|
The grass is greener…
 In April a group of journalists and government officials from the Czech Republic and Slovakia visited South Africa to gather information about biotechnology and farming in South Africa in general. They visited former Farmers of the Year such as Hans van Rensburg, Anthony Evans and the Rossouw Group, as well as emerging farmers. Agricultural Writers SA North hosted them for an evening of discussions. With outreach actions such as these, agricultural writers globally have the opportunity to share best practices.
To come from Europe to South Africa and enjoy the sunshine is like a fairy tale come true – Czech journalists could not resist stretching out on the lawns on the Rossouw Farm during their recent visit.
Dis Vrydag kaastyd by Hartbeespoortdam
Landbouskrywers SA Noord besoek Vrydag, 23 Mei 2008 Dries Pretorius se kaasfabriek by Hartbeespoortdam. Hy sal ons wys hoe om kaas te maak – en ons kan ook proe – saam met wyn. Ons moet 12:00 daar wees.
Laat weet asseblief vir Charmaine by die sekretariaat op 012 804 8812 of info@junxionpr.co.za of jy saamgaan. Sy sal dan padaanwysings stuur. Laat weet asseblief teen Woensdag, 21 Mei.
Cost increase may lead to milk shortages
The profitability of milk producers has decreased by more than 25 percent over the past year, due to continued input cost increases.
“This could lead to milk shortages, especially if milk prices received by producers do not keep up with this trend,” says Etienne Terre’Blanche, Managing Director of the Milk Producers’ Organisation.
The organisation’s economist Dr Koos Coetzee says the prices of milk producers’ most important inputs have increased sharply since 2007. The price of superphosphate fertiliser increased by 470 percent since 2006, urea now costs twice as much as in 2006, and mono-ammonium phosphate was 368 percent more expensive. Diesel now costs R10,09 per litre in Gauteng, compared to R5,18 in 2006 – an increase of 94 percent.
“Animal feed is a milk producer’s most important input. The current price of yellow maize is 86 percent higher than in 2006 and soy oilcake is 167 percent more expensive.
“On the other hand, producer prices have increased by only 73 percent since 2006. Furthermore, this price increase followed a period when producer prices dropped from R2 per litre to R1,79 per litre. In the long term, producer prices increased by 9 percent per year, while input costs increased by approximately 10 percent.
“Milk producers will have to apply strict cost control measures and must shorten the value chain to prevent them from getting caught in spiraling costs.
“This they can do by forming buying groups and purchasing grain directly from grain producers. Producers must also join forces when they sell their products to put them in a better bargaining position,” says Terre’Blanche.
NAMPO 2008 Harvest Day – a formula for farming success
The challenge of successful farming lies in finding a winning formula, of which each element is in balance and contributes to sustainable production. Similarly, the more than 620 exhibitors at this year’s NAMPO Harvest Day, presented by Grain SA, have been handpicked to support visitors in finding a unique formula for success.
“The growing interest shown by exhibitors in taking part in this agricultural trade show justly confirms the uniqueness of the event,” says Jub Jubelius, Chairman of the NAMPO Harvest Day. Exhibitors from Argentina, Australia, China and Germany were among the exhibitors.
After the absence of practical demonstrations during the 2007 NAMPO Harvest Day, the manufacturers and distributors of implements were back on their posts with interactive demonstrations, presented on demand.
Implements and vehicles on show included the always-popular 4x4 with several of the vehicle exhibitors giving visitors the opportunity of not only viewing the product, but also enjoying a demonstration ride as a passenger. This successful concept has become a trademark feature of the vehicle section at the NAMPO Harvest Day, and was once again a popular attraction.
This year’s NAMPO Harvest Day once again proved that anybody who is serious about farming cannot miss this event.
Landbouskrywers SA Noord – Boer van die Jaar
Landbouskrywers SA Noord wys op 12 September sy Boer en Landboukundige van die Jaar aan.
Benoemingsvorms is op die webblad www.agriculturalwriterssa.co.za beskikbaar en moet Voorsitter Magda du Toit teen 24 Augustus bereik.
Kom jy saam?
Landbouskrywers SA Noord beplan ’n toer na die Weskaap om ondermeer die Boer- en Landboukundige van die Jaarfunksie op 14 November in Kaapstad by te woon.
Indien jy belangstel om saam te gaan, laat Charmaine by die sekretriaat op 012 804 8812 of info@junxionpr.co.za weet sodat ons reëlings kan begin tref vir moontlike afslag op reis en verblyf.
Noord se nuwe bestuur
Op Landbouskrywers SA Noord se onlangse Algemene Jaarvergadering is ‘n nuwe bestuurspan gekies.
Voorsitter – Magda du Toit
Ondervoorsitter - Mercia Smith
Sekretaris – Thea Liebenberg
Tesourier – Nico van Burick
News from IFAJ
Food security not an issue in Europe, says EU
James Campbell, Irish Farmers Journal
Food security is not an issue for the European Union (EU), according to the Union Commission’s Director General for External Trade, David O’Sullivan.
He told members of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists of Ireland during their recent visit to Brussels that the EU is the world’s largest importer and exporter of food.
“Because trade is the foundation of wealth creation, not all of the food consumed in the EU should be ‘home produced’.
“The EU achieves food security through trade. Governments should be happy to have other countries produce agricultural commodities, which the EU member states can buy in, at the same time as the EU exports high quality goods and services. This is the classic economics by which that trade and the law of comparative advantage can improve the lot of each participant,” O’Sullivan said.
“Imports are necessary to maintain competitive pricing for the consumers in the EU. Faced with the power of the huge retail supermarkets which source products from all over the world and have relentlessly squeezed the prices that they pay to suppliers, farmers have been suffering serious losses on the primary production of milk and meat.”
Meanwhile, the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy has largely removed price supports for commodities produced within the EU by ‘decoupling’ farm support from production.
For information on Agricultural Writers SA matters, contact the secretariat on
012 804 8812 or e-mail info@junxionpr.co.za.
|
