Caxton Magazines
The pitfalls of grain success
At the regional Grain SA meeting held recently in Elsenburg, Dr Kobus Laubscher, general manager of Grain SA, talked about the issues facing the agricultural sector.
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Time to lie low
Markets worldwide have been caught in the fallout of the US financial crisis. With commodity prices under threat, farmers must play it safe.
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Magnum tractor beats NASA to Good Design Award
The Case IH Magnum tractor was voted one of the winners in the transportation category of the US’s prestigious Good Design Awards, presented in Chicago. The Magnum was in the same category as the NASA Lunar Lander, the BMW F8005 Motorcycle and the BMW Z4
The Fleckvieh cross: chunky-knit Jerseys
To boost their beef without compromising their superior milk, Dr Carl Muller is crossing Jersey cattle with Fleckviehs. Wouter Kriel reports.
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Issue date: 22 February 2008
World news. Issue date: 22 February 2008
US agricultural land shrinkage
UK sheep farmers under pressure
Drought-stricken Aussies now hit by floods
Good insect and weed control make this canola winner
Abrie de Wet from Enon just outside Caledon is the winner of this year’s Southern Cape canola competition, with a yield of 2,1t/ha and a gross income of R2 237/ha. In a year in which many farmers suffered huge losses due to isopoda, De Wet ascribes his su
Bull portrait crowns breeder’s achievement
A portrait in chalk pastel of the superb young Sussex bull NJB 05 0043, selected from over 800 Phase C-tested bulls as overall winner of the 2007 Vleissentraal-ARC Special Performance Test Class, was presented to his breeder, Nico Bouwer of the Witkwas Su
Machinery sales up
The year started off on a good note for agricultural machinery sales, with welcomed increases for all major implements in January and a positive sentiments forecast for the first quarter.
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Code of conduct for wool producers on the cards
Chairperson of the NWGA KZN, Hendrik Botha, said wool and lamb farmers in the province had expressed positive sentiments about the proposed implementation of a Code of Conduct for the industry. Consumers’ increasing demand for natural, socially responsibl
Promotion tops list of wool industry objectives
The KwaZulu-Natal branch of the National Woolgrowers’ Association (NWGA) recently held its series of annual regional meetings at Utrecht, Mooi River and Cedarville. Lloyd Phillips reports on issues of importance that emerged at the Mooi River event.
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‘Grain still viable for Transnet’
“We’re not planning on leaving the grain industry,” said Sandile Simelane, communications officer at Transnet Freight Rail, in response to concerns that Transnet is neglecting agriculture and focusing on “other more profitable industries”.
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SAB slow with new price mechanism
Southern Cape barley producers are still waiting on South African Breweries Ltd (SAB) to announce a new mechanism for malting-barley price determination. Producers actively negotiated the implementation of a new mechanism the whole of last year, due to di
Farmers want a new wheat grading system.
Farmers again voiced their discontent with the wheat grading system at the recent Grain SA regional meeting, held at Elsenburg research centre in the Western Cape.
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Issue date: 22 February 2008
What will it take to rescue the wheat industry?
SA has become increasingly dependent on wheat imports over the past five years, but the current international wheat shortage is sending import prices soaring – and the bread price through the roof. Yet Glenneis Erasmus finds we do have the capacity to sup
Hard work & savvy always pay off
Hard work, humbleness and a keen sense of responsibility come to mind when one thinks of Shilling Shai, a black farmer in the Tzaneen district. He took lessons learned from his lifelong employer and incorporated them into his own ideals to overcome the dr
Load-shedding costs farmer 60% of his crop
Ten years ago Hennie Fouché bought the farm Rietvallei outside Mookgopong in the Limpopo province. Besides being fenced off, the 215ha farm was undeveloped. Fouché now produces about 200t of cocktail tomatoes and 100t of sweet peppers in a state-of-the-ar
Mixed feelings on state of the nation
President Thabo Mbeki’s State of the Nation Address on 8 February did not leave issues affecting agriculture “in the cold”, says Agri SA executive director Hans van der Merwe. Among the objectives government plans to address are the weaknesses in processi
It’s hotter than you think
Climate change and reduced water availability have food security implications for the nation and managerial implications for all farmers, concludes Pprof James Blignaut of the Department of Economics at Pretoria University. The day of reckoning could come
Weak rand pushes up wool price
The Rand’s sharp fall played a major role in pushing the Merino indicator to a fresh seasonal high of R66,35/kg (clean), up 3,1% on the week and 18,6% on the opening level, said Ona Viljoen of Cape Wools.
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Good prices beckon tobacco producers
Farmers can look forward to firmer tobacco prices over the next year, said Francois van der Merwe, CEO of the Tobacco Institute of South Africa (Tisa), which facilitates cooperation between producers, buyers and processors.
Issue date: 22 February 2008
Issue date: 22 February 2008
