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On 28 September 2022, South Africa observed World Rabies Day as the disease is becoming an increasing problem in the country. Ryan adds that to find out more about this problem, Farmer’s Weekly spoke to Dr Danie Odendaal, director of the Veterinary Network, who said that KwaZulu-Natal has become a rabies hotspot. He said that the disease is becoming endemic in the province’s dog population.

Odendaal called on dog owners in KwaZulu-Natal to have their animals vaccinated, which needs to be done at least every three years. However, annual vaccination is recommended in high-risk areas.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) rabies kills about 59 000 people worldwide every year, and 95% of these fatalities occur in developing regions such as Asia and Africa.

LEES OOK: Nagmuise - graanboere se nagmerrie

Another news story looks at gerbils and their impact on grainlands. Ryan explains that infestation of grainlands by gerbils has become a serious threat to crop production in South Africa.

Dr Gerhard Verdoorn from CropLife SA says these nocturnal rodents now occur in virtually all of South Africa’s grain production regions, including the Western-, Southern- and Eastern Cape.

Last year, gerbils destroyed thousands of hectares of planted grains in the summer grain production region. Verdoorn adds that gerbils cause the most damage when the seeds begin to germinate. He says cases of thousands of animals infesting a single hectare of grainland were not unheard of.

Verdoorn advises farmers to scout for the rodents on a regular basis and to destroy their habitat on the border of grainlands by ploughing.

ALSO READ: Load-shedding impacts mining, manufacturing and agriculture industry

The issue of load-shedding is also covered in this week’s edition, with Ryan saying rolling blackouts have dealt a devastating blow to the agriculture sector. Justin Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus Growers’ Association of South Africa, Hortgro’s General Manager of Trade and Markets, Jacques du Preez , and Dr Thomas Funke, CEO of SA’s Canegrowers Association, confirmed that the blackouts are seriously affecting the entire value chain in the respective industries.

They expressed particular concern about the blackouts on irrigation crops.

Chadwick says the rainy season has not begun in most citrus growing regions and that extreme heat cycles are rendering fruit trees entirely dependent on irrigation.    

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