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In the 19 November edition of Farmer’s Weekly, Erasmus tells OFM News about their lineup in the news section. She says “in the news section we look at the recent increase in fuel prices. At the beginning of this month, we saw the price of petrol increase by around R1.20 to R19.50 - this is for the inland areas - and diesel increasing by about R1.50 to R17.23c. This will have a significant impact on the input costs of farmers in all sectors and specifically in the grain sectors. The Western Cape farmers are now harvesting their winter crops, wheat and canola. In the summer production regions in the Free State, North West and the central parts of the country, farmers will now also be getting underway with planting of our country’s maize crops for next year.”

Erasmus says they spoke to a farmer who farms with maize meal in Wesselsbron in the Free State who says that the direct input cost on his farm this year has increased from around R7000 per hectare to R10 500 per hectare, which is a 60% increase in the input costs for maize just over the last year. She says that once all involved costs are calculated, maize farmers will have to produce up to 4 tons of maize per hectare, which is quite a high bar to surpass, especially if we take a look at the country’s average maize yield which is about 5,7 tons per hectare, which of course includes irrigation, where yields are generally much higher than in the dry land areas where most of South Africa’s maize is grown.

Moving on, Erasmus reports on the bothersome problem of cable theft. Cable thieves left the Johannesburg market without power for almost an entire week at the end of October. On 26 October, the cables had been stolen for the fourth time this year, even with warnings from the Institute of Market Agents of South Africa to implement security measures two weeks prior to the cables being stolen. She says that according to Christo van der Rheede, executive director of AgriSA, the lack of electricity had a disastrous impact on the quality and safety of agricultural produce at the market. “He said that it was just unacceptable for a market that provides agricultural products to 15 million people daily to have to suffer because of the situation,” says Erasmus.

She highlights a few of the other headlines in the news sections. “We take a look at the latest crop estimate for the blueberry production in South Africa, with a crop expectancy of 60% larger than last year, at around 22 000 tons.”

Farmer’s Weekly wishes the agricultural grade 12’s that are writing exams all the best of luck.

Erasmus ends off by highlighting another headline that looks at rhino poaching which has prompted the authorities of Botswana to move these animals to areas where they can enjoy better protection.

OFM News/Lee Simmons