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SA berry industry body relaunched
BerriesZA recently released data that shows a significant increase in South African blueberry exports for the 2020/21 season. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic last year, blueberry exports increased by more than 27%, growing from 12 221 tons to 15 636 tons.
The growth of the South African berry industry over the last five years is one of the country’s great agricultural success stories. Exports have grown from just 1 792 in 2015 to 15 636 tons. This growth has supported the rapid increase of employment in the industry from just 1 000 workers in 2014 to more than 8 000 workers in 2019.
In recognition of the industry’s growing strength on the world stage, it was decided to relaunch the South African Berry Producers Association (SABPA) as BerriesZA. This marks an important new chapter in the South African berry success story.
Where SABPA was primarily a producer organisation, BerriesZA includes role-players along the entire berry value chain through its joint marketing forum (JMF). The JMF brings together all stakeholders to tackle industry problems and to collaborate to ensure the best possible results for the industry as a whole.
BerriesZA has been mandated to become the enabling commodity organisation with a new mission to build the South African berry brand here at home and abroad. South African blueberries are globally renowned as some of the highest quality in the world. In another victory for SA berries, one of the large commercial exports recently was awarded two superior taste awards.
As part of the launch of the new entity, BerriesZA will embark on a roadshow throughout the country meeting with member growers and breaking down the details of the new mandate of the organisation. This is to ensure that all stakeholders understand the focus of the organisation and how they can make use of its forums and resources so that they can benefit fully from the remarkable growth the industry is experiencing.
The roadshow will kick-off in the Western Cape at Diamant Estate in Paarl. It will then move to the Graham and Rhona Beck training Centre outside Robertson, Chiltern Farms in Vyeboom and Outeniqua Boereverenigingsaal in George. The roadshow will then move to the northern parts of South Africa in May with stops in Rustenburg, Groblersdal, Nelspruit and KwaZulu-Natal.
The South African berry industry is poised to become a major force in the global market due to the superiority of the fruit compared to berries from other countries. By 2024, they aim to have increased production to 62 000 tons and exports to 44 000 tons. This will translate into 3 000 new jobs for South Africans in the local berry industry.
To achieve these goals, they will be focusing their efforts in the coming years on gaining access to new markets, primarily in the Far East, where demand for South African berries is high. The newly acquired membership of FruitSA – the umbrella body for SA fruit – is a step in this direction.
Agriculture input cost pressures mount as fuel price increases
PAUL MAKUBE
FNB AGRI-BUSINESS
Fuel is the lifeblood of the agriculture value chain with all processes from farm to fork heavily reliant on its availability at the right time and at an affordable price.
The recent developments from a fuel perspective indicate that the determinants of fuel prices have all trended on the upside with Brent crude oil prices rising by 6,7% m/m in April 2021 to average US$64/ barrel and the rand exchange rate depreciating by 1,3% to R14,95/ US$ during the same period.
This comes at an unfortunate time with the onset of the winter crop planting season and summer crop farmers gearing themselves for the winter harvest. The industry is heading into increased activity in the agriculture calendar and demand and consumption of fuel is expected to increase in the medium term. The escalation in fuel costs does not bode well for producers as production costs are likely to escalate across the value chains, with varying impact on planting, harvesting, distribution and packaging. The prices of derivatives of crude oil processing such as fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides are likely to increase should the recent uptrend persist.
Balanced plant nutrition, at the right time, is the key to optimising yield and quality in onion production. Maintaining the correct balances is a management practice that is easily attained. Soil sampling is an essential management tool to determine the correct ratios of nutrients to be applied.
Typical fertilizer application rates will depend on the soil type, soil analyses and the expected yield. Nitrogen rates of between 130 to 200 kg per hectare (ha) and potassium rates of between 60 and 250 kg per ha for a high-yield onion crop on clay and sandy soils – with high- and low nutrient levels respectively.
All elements are important, but after N and K+, the positive cation Ca++ is also taken up in relatively high quantities.
It has been documented that onions are highly susceptible to root zone salinity as well as high chloride levels, with plant weight decreases of up to 50% with high salinity and more than 10% yield losses with high chlorides. Although a certain amount of sulphur (as SO4 --) is needed in onions for pungency development (pyruvic acid content), supplying all the K as potassium sulphate will lead to very high excesses of sulphate, causing rootzone salinity build-up and yield losses. Potassium chloride is not recommended because of the chloride fraction. Potassium nitrate has the lowest contribution to rootzone salinity as both elements are used in high amounts.
Furthermore, it is important to note that onions have a shallow fibrous root system and that generally, especially in sandy soils, up to three topdressings of N and K are recommended for optimum yields.
Figure 1: Nutrient element uptake in onion Figure 2: Onion dry weight as affected by root zone salinity
Eighty percent of nutrients supplied to the onion plant end up in the bulb. Carbohydrates produced by the leaves are also translocated from the leaves to the bulb during bulb formation. It has been documented that the uptake of the all-important
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cations K+, Ca++ and Mg++ are enhanced with nitrogen in the nitrate form. Potassium nitrate helps to increase the relative ratio of nitrate to ammonium of the total N.
Excess ammonium nutrition (ammonium or urea-based fertilizer) should be avoided, as the NH4 + cation will not only interfere or compete with the other cation uptake but can also lower the rhizosphere (soil near the roots) by as much as 1,5 pH units. Since pH is a logarithmic scale, the pH reduction near the roots can be in the order of 10 to 100 x more acidic than it should be.
In all horticultural crops, dry matter accumulation is greatest (up to double in certain cases) when nitrate-N is the preferred nitrogen source. Ammonium is converted to organic compounds exclusively in plant roots. This conversion is energy inefficient, requiring carbohydrate energy translocated from the leaves. The conversion of nitrate-N to organic compounds in the leaves is largely driven by light energy and is thus energy efficient, leaving more carbohydrates for dry matter accumulation by the crop and especially for translocation to the bulb in an onion crop. This results not only in higher yield but also in lower weight loss after storage.
For optimum yield, quality, better size class and storability, growers should generally aim for the ratio of 75% nitrate to 25% ammonium of the total nitrogen applied. Potassium Nitrate helps to achieve this desired ratio.
Figure 3: Growers should generally aim for the ratio of 75% nitrate to 25% ammonium of the total nitrogen applied.
*Reg No K5021 Act 36/1947. Registration holder Sociedad Quimica y Minera (Africa)(Pty)Ltd **All claims in this article can be substantiated with references which can be made available on request.
Disclaimer: The information herein contained is given to the best of SQM’s knowledge and is believed to be accurate. The conditions of use and application of the suggested recommendations are beyond SQM’s control. No warranty is made as to the accuracy of any data or statements contained herein. SQM specifically disclaims any responsibility or liability relating to the use of the recommendations and shall under no circumstances whatsoever, be liable for any special, incidental or consequential damages arising from such use.
