Category: Agriculture NEWS

Although zinc is an essential micronutrient for plant growth, zinc input has received far less attention than nitrogen, phosphorous or even irrigation. “Almost half of cereal-growing areas globally have soils with a low level of plant-available zinc,” says Simon Norton, Executive Director, International Zinc Association Africa. In Sub-Saharan Africa soil health concerns are largely due to poor nutrient supply in the soil, the naturally low concentration of zinc in the soil and the lack of crop rotation. Additionally, there is insufficient support to small farmers to implement soil and cropping…

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When it comes to protecting your irrigation system, few factors are more important than effective filtration. For this reason, selecting a filtration method based merely on price can prove very expensive in the long run. How do you go about choosing the right system? The purpose of filtration is to protect the irrigation system from particles that can cause blockages. The best filter is one that retains the largest percentage of particles with the potential to clog the emitters. The choice of filtration is therefore guided by the choice of…

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Increasing yields and rising local demand have resulted in a good season for dragon fruit farmers. Harvest started in November and will wrap up by May. Established two years ago, the Dragon Fruit Growers’ Association of Southern Africa has put much effort into research on production practices for the Southern Africa climate, and this has led to an increase in both the total harvest and yield per hectare. The association currently comprises 20 farmers. Fred Steyn, owner of Kuifkop Beleggings in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, said that yields on his farm had…

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It’s an exciting time for South Africa and Mozambique as the two countries cement ways to increase market access opportunities for local producers following the signing of their collaborative agreement The National African Farmers Union (Nafu) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Federation of Agrarian Associations of Mozambique (Fenagri). The MOU is aimed at improving agricultural collaboration between South Africa and the East African country. The president of Nafu in Mpumalanga, Jabu Mahlangu, said they recently visited Mozambique to engage with the leadership of Fenagri. “The…

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Johann Kotzé, CEO of the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation, speaks to Janine Ryan about the importance of the informal pig sector in South Africa, as well as the high calibre of the country’s formal producers. In terms of volume, South Africa‘s production of pork is significantly less than that of poultry and beef. Photo: Supplied Please give us an overview of the South African pork industry as it currently stands. South Africa currently produces 3,8 million carcasses per year. According to the data of the South African Pork Producers’…

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Agrilevante, organised by FederUnacoma and dedicated to the agricultural supply chains of the Mediterranean area will be back on stage in Bari. Slated for the 5th to 8th of October, the event’s new features of the 2023 include a large space for gardening and landscaping, and an exhibition area dedicated to robotics for agriculture, as well as several initiatives being planned. “The fair talks about the crucial challenges of this important geographical area”. Simona Rapastella, FederUnacoma General Manager. More than eight thousand models of machines and equipment for agriculture, gardening and related components,…

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The global streamlining of chemicals allowed on food products will render many crop-protection chemicals illegal by 1 June 2024, heightening risk for farmers already battling pests. It will also increase the likelihood of pests developing resistance against the smaller pool of available chemicals, according to Dr Schalk Schoeman, research and extension manager at Macadamias South Africa (SAMAC). The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, which would be implemented in South Africa next year, would prohibit active ingredients and formulations according to carcinogenicity, mutagenicity and reproductive toxicity. This…

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SA Wine Industry Information and Systems (SAWIS) recently revised the wine grape harvest estimate downward for the fourth time, making it the smallest harvest in 19 years. Yvette van der Merwe, executive manager of SAWIS, said the industry had decided to make harvest estimates public only once the harvest was complete, since so many variables affected the harvest within the season. She added, however, that this season’s harvest would be substantially smaller than the 2022 harvest which, at 1,38 million tons, had been 5,7% smaller than the 2021 crop, yet larger…

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Uncontrolled weeds can rob pumpkins and other cucurbits of the nutrients they need for a good yield. Yet weeds can also protect pumpkins at a later phase in their growth, says Bill Kerr. Hand-weeding cucurbits is a labour-intensive operation and therefore expensive. It also has the disadvantage of recreating an environment where more seeds are stimulated to germinate. After land preparation and irrigation, any seeds ready to germinate are likely to do so. If the soil is left undisturbed, only a few will germinate in the short term. By hoeing…

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In the first part of this three-part series, Dr Jan du Preez, managing director of UCK Investments, discusses the contributing effect of global warming on the occurrence of heat stress in dairy cattle. Heat stress has an obvious negative impact on the immune function and general health of livestock. This is particularly true for dairy cows, as the impact of this is seen throughout the life cycle of a cow, and affects each of her life stages. Heat stress also suppresses the animal’s immune system and undermines her ability to…

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