Sien onderstaande PODCAST

Boere in Suid-Afrika het in die eerste maand van die nuwe jaar gebuk gegaan onder 'n skerp toename van misdade op plase. Dit is volgens skokkende statistieke wat deur die Rome Research Institute of South Africa bekend gemaak is. Hiervolgens het altesaam veertien plaasaanvalle in die land in Januarie 2022 plaasgevind. Die meeste aanvalle is in die Vrystaat aangeteken. Volgens die instituut se misdaadstatistieke oor plaasaanvalle het altesaam vier aanvalle op plase in die Vrystaat plaasgevind. Die voorvalle sluit in 'n aanval in Koffiefontein waartydens 'n moord plaasgevind het, en 'n aanval in Warden is betyds afgeweer. Twee aanvalle is ook in Harrismith aangemeld. In die laasgenoemde voorval is implemente soos toerusting en onder meer 'n kragopwekker gebuit.

Brown locusts can be spotted in a number of residential areas in Upington, Northern Cape, as well as surrounding towns. The spokesperson of the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Zandisile Luphahla, says the outbreaks of these locusts have gradually decreased in many towns because of the control and prevention measures that have been put in place. He says the working relationship that they have with farmers is bearing fruit "as they see us working together in making sure that we fight the outbreaks". He says regardless of when, where, or under which conditions, brown locust outbreaks will always be a threat to farmers’ crops - but adds that the outbreaks are under control.

Die effense verligting wat Suid-Afrikaners in Januarie by petrolpompe ervaar het, was van korte duur met brandstofpryse wat weer om middernag Dinsdag sal styg. Dr. Frikkie Maré, senior landbou-ekonoom van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat, sê die stygings in brandstofpryse kan problematies vir insetkostes wees en die verhoogde rentekoerse bemoeilik dit verder. Brandstofpryse van buurlande, wat hulle brandstof uit Suid-Afrika invoer, is baie goedkoper en dit vererger die uitdagings wat veral landbou in die gesig staar. Die voorgestelde pryse tans is byna 'n 30%-verhoging teenoor tien jaar gelede. Maré sê verder, alhoewel daar aanduidings vanaf die regering was dat brandstofpryse hersien sal word, is daar nie 'n aanduiding van hoe vinnig dit sal gebeur of hoeveel verligting daar sal wees nie.

EN

The Crop Estimates Committee's sixth production forecast for 2021/22 winter crops shows some notable changes from the previous update of the end of December 2021. The wheat production forecast is up by 3% to 2,21 million tonnes, which is the largest expected wheat crop produced since 2002, when it was 2,43 million tonnes. Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, adds that the canola production forecast was also lifted by 4% from December to 197 000 tonnes, the largest canola crop on record. Barley and oats production forecasts were cut by 3% and 13% from December to 331 100 tonnes and 69 950 tonnes. The Western Cape, the region that grows more than two-thirds of South Africa's winter crops, received favourable rainfall since the start of the 2021/22 season, which boosted the yields and encouraged farmers to lift the area plantings for wheat and canola. This increase in the Western Cape's wheat production overshadowed the annual decline in the Free State, Eastern- and Northern Cape. Furthermore, there are reports of relatively poor quality in some regions of the country because of the heavy rains during the harvest period.

OFM-nuus