Media articles - 2009

11 December 2009

Do not let the low wheat price spoil your festive season!

The Rand will remain strong against the Dollar for the next few months. The US economy is growing slowly; not fast enough that inflation will become a problem and increase interest rates in the short term.  ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

27 November 2009

Lower grades trips up Swartland wheat farmers.

2009's harvest season is nearly past, but for many a farmer it is still far from over. There will still be much gnashing of teeth before this harvest is season is closed.  ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

13 November 2009

Depression falls with rain on wheat farmers!

Then comes the sms from the grain marketeer. The price has fallen again! Once more you realize that you cannot farm profitably at this price, your costs will not be covered. ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

30 October 2009

Farmers should import German wheat for upgrading!

Klaas Koringkorrel asked me why farmers do not themselves import cheap German wheat with high protein content. Put it in a silo and mix our own low grades up to B2's. ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

16 October 2009

Young farmer tackles transport differential.

I am confidant that if we keep on picking at the transport differential, this evil will eventually kill itself off, or perhaps those that created it. ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

25 September 2009

Former highs now low point in wheat markets.

What must I say when a producer asks me about the wheat price? Must I be positive and say the price is nearly up going every day, or negative and say the price is nearly going down every day? ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

11 September 2009

Devil loose in the wheat market, threatens green bankruptcy!

The devil is loose in the wheat market, the low wheat price is roaring around like a lion devouring every wheat farmer this year. Everywhere there is talk of a green bankruptcy threatening to break the back of many a farmer. ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

28 August 2009

Panic sales can push wheat price down!

Wild stories are doing the rounds that the December Safex price may drop to R1900 per ton. Apparently technical analyses (graphs of recent price movements, etc.) are indicating this direction. ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

14 August 2009

Western Cape wheat farmers can drink wheat price higher!

Good news is that they are brewing beer from wheat in the USA. Let us establish a brewery here in the Western Cape brewing beer from wheat. If every wheat producer does his share and drowns the low wheat price with beer ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

24 July 2009

Is the South African market too closely coupled with the Chicago market?

Our wheat farmers are exposed to the vagaries of the world. Why must our wheat prices drop because a group Egyptians do not want to buy wheat from the Unites States? ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

10 July 2009

Wheat price puts body and soul to the test.

Don't cry if you have sold wheat and the price still rises. After the marketing season you may look back and realize that you made the correct decision. ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

26 June 2009

Are you going to pass your marketing exam this year?

The answer to the big question in the new marketing season will determine whether we are going to produce wheat profitably this year or not.  When and how must we sell?.  ......» read more (Article in Afrikaans)

12 June 2009

In which marketing group do you place yourself?

There are two groups: the restful who sets a realistic pricing target and wait till the market reaches this; and the restless who chase after the highest price.  .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)

28 May 2009

Will East European weather push up South African wheat prices?

Yes, it's official, the recession is here. The first since 1992. Some economists forecast that the growth rate will be 0% in the short term. At least that is better than negative growth.  .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)

15 May 2009

Argentine wheat farmers in desperate circumstances!

News from the Argentine is that the estimated wheat plantings has dropped to 3,7 million ha compared to a normal planting of 9 million ha - the lowest figure since they started keeping records of plantings.  .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)

24 April 2009

Quality of our wheat deserves better grading.

If we are restricted to planting only certain cultivars, we at least expect that these cultivars' yield will be traded at parity with comparitive quality wheats. .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)

10 April 2009

Recession or depression - whereto now?

My knowledge of a depression is from the stories I heard as a child from my mother about the great drought of '33, of farmers leaving the land to work on the railway with pickaxe and spade to keep body and soul together.  .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)

27 March 2009

Will the sums for the new marketing season add up?

The grain market looks promising with the price raising its head every now and then, causing flickerings of hope in many hearts.  .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)

13 March 2009

Are campaigners for transport differential having a rethink?

We read in the Landbou Weekblad that they do not want to forgo the transport differential. An expert from the USA was even brought in to help explain why. .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)

27 February 2009

Grain price caught in downward spiral.

Nobody is prepared to chance a forecast. That what you see from day to day on Safex, that is what you are going to get for your grain. .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)

13 February 2009

Are wheat farmers going to wake up with a shock or gently?

A retired wheat farmer tells me that these days he wakes up gently. When he was still farming he woke up with a shock in the mornings! .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)

30 January 2009

Is the wheat situation painted too dark?

Just as we got used to high grain prices in 2007 and 2008, everybody's dreams of "wheat farmer without debts" drowned in the flood of falling wheat prices.  .......» read more  (Article in Afrikaans)