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In the first news story of this week's Farmers Weekly edition, we take a look at the threat of locust outbreaks in the  Northern Cape over the fast-approaching summer season. 

Ryan says these outbreaks were largely due to the lack of scouting on abandoned farmland. Farmers Weekly was told that while farmers and farm workers should scout their land for locust swarms as soon as possible, the reality is that many farmers have been forced from their land due to financial pressures. 

ALSO READ: Agriculture department ups its game to get rid of locusts

According to Ryan, an estimated 20 million hectares of land had been destroyed due to locust infestations. 

Furthermore, farmers are being urged to destroy any small locust crops as soon as possible by sending their sheep flocks to the areas, as many outbreaks have been reported across the Northern Cape, with high soil moisture levels and high temperatures providing conducive conditions to the hatching of locust eggs.

In another story, the magazine takes a look at above-normal rainfall that is expected across most of South Africa from October to the end of February. 

Ryan says that the South African Weather Service warns that while this is advantageous for crop and livestock production, there would be an increased risk of flash flooding in flood-prone areas. 

They urge that contingency methods are implemented beforehand and that water storage and well establishment of good drainage systems take place ahead of any floods or heavy rainfall, adds Ryan.

In addition, it is estimated that the rainfall will commence in the month of November to December.

Furthermore, the macadamia industry has called 2022 a watershed and that a perfect storm of challenges has brought uncertainty to what has been a consistently high-performing industry. 

Ryan says "speaking at the annual macadamia South Africa conference in White River, chairperson Pierre Cronjé said 2022 has probably been the toughest year the industry has seen in terms of the marketing of macadamia nuts. 

"This year the macadamia price has already fallen from the peak of about R118 per kg to around R72 per kg." 

She said the price could experience another decline to about R64 per kg and that the contributing factors are the struggling global economy and high inflation, the expanding Chinese crop, and the sale market conditions in China as a result of Covid-19.

Delving into another story, a passenger en route from South Africa to Laos, in Southeast Asia, has been arrested. This after 34kg of rhino horn worth more than R14 million was seized by the Singapore national board, adds Ryan. 

She says this was the largest seizure of this nature in Singapore to date. According to a statement by the board, 20 pieces of the horn has been confiscated from the passenger when airport security and the board's canine unit inspected luggage at the airport.

She concludes by mentioning another story where South African wines have won prestigious awards at the International wine and spirit competition awards ceremony which was held recently in London in the UK.

OFM News/Lee Simmons