AGRICULTURAL
Which factors result in the
marginalisation of land?
When this article was written, 7 January 2019, crop plantings had taken a serious knock
due to the lack of rain and intense heat waves. Natural grazing has been damaged
severely and will take a long time to recover. The extent of this scenario is significantly
worse than previous droughts. Financial challenges faced by producers involved their
monthly running expenses and credit engagements.
By Petrus van Staden
Senwes Senior Agronomist,
Ian Bothma
SGS: Area Manager, Free State and
Northern Cape
& Boet van Zyl
Senwes Senior Agricultural Economist
H
opefully the long-term average
rainfall from February to April
still posed possibilities. The
outstanding characteristic of
farmers is that they always come up with
a solution.
Core business involves a producer who
wants to be in full production again during
the coming season (2019/20). Any current
planting action would be absolutely
limited to:
Financial survival if there is no other
way out;
Food for the animals;
Limitation of wind erosion in the spring;
Preparation for the planting of maize.
On fields that received pre-planting
fertiliser, but were not planted, the
chemical status can be checked.
PARADIGMSHIFT
Due to the drought producers were
forced to limit emotion and sentiment
in the decision-making process to an
absolute minimum.
The instability relating to climate and
rainfall forces everyone to reconsider the
impact of global warming. Every producer
will have to make sure that he/she knows
what the potential impact will be on his/
her farming system. The financial impact
requires action. “...your business has to
adjust continuously in order to survive
economically and to remain competitive.
Stagnation is not an option...” (Dr. Johan
Willemse, LWB 4-11 January 2019).
What can the producer do to produce in
these difficult production and economic
conditions sustainably?
There is no instant solution - the
circumstances of every producer are
unique.
Focus on the aspects in your business
which you can control (natural
resources, production costs etc.).
This is an introductory article and we will attempt to do an investigation into the abovementioned factors during the year.
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SENWES SCENARIO | MIND-SHIFT 2019