Fulvic acid passes the fertigation test

Fruit farmer Ian de Kock of Harmonie farm near Montagu in the Western Cape, says the use of fulvic and amino acids has improved crop health, yields and fruit quality while reducing the dependence on fertiliser.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Gauteng agriculture is going great guns

To most people Gauteng would not bring to mind the image of lush crop fields or technologically advanced agriculture. Yet the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (GDACE) has a range of projects that aim to promote economic growth and job creation, fight poverty and build strong, sustainable communities through agriculture.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Pioneers of SA marron production

For seven years Vaughn Bursey and John Tinley (above) of Smiling Valley Aquaculture have pursued and persevered their passion for aquaculture by farming marron freshwater crayfish. Mike Burgess visits them to find that this year - thanks to the knowledge gleaned from years of trial and error - they expect to produce up to 80 000 juveniles and 1 500kg edible marron from their 1,2ha of ponds

SA dairy farming- not all doom and gloom

Poor profitability due to high input costs and low producer prices is having a devastating impact on South Africa's dairy industry, causing almost 30 producers to leave the industry per month. Producers are even slaughtering dairy cows, as meat has become more profitable than milk. However, a survey by David Beca, managing director of Red Sky, has shown that South Africa's dairy profitability compares favourably with that of New Zealand and Australia.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Merino rams join communal flocks

More than 3 000 quality-bred Merino rams are being distributed to 300 shearing sheds in an effort to add value to communal flocks in the former Transkei and Ciskei
Issue Date 16 March 2007

‘Biofuels industry needs co-ops’

For the biofuels industry to succeed, emerging farmers need to be organised into cooperatives so that they can jointly deliver to biofuels plants, negotiate good input prices, have access to credit for inputs, training, materials and jointly own the processing facilities. This was the message from National African Farmers' Union president Motsepe Matlala at a recent conference in Johannesburg.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Agriculture database goes live

In an effort to make agricultural knowledge and marketing tools more widely - and cheaply - available, the Department of Agriculture has launched an online database containing information on aspects such as pricing, legislation and marketing.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Elephant culling proposed as a last resort by DEAT

Enironmental affairs and tourism minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has proposed that culling be used to reduce the size of an elephant population - but only once other management options have been considered.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Jumbo ‘mother’ steps down

Dr Marion Garai, the “mother” of Elephant Management and Owners' Association (EMOA) has stepped down after 12 years as chairperson.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Weaker rand boosts wool

The local wool market edged higher due to A SOFTER currency and the return of the Chinese to the market after their New Year celebrations. Prices for good-quality wool again achieved good prices as a result of the big offering of poorer-quality wool in Australia due to the prolonged drought, said Johan Louw of Cape Mohair and Wool.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Evictions – the row rages on

The controversy over abuses on farms was taken to parliament when the Human Rights Commission presented a briefing to the land and environment committee on evictions. Stephan Hofstätter attended the hearing.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

UK to develop ‘green’ labels

The united kingdom has pledged its commitment to developing environmental labelling for food.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Joint biofuels initiative begins

Brazil, the US, China and European Commission recently launched a joint initiative to create a world market to increase the production, distribution and use of biofuels.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Grain forecasts revised downwards

Grain planting and production forecasts have been trimmed for the 2006/07 season after poor rains and high temperatures limited many farmers' plantings.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Parmalat’s BEE milk premium debated

The CEO of the Milk Producers' Organisation, Bertus de Jongh, said he is certain farmers would welcome any price increase, but warned that incentives designed to make farmers meet empowerment targets should be employed through mechanisms other than price.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Clover opens hi-tech plant in E Cape

Clover recently launched its “state of the art” milk processing plant in Perseverance, between Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage. The facility, the first of its kind in the Eastern Cape, will produce fresh and long-life UHT milk.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

SA imports first-ever black truffle spore

KwaZulu-Natal-based Truffles of Africa is the first South African company to have imported the spore of the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum).
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Information day emphasises role of plum education

The SA Stone Fruit PRODUCERS' Association (Saspa) in conjunction with the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market (JFPM) and leading agents recently held a plum information day at the JFPM. The project aimed to create consumer awareness and educate informal traders and retailers about basic handling procedures, optimum ripeness and the nutritional value of plums.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

‘Africa needs expanded trade’

Former state president FW de Klerk said steps should be taken to increase Africa's diminishing share of global trade which, he said, has declined from 2% in 1980 to 1% in 1999.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

‘I’ll advise expropriation’

Gauteng and North West land claims commissioner Tumi Seboka has warned that in all cases where negotiations on land claims cannot be concluded as a result of “intransigence and deliberate frustration by the landowners”, she will advise government to expropriate.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

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