Lloyd Phillips
Lloyd Phillips joined Farmer’s Weekly in January 2003 and is now a Senior Journalist with the publication. He spent most of his childhood on a Zululand sugarcane farm where he learned to speak fluent Zulu.
After matriculating in 1993, Lloyd dreamed of working as a nature conservationist. Life’s vagaries, however, had different plans for him and Lloyd ended up sampling various jobs in South African agriculture before becoming a proud member of the Farmer’s Weekly team.
‘Green’ livestock production: the facts and the fictions
Global livestock production is increasingly under attack from certain societal groupings who claim that the sector is causing unnecessary environmental harm. Dr Jude Capper, of UK-based Livestock Sustainability Consultancy, explains how livestock farmers can change this perception.
Double life sentences for farm attackers welcomed
The double life sentences recently handed down to six convicted farm attackers by the High Court in Vryheid have been welcomed by some role players in South African agriculture.
Portfolio committee condemns attack on farm manager
Disputes among land reform claimants and beneficiaries should be referred to existing formal land reform processes for arbitration, instead of parties resorting to violence.
Ostrich processors challenge CompCom merger prohibition
Two of South Africa’s largest ostrich processing and marketing companies, Klein Karoo International and Mosstrich, are contesting the Competition Commission’s (CompCom) decision taken earlier this year to prohibit their proposed merger.
Well-managed soil: the key to high-yielding gold kiwifruit
Production of the long-term, high-yielding and high-value gold kiwifruit is still in its infancy in South Africa. An important lesson learned by local pioneering grower Peter Nicholson is to have healthy soils for strong vine growth and fruit set. He shares his tips with Lloyd Phillips.
Prison service investigates large-scale livestock thefts
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) was currently investigating several cases of theft of agricultural livestock at its St Albans and Middledrift correctional centres in the Eastern Cape.
Challenging economic climate drives used machinery sales
While nationwide sales of new tractors and combine harvesters have taken a knock this year, demand for used agricultural machinery is strong.
Livestock farmers urged to prepare for upcoming cold snaps
With South Africa now officially in the grip of winter, the country’s livestock farmers need to keep a constant close eye on short-term weather forecasts.
Latest trends in greenhouse technology
The designs and purposes of greenhouses have come a long way. Lloyd Phillips speaks to Shaul Rabin about the greenhouse technologies currently available, and what the future holds.
‘Not a good year for SA’s agricultural machinery market’
A combination of “unsurprising” factors was creating negative sentiment among buyers, which resulted in the market for tractors and combine harvesters in South Africa not having a good year so far.
‘Developing crop solutions tailored to Africa’s needs’
Corteva Agriscience is aiming to introduce advanced crop hybrids and crop protection products that will enable farmers in Africa to improve their productivity, income and lives.
Agri SA fights back against Mantashe’s fracking appeal
National agricultural union Agri SA has assured its members and the general public that it will continue its fight to have the potential exploration for and mining of South Africa’s terrestrial shale gas reserves, also known as fracking, stopped before it starts.
51% decline in operating profit for Astral Foods
The higher costs of raw ingredients for chicken feed combined with depressed consumer spending during the period 1 October 2018 to 31 March 2019, were key factors in the 51% decline in operating profit for Astral Foods Limited (Astral), compared with the preceding period.
Vegetable farmer’s strategy for synching production with demand
Strategies to synchronise produce availability with times of general undersupply can prove highly lucrative, as KwaZulu-Natal fresh produce farmer Andile Ngcobo tells Lloyd Phillips.
Agricultural machinery sales continue to lose traction
Uncertainty surrounding the prospects for the summer harvests and winter plantings of commodity crops, the outcome of the general election, and the exchange rate of the rand, all placed a damper on agricultural machinery sales for April.
Nkwinti in hot water over Public Protector’s findings
Gugile Nkwinti, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, reportedly unduly used his influence to secure a R97,6 million farm in Limpopo for a friend and his business partner during his tenure as Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR).
Beefing up cattle using the continuous grazing system
While intensive and fast-rotation beef grazing systems are becoming more popular in South Africa, the Duminies of Duminy Boerdery in Vryheid have stuck by their extensive continuous grazing system. They explained their strategy to Lloyd Phillips.
SA company pulls out of R4,8 billion Clover acquisition bid
Pressure from pro-Palestinian groups has resulted in South African company, Brimstone Investment Corporation, pulling out of a consortium that intends to acquire Clover Industries for a reported R4,8 billion. Brimstone was originally a 15% shareholding partner in Milco SA, a company established for the purpose of acquiring Clover.
Agricultural machinery sales down in March
Nationwide sales of tractors and combine harvesters have remained under pressure for the first quarter of 2019.
Switching to no-till? Restore degraded soil first!
It is often assumed that implementing no-till production is the immediate next step towards restoring degraded soils. Not so, says Guy Thibaud, a veteran soil scientist with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
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