The
underneath list of research needs was submitted to research institutions for
their consideration to develop research proposals and applications for funding. One of the suggestions made is that Agbiz
Grains considers it to contract research to do a literature study on research
that has already been undertaken to address similar questions. It may not be necessary to commit funding for
research that has already been done.
The
storage capability of malting barley cultivars
The development of an efficient
methodology/technology to determine GC and GE during the intake of malting
barley at silo’s
Germination capacity & germination
energy
The development of an efficient
methodology/technology to determine GC and GE during the intake of malting
barley at silo’s
Pest control in stored grain
Solutions are needed for the control of
insects in stored grain. The challenge to control insects increases and
the options to do so are limited.
The storage capability of maize cultivars
The % breakage of maize during the handling
and storage of maize increased. Consequently, this impacts negatively on the
grading results at out loading. One of
the suspect reasons may be the introduction of new cultivars over time.
Pre-harvest management practices affecting
germination capacity and germination energy of malting barley.
Apart from environmental factors, field
management practices from the flowering stage onward scan impact the
germination energy and germination capacity of barley. Examples are inappropriate type, timing, or
dosage of chemical applications. The
development of a method or technology to determine the presence of traces of
these chemicals before harvest or at intake can lower the risk of germination
energy and germination capacity losses.
Optimized storage practices with the
available infrastructure.
Review and optimize local storage practices with current
infrastructure and varieties. Storage
practices currently in use have been developed under different environmental
conditions.
Average grain handling losses for maize and soybeans
The grain handling and storage sector express the need
for an objective analysis of the average % handling and storage loss for maize
and soybeans over 12 months. This should be for different types of
storage in the different production regions of South Africa
Published: 23/06/2022
MoreFunding for research in the grain and oilseeds sector generally focused on research that benefits the primary production of commodities or meets the requirements of the consumer downstream in the value chain. Research proposals are submitted twice over 12 months to the respective trusts. This includes the maize trust, winter cereal trust, sorghum trust. In terms of oilseeds, project proposals need to be submitted to the Oilseed Advisory Committee and Proteïen Research Foundation. Seven research topics will address the handling and storage sector’s needs in terms of research. The needs were discussed with the following research entities: 4.1 Dr. Renèe Prins and Mr. Francois Smit (Cengen), Dr. Marinda Visser. Director: Strategy & Partnerships: Agriculture @ Innovation Africa (Grain Research Program, FABI, University of Pretoria) and Mrs. Wiana Louw, SAGL.
Published: 16/02/2022
MorePublished: 14/02/2022
MoreThe February edition of the Agbiz Grain Quarterly focuses on technology that can transform the grain management environment for better or worse. Prof Jacobson from Iowa State University shares his concerns and advice on what to do in case of a ransomware attack on grain management systems. Dr. Vukovic from MineRP in Toronto provides us with an objective view of the benefits and pitfalls associated with the introduction of blockchains in agricultural value chains globally. Jaco Maas from ShiftDX shares lessons learned on the introduction of blockchains in South African agriculture. Can blockchains provide solutions for the demands faced by the grain and oilseed value chain? Other topics that will be covered address financing requirements and future demands for additional storage capacity. The current growing conditions compare to the 2005/06 production season and Dr. Ybema explains his quality expectations for this marketing year. Plaasmedia published the first edition of the Agbiz Grain Quarterly in November 2021. If you missed the first edition that followed on the theme of our symposium The handling and storage sector beyond 2021 make sure you access our e-magazine here Link
Published: 14/01/2022
MoreSeveral meetings were convened by Agbiz, SACOTA, Industry, Transnet Freight Rail, and Port Terminals. 1 000 wagons were promised to the industry for the import and export of grain, of which
only 20% were delivered. This percentage has
further decreased. The poor performance and distressing service by Transnet are due to cable theft and locomotive shortages. Collaboration between public and private partners is critical
to significantly correct the current events. A meeting
with the Transnet National Port Authority
was also convened to consider the quality of harbor
services. Existing tugboats are either decrepit or too few to render adequate services to marine
vessels. A Planning Session with Transnet has been scheduled by SACOTA for 27 January 2022 where the
industry will broach
the topics of maintenance, security, progression tactics, and the effective transportation of
grain.
Published: 14/01/2022
MoreSACOTA is requesting support for the delivery of imported
wheat from Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland
against JSE listed wheat contracts and the origin discount of R100 per ton. The imported wheat is regraded at the silo and will be classified according to that classification and stored separately. Silo owners
will be approached and given a choice to participate in the storage of such imported
wheat. The Wheat Forum Steering Committee supported the application by SACOTA for the delivery of
imported wheat from Lithuania,
Latvia, and Poland on the JSE Commodities Exchange.
Published: 14/01/2022
MoreBased on the definition of a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) in the Genetically Modified
Organisms Act, 2006 (Act No. 23 of
2006), the Executive Council
concluded that the risk assessment
framework that exists for GMOs would also be applied to New Breeding Techniques. Industry contests the recommendation by DALRRD for which no public comment was requested. Agbiz and SANSOR have appealed to the decision by DALRRD.
Published: 14/01/2022
MoreAgbiz Grain welcomed the final decision by the Appeal Board to halt the introduction of inspection services. It ensures the protection of stakeholders in favor of lawful and fair procedural processes. However, Agbiz Grain is concerned that DALRRD may not adhere to the request by the Appeal Board to establish a sufficient process to attend to this kind of appeal. The establishment of a sufficient process for appeal should receive priority before DALRRD continues to engage with the respective sectors in finalizing the SOP. Secondly, the draft Standard Operating Procedure shared for comments is not an agreement between DALRRD and the affected stakeholders but a reference document for consultation purposes only. A reference document has little bearing on the service level agreement between DALRRD (the principal) and Leaf Services (The assignee). It is not in the best interest of the industry to comment on the SOP by the end of January before processes that adhere to the requirements of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act are provided by DALRRD to protect stakeholders. The full RSG Landbou interview in which we explain our concerns can be accessed here; Link. Agbiz Grain is preparing comments in this regard to be submitted to the principal (DALRRD) by the end of January 2022.The draft DALRRD Standard Operating Procedure can be accessed Download here
Published: 14/01/2022
MoreAgriSeta will request 2 proposed dates from QCTO for Agbiz Grain to set up an EISA (External Integrated Summative Assessment) online workshop in the first quarter of 2022. The session will be facilitated by QCTO. Joining the session will be members of the Community of Expert Practitioners (CEP), Lizelle Jacobs, and Herman van Deventer, Moderators of the curriculum and AgriSeta. The CEP was appointed by the Grain Handling Industry (Facilitated by Agbiz Grain) and consists of subject matter experts in grain handling and storage. Follow the link to access the contact details of the training providers listed with Agbiz Grain. Training providers are required to register with Agbiz Grain at Annelien@agbizgrain.co.za to attend the EISA (External Integrated Summative Assessment) online workshop in the first quarter of 2022. Link
Published: 14/01/2022
MoreThe Appeal Board that was appointed by the Director-General of the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) to rule on the implementation of the inspection services on grain and
oilseeds found that it was unlawful and not procedurally fair. The Board ruled that the fees cannot be
rationally linked to the capabilities that need to be exercised or to the duties that need to be
performed. The
Board received five applications against
Notice 382. Agbiz Grain opposed the
introduction of inspection services and argued that the sectors in the grain value chain are sufficiently self-regulated. The Board further recommended that the Director-General should
consider additional
regulations to facilitate appeals of this nature as the current arrangements are insufficient.
Agbiz welcomed
the
final decision by the Appeal Board as
it ensures the protection of stakeholders in favor of
lawful and fair procedural processes. Follow the link to access the
Agbiz Grain press release issued
on
13 December 2021 Link and the Landbouweekblad article on the
matter
Link
Published: 14/01/2022
MoreThe amendments to the Grading Regulations were submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development, pending further amendments that may result from the current analyses done by the SAGL. The amendments are anticipated to be implemented before the commencement of the new marketing season on 1 May 2022. Agbiz Grain, in collaboration with grading experts, has identified additional elements that could be considered for further revision within the Grading Regulations. It is imperative for the industry to present a united front and to be cautious not to create the impression that there are differences of opinion about such vital matters. All industry role-players, including Agbiz Grain, will be provided with an opportunity to comment on the revised regulation before the implementation thereof.
Published: 14/01/2022
MoreThe Grain Depot Manager qualifications have been recommended to SAQA (South
African Qualifications Authority) on 11 November 2021 for registration on the National Qualifications Framework under the Occupational Qualifications Sub Framework. The QCTO
will inform AgriSeta
once the qualification is registered.
This link gives you
access to the study material for the Grain Depot Manager Qualification Link
This link gives
you
access to the study material
for
the Grain Grader – Part Qualification (Accommodated in Grain
Depot Manager Link
This is the only Grain Depot Manager
training material that will
be registered by SAQA. Please inform your training
service providers about the latest developments.
Check out the latest career opportunities in the grain and oilseed storage sector on our website at Link
Published: 14/01/2022
MoreAgbiz Grain and stakeholders with interests in the
grain handling and storage sector listed research needs to be considered for the development of research proposals and funding. Interested research institutions are encouraged to discuss research proposals with the Agbiz
Grain Research Committee. Please contact Annelien@agbizgrain.co.za. The following
research needs are identified:
Maize:
a. Optimized storage practices with the available infrastructure.
b. Pest control in
stored
grain.
c. The storage capability
of maize cultivars.
Note: Applications for funding need to be submitted to the Maize Forum Steering Committee (to Mr. Leon du Plessis by email at leon@llagric.co.za) by either by 30 March 2022 or 30 September 2022.
Malting barley and wheat:
d. Optimized storage practices with the available infrastructure.
e.
Pest control in
stored
grain.
f. The storage capability of malting barley cultivars.
g. Germination capacity & germination energy.
h. Pre-harvest management practices affecting germination capacity and germination energy of
malting barley.
Note: Applications for funding need to be submitted to the respective research technical committees of SAWCIT (to Mr. Leon du Plessis by email at leon@llagric.co.za) by March 2022.
Published: 13/01/2022
MorePublished: 08/12/2021
MorePublished: 08/12/2021
MorePublished: 08/12/2021
MorePublished: 08/12/2021
MorePublished: 08/12/2021
MorePublished: 30/11/2021
MorePublished: 30/11/2021
MorePublished: 30/11/2021
MorePublished: 30/11/2021
MorePublished: 30/11/2021
MoreMembers of Agbiz Grain and other market participants submit on a voluntary basis, the weekly producer deliveries at silos. Agbiz Grain have decided to discontinue the submission of the weekly information in 2022 onwards.
Published: 18/08/2021
More
Kelebogile Malete, Assistant Manager: Qualifications Maintenance from the QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations) has noted on the 13th of May 2021, that the OC: Grain Depot Manager had gone past internal evaluation and moderation stages. The qualification was on round robin post the Internal Occupational Qualifications Committee (IOQC) sitting. On 23 June 2021, Minah Matloa (Manager: Qualification Development & Compliance from AgriSeta reported to Agbiz Grain that the qualification was approved for QCTO’s internal review committee. The qualification will now be recommended for registration at SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority). The qualification was recently published in the Government Gazette for comments and we are waiting for the outcome.
Published: 18/08/2021
MoreThe Market Working
Group of the Maize Forum Steering Committee proposed a change to the
definition of frost damaged maize kernels in the grading regulations.
Agbiz Grain’s Quality Committee opposed the proposed changes to the
definition after it became clear that the grading experts on maize in
South Africa who conduct training and who are handling disputes on
behalf of members in the value chain are in disagreement. Not only on
the current definition but also on the new proposed definition.
Consequently, Agbiz Grain organized a workshop on Tuesday 29th of June
in order for the experts to reach agreement and to finalise an
acceptable definition to be tabled to the Market Working Group of the
Maize Forum Steering Committee. A new definition was agreed upon and
submitted for publication in the Government Gazette
Published: 01/08/2021
More
Agbiz Grain has identified the need to clean the SAGL’s dataset. The clean dataset will ensure the accessibility of usable data. The wheat and sorghum industries are unable to contribute to the cleaning of the SAGL database due to the present financial constraints in these two industries. The SAGL made a formal presentation to the Maize Forum Steering Committee regarding the cleaning of its database, although this is not deemed to be a high priority at present. The request was not supported.
Published: 30/07/2021
More
The Maize Forum Steering Committee (MFSC) recommend that SAGIS is to be requested to report monthly stock levels per grade in future, without verification of the grades, and it is recommended that the Maize Trust accept the quotation for the initial software changes to be made by SAGIS. The MFSC agreed to have this done monthly and to accept the quotation (approximately R186 000 once off). Note: Agbiz Grain requested in meetings with SAGIS, SACOTA and Grain SA that the reporting of monthly stock levels should be inclusive or all roleplayers in the market and only reported at national level.
Published: 15/07/2021
More
The competitiveness in the storage of malting barley may unintentionally be impacted negatively by the dominant position of a single large scale buyer of malting barley in the local industry and the unfavorable risk to reward ratio experienced by suppliers. Consequently, Agbiz Grain acquired a legal opinion how to solution the problem in collaboration with malting barley suppliers (Including Agbiz Grain members) in a horizontal relationship with the sole buyer of malting barley in South Africa. Legal council indicated that the exercise will promote competitiveness in the industry and from that point of view it is allowable to collaborate closely on the matter to develop a common storage protocol. Agbiz Grain is now drafting a concept protocol and guidelines on the production, intake, storage, dispatch, handling of disputes, change to the grading regulations, evaluation of cultivars and research.
Published: 15/07/2021
More
Agbiz Grain supports the sector wide application for appeal to prevent the implementation of inspections by LEAF Services on 12 July 2021.
Published: 12/07/2021
More
The JSE published the amended Detailed Agricultural Contract Specifications on 25 May 2021 following an extensive review and comment period. Agbiz Grain has collaborated with the JSE to review the JSE rules applicable on storage operators. The underneath workshop was organised for the benefit of Agbiz Grain members and has been be facilitated by Dr Raphael Karuaihe and Mr Chris Sturgess.
Published: 10/07/2021
MoreThe Market Working Group of the Maize Forum Steering Committee proposed a change to the definition of frost damaged maize kernels in the grading regulations. Agbiz Grain’s Quality Committee opposed the proposed changes to the definition after it became clear that the grading experts on maize in South Africa who conduct training and who are handling disputes on behalf of members in the value chain are in disagreement. Not only on the current definition but also on the new proposed definition. Consequently, Agbiz Grain organized a workshop on Tuesday 29th of June in order for the experts to reach agreement and to finalise an acceptable definition to be tabled to the Market Working Group of the Maize Forum Steering Committee.
Published: 05/07/2021
MoreThe occurrence of frost and the impact on the germination capacity and germination energy of malting barley has a big financial and negative impact on the storage sector. The sector needs to reduce the risk associated with the production, handling and storage of malting barley before the start of the next season. Agbiz Grain consulted an grading expert to prepare the following for inclusion in the current grading regulations;
Published: 30/06/2021
MoreDALRRD has requested feedback on the Draft DALRRD Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): Risk Profiling of FBO of regulated grains, oilseeds and grain products for the purpose of inspection by the designated assigees for Agbiz Grain’s inputs. The reasons for amending the SOP are among others:
(1) to align the SOP with notices that have since been gazetted
(2) the amendment of the frequency of inspections per each categorized FBO, and the
(3) an amendment to include the designated assignee.
Agbiz Grain are preparing our feedback to be submitted as input to DALRRD this Friday 27 June 2021.
Published: 27/06/2021
More
The Transnet Freight Rail and Transnet Port Authority conduct a bi-weekly meeting to discuss operational issues with respect to the exports of especially citrus and maize. Although exports is not a core focus area for Agbiz Grain (Storage operators) we stepped in and presented an overview of the operational issues that we identified in dealing with especially Transnet Freight Rail. Agbiz Grain was invited by the Decongestion Meeting Committee to do a presentation on Friday 18 June on operational issues and the increase in exports for both maize and citrus. Our inputs were recognised and appreciated by the Citrus Growers Association and the Decongestion Committee. The meeting on Friday 18 June followed on a previous presentation prepared for the meeting of 3 June between Agbiz and the CEO of Transnet Freight Rail.
Published: 18/06/2021
More
The Bureau for Economic Research (BER) has received the information of 30 different silos across 9 storage operators and calculated a preliminary index. The three largest cost items include salaries, depreciation and maintenance. Over the most recent three years, the year on year changes in the Grain Silo Cost Index compared closely to that of the PPI (Producer Price Index). The BER is busy verifying the data and finalising the report. The report should be available within the next two weeks. The weight of the cost components and actual costs differs largely between the respondents. Individual repondents should be able to compare their own information with the national average.
Published: 15/06/2021
More
The Trade Working Group has accepted the results of the study and recommend that the project not be expanded to yellow maize, which will result in a saving on the approved funding. However, matters got complicated when a consensus recommendation of the Working Group was questioned at the Maize Forum Steering Committee by the same members serving on the Working Group, although it is accepted that some new information may become available.
Published: 15/06/2021
MoreThe SAGL expresses thanks to the members of Agbiz Grain who collaborates on a weekly basis by sending samples to the SAGL.
Published: 08/06/2021
MoreAgbiz Grain received interest from other storage operators and companies that associate with Agbiz Grain to join the organisation as members. Consequently, Agbiz Grain has reviewed its membership policy and fee structure by the end of May. In addition to the normal membership by storage operators it is now also possible for business entities that associate with Agbiz Grain but who are not storage operators to become an associate member of the organisation. We are hoping to welcome a couple of storage operators and other business entities as new members of Agbiz Grain in the immediate future.
Published: 30/05/2021
More