrients, salinity, pH are part of what make a soil fertile and understanding where Mars’ soils are at in that spectrum is key to knowing if they are viable and if not, are there feasible solutions that can be used to make them viable,” explained Laura Fackrell, UGA geology doctoral candidate and lead author on the study.

Plans are underway at NASA to place the first humans on Mars sometime in the mid 2030’s, but this crew would return to Earth as soon as possible.

This group of explorers would be able to bring all the food needed with them for the journey.

The most ambitious plan to colonize Mars comes from Elon Musk and SpaceX, who plan to launch 100,000 colonists to Mars every 26 months. By 2050, the team plans to have one million people

on the face of the Red Planet. Large-scale farming on Mars would require the development of significant Martian agricultural infrastructure and production methods.

Despite its thin atmosphere and frigid temperatures, the upper crust of Mars contains many of the nutrients needed by plants, including nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. However, the presence of these chemical components in soil does not mean the growing medium is good for crops.

Whether or not these vital components of soil are available to plants remains an additional concern.

“Soil on Mars is known to contain the majority of planet essential nutrients, but many questions of both the benefits (e.g. bioavailability of present nutrients) and limitations (e.g. extent of toxins) of Martian soil as a plant growth medium remain unanswered,” researchers describe in an article published in the journal Icarus, detailing their study.

Simulated Martian soil is dry and crusty, driving researchers to enhance the medium with beneficial bacteria and fungi for farming on Mars, as farmers might do on Earth. “Specific types of bacteria and fungi are known to be beneficial for plants, and may be able to support them under stress conditions like we see on Mars,” said Fackrell.

With the ability to grow food on Mars, the possibility of colonizing the Red Planet — and beyond — dramatically increases. In addition to aiding in the future colonization of Mars, this new study could also aid farmers on Earth seeking to grow food in challenging environments.

— The Cosmic Companion This article was originally published on The Cosmic Companion by James Maynard, founder and publisher of The Cosmic Companion. Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion is also available as a weekly podcast, carried on all major podcast providers.

■ Joe Dreyer Crop spraying is changing. Many farmers have moved towards using specialized drones such as the XAG XP2020 commercial spraying drone which features a fine spray efficiency of 8 hectares an hour and a maximum payload of either 20 litres of liquid, or 16 litres of granulated fertilizer or seeds. The battery also features the latest technology which requires only 10 minutes to fully recharge and thus eliminates the need for extra batteries and lowers operational costs.