Soybean Work Group and the Sunflower, Soybean and Soybean Food Forum
combined meeting held on 1 February 2018 at the offices of the PRF and the Oilseeds Industry
Opening
Dr Jan Dreyer opened the meeting with prayer.
Welcome
Mr Gerhard Scholtemeijer welcomed all to the combined meeting, and extended a special welcome to guest speaker Mr von Maltitz of the Agricultural Research Council's Plant Protection Research Institute, Dr Abongile Balarane of the National Agricultural Marketing Council, Mr Swys Viviers, Mr Sarel de Jager of COFCO SA and Ms Nadia Grobler of Medumbi SA.
Attendance
Present
Mnr GJH Scholtemeijer Chairperson Dr A Balarane NAMC Mr J Botma OAC Dr E Briedenhann PRF Mr H Conradie Producer: Mpumalanga Ms A de Beer ARC-GCI Mr G de Beer Contractor Mr S de Jager COFCO SA Dr J de Kock PRF Dr J Dreyer PRF Mr G Engelbrecht K2Agri Ms N Grobler Madumbi SA Mr N Hawkins SAGIS Mr M Jansen van Rensburg Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture Mr G Keun PRF/OPDT CEO Dr S Lamprecht ARC-PPRI Mr C Louw GrainSA Ms W Louw SAGL Dr S Ma'ali ARC-GCI Mr W Oosthuizen Producer: Northwest and Free State Mr T Phasoana ARC-PPRI Ms M Purnell Agbiz Grain Mr G Roos Producer: Mpumalanga Ms N Rousseau Bayer Ms M Scheepers DAFF Mr N van Burick Landbouweekblad Mr D van der Westhuizen Producer: Mpumalanga Mr K van Huyssteen SANSOR Mr A van Vuuren NWK Mr WF van Wyk Contractor Mr S Viviers DAFF Mr E von Maltitz ARC-PPRI Ms M du Preez PRF Ms E Harmse Contractor Apologies
Mr W Cronjé OAC Mr J du Plessis Producer: KwaZulu-Natal Mr J du Plessis Producer: Northwest Prof D Fourie Northwest University Mr D Kritzinger Syngenta Dr K-J Leeuw ARC-AP Ms W McPherson Medumbi Prof F Meyer PRF Mr T Prinsloo ARC-GCI Dr D Strydom GrainSA Mr A Theron PRF Mr E van den Bergh Pioneer Mr R van Niekerk Agricol Mr L Verhoef Agratech Trade Personalia
Condolences were conveyed to Mr Johann du Plessis and his family on the death of his father, Mr Jan du Plessis, former chairperson of the Oilseeds Control Board. Mr Keun was congratulated on his son's academic achievements in the Gr 12 Finals.
Confirmation of the agenda
The agenda was accepted as it stood.
Approval of minutes
Minutes of the combined meeting of the Soybean work group and the Sunflower, Soybean and Soybean Food Forum held on 11 October 2017 and referral to website
Resolution:
- That the minutes of the combined meeting of the Soybean Work Group and the Sunflower, Soybean and Soybean Food Forum held on 11 October 2017 be accepted as a true and fair reflection of that meeting, and that the minutes be referred to the PRF and Oilseeds Industry's websites for publication.
Ms du Preez
Marketing Committee
- That the minutes of the combined meeting of the Soybean Work Group and the Sunflower, Soybean and Soybean Food Forum held on 11 October 2017 be accepted as a true and fair reflection of that meeting, and that the minutes be referred to the PRF and Oilseeds Industry's websites for publication.
Current soybean price: local and international
Dr Briedenhann reported on the current state of the national and international soybean and sunflower industry. He said soybean prices had rallied quite significantly on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) in the last few weeks, with the general feeling being that the trend may not be over yet. He mentioned that the Brazilian weather was looking extremely good, particularly in the south, although rain had delayed harvesting to some extent. He said Argentinian weather was, however, not as ideal, with pod filling and expected yields possibly being affected in the dry areas.
Dr Briedenhann said according to the latest US Department of Agriculture's WASDE report world soybean stocks have not changed much, with total soybean production being estimated at 348,6 million tons. He reported that United States (US) soybean exports may pick up slightly, due to the weaker dollar.
Dr Briedenhann noted that the current domestic soybean supply of 1,4 million tons was considered to be extremely healthy. He said in his view a monthly crush of 100 000 ton could be achieved in the coming year. He noted that there would be a carry-over of 400 000 tons of soybeans in the next year, even with the increase in processing volumes, which meant that prices would stay at export parity, unless production was lower than expected or consumption increased more than expected.
Dr Briedenhann noted that sunflower was in a very similar type of scenario, with a total supply of close on one million tons. He said if the area planted estimates were to be correct, production would come to 876 000 tons, if the long-term average yield of 1,3 tons per hectare was taken into consideration. He mentioned that he expected a monthly consumption of 75 000 tons, which would result in a very similar carry-over to the current figure. He said sunflower was also trading at close to export parity at the moment.
Dr Briedenhann said SAFEX soybean prices were currency driven, with the value of the South African rand increasing, export parity prices coming down and the soybean price decreasing in sympathy. He noted that sunflower had been trading more sideways. He said March soybeans were trading at R4 450 per ton, and sunflowers at R4 700 per ton.
Mr Louw reported that GrainSA was concerned about the rate of crush in the soybean industry. He said in his view, processing had not even come close to the annually available processing capacity of 1,8 million tons, which had a negative effect on the soybean price.
Dr Briedenhann explained that there were two major reasons for this, the first being the fact that Astral, the biggest local consumer of soybean oilcake, had not yet made the change to locally produced soybean oilcake; and the second being the explosion at Wilmar Continental, one of the biggest local soybean crushers, which had taken 10 to 15% crush capacity out of the market. He noted that the dual capacity plants tended to prefer crushing sunflower.
Mr Louw said the issue would have to be flagged as an industry concern. Dr Briedenhann noted that all the end users were keenly aware of the scenario. Mr Keun proposed that the matter be referred to the Oilseeds Advisory Committee, where all the various roleplayers in the oilseeds industry were represented.
Dr Briedenhann noted that close to 10 000 tons of Zambian soybean had been imported in the recent past. He said these beans had been discounted into the local market.
Resolution:
- That the matter of producers' concerns about the rate of crush in the soybean industry be referred to the Oilseeds Advisory Committee.
Mr Keun
OAC
- That the matter of producers' concerns about the rate of crush in the soybean industry be referred to the Oilseeds Advisory Committee.
SAGIS
(Resolution 8.1 of the minutes of the combined meeting of the Soybean Work Group and the Sunflower, Soybean and Soybean Food Forum held on 11 October 2017)
Mr Hawkins presented an overview of the local and international supply and demand situation of soybeans and sunflower, and of the current situation with regard to producer deliveries, as measured against the official crop estimates data. He also provided information on local consumption figures, local and international prices and imports and exports, among others. Cognisance was taken that this and other data were published on the SAGIS website.
The contents of the SAGIS Weekly Bulletin published on 18 January 2018 and of the Monthly Bulletin, published on 21 December 2017, were noted.
Mr Scholtemeijer referred the members to SAGIS' memorandum on the weekly reporting of producer deliveries of soybeans and sunflower and imports and exports of soybeans and sunflower. He said the cost associated with the provision of data on deliveries amounted to R38 600 per annum, while the cost of the provision of data on both deliveries and exports and imports amounted to R180 000 per annum.
Dr Briedenhann recommended that SAGIS' quotation on the weekly reporting of both producer deliveries of soybeans and sunflower and imports and exports of soybeans and sunflower be supported. He said the information would be of much value to the industry. Mr Louw concurred.
The members were in agreement that a recommendation in this regard would be made to the Oilseeds Advisory Committee, for consideration by the Oil and Proteinseeds Development Trust.
Resolution:
- That it be recommended to the Oilseeds Advisory Committee that SAGIS' budget of R180 000 per annum for the weekly reporting of producer deliveries of soybeans and sunflower and imports and exports of soybeans and sunflower be accepted, and that the necessary recommendation be made to the Oil and Protein Seeds Development Trust.
Mr Keun
OAC
OPDT
- That it be recommended to the Oilseeds Advisory Committee that SAGIS' budget of R180 000 per annum for the weekly reporting of producer deliveries of soybeans and sunflower and imports and exports of soybeans and sunflower be accepted, and that the necessary recommendation be made to the Oil and Protein Seeds Development Trust.
South African Supply and Demand Estimates Committee
Dr Balarane noted that the South African Supply and Demand Estimates Committee aimed to provide new information to the market, so as to enable users of the Committee's reports to also compile their own supply and demand estimates. He said it was important to note that the Committee did not deviate from the data supplied by the Crop Estimates Committee or SAGIS.
Dr Balarane provided details on the supply and demand position of soybeans and sunflower as at 31 December 2017. He thanked the Maize Trust, the Oil and Protein Seeds Development Trust, the Winter Cereals Trust and the Sorghum Trust on behalf of the Committee for the funding that enabled the Committee to perform its functions.
Cognisance was taken of the South African Supply and Demand Estimates Reports for October, November and December 2017, and of the dates of publication of grains and oilseeds crop reports in 2018.
Weather and climate forecast
Mr Botma noted that the unpredictability of weather was a given, and added that continuously changing conditions had made it very difficult to predict the past few years', and especially this year's weather. He illustrated this with several satellite images. He gave an overview of expected rainfall in the coming year.
Crop estimates
Latest crop estimates
Cognisance was taken of the documents detailing the preliminary area planted estimate for summer crops for 2018; and the area planted estimate and sixth production forecast for winter cereals for the 2017 production season.
Ms Scheepers presented an overview of the area planted to soybean per province in the 2017 versus the 2018 production years. She said 701 000 hectares had been planted to soybean in 2018, which was approximately 127 050 hectares more than the soybean plantings in 2017. She noted that the Free State had shown the largest increase, with 310 000 hectares planted in 2018 as opposed to the 240 000 hectares planted in 2017; and Mpumalanga showing the second largest increase, where 275 000 hectares or approximately 34 000 more hectares than 2017's 241 000 hectares planted in 2018.
Ms Scheepers then presented an overview of the area planted to soybeans in South Africa from 2008 to 2018, with 556 690 hectares being the five year average, and 438 805 hectares being the ten year average. She also provided details of the area planted to soybeans in the Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal during that ten year period, and of the five year and ten year averages per province.
Ms Scheepers also presented an overview of the area planted to sunflower per province in the 2017 versus the 2018 production years. She said 560 100 hectares had been planted to sunflower in 2018, which was approximately 75 650 hectares less than the sunflower plantings in 2017. She noted that North West had shown the largest decrease, with 170 000 hectares planted in 2018 as opposed to the 210 000 hectares planted in 2017; and the Free State showing the second largest decrease, where 310 000 hectares or approximately 20 000 fewer hectares than 2017's 330 000 hectares had been planted in 2018. She said 75 000 hectares had been planted to sunflower in Limpopo in 2018, as opposed to the 90 000 hectares planted in that province in 2017.
Ms Scheepers then presented an overview of the area planted to sunflower in South Africa from 2008 to 2018, with 606 780 hectares being the five year average, and 572 775 hectares being the ten year average. She also provided details of the area planted to sunflower in the Free State, North West and Limpopo during those ten years, and of the five year and ten year averages per province.
Mr Van Vuuren noted that maize plantings in the North West had decreased by approximately 115 000 hectares in comparison to the previous year. He said producers had been planting a lot of sunflower since the rains of the previous week, and that the preliminary estimated area planted to sunflower in the North West would most probably have to be adjusted upwards.
Producer matters
KwaZulu-Natal
General
Ms Scheepers reported that Mr Johann du Plessis had indicated that he was satisfied with the latest soybean crop estimates.
Mpumalanga and Gauteng
General
Mr Roos reported that producers in some areas of the Highveld had planted more soybeans, while producers in other areas had decreased their soybean plantings. He said there had been some problems with heat in November. He noted that a smaller total crop could be expected.
Mr van der Westhuizen said it seemed as if soybean growth had been somewhat delayed.
North West and Limpopo Province
General
Mr Oosthuizen reported that there had been an increase in soybean plantings in the eastern parts of North West, where good rains had fallen.
Mr van Vuuren said conditions in the Lichtenburg area had been fairly normal up to the beginning of December, but that this had been followed by a dry warm spell that persisted for a number of weeks.
Mr de Beer confirmed that there had been impressive soybean plantings in the Tarlton, Ventersdorp area.
Free State
General
Mr Botma reported that more soybeans had been planted in the Free State, although he did not expect the yields to be high. Mr de Beer said it seemed as if more soybeans had been planted in the eastern part of the Free State, but added that some of the plantings had not been maintained properly and were weed-infested. It was reported that there had been limited soybean plantings in the southern and south western parts of the Free State.
Eastern and Northern Cape and South Western Districts
General
No report back.
Research
Soybeans
National cultivar trials 2017-2018
Ms de Beer reported that 35 entries had been planted in the cultivar trials, of which 40% were new entries. She said seven companies had entered cultivars in the 2017-2018 cultivar trials, and that 21 trials had been planted, of which one trial had to be replanted. She noted that trials had also been planted in Verkeerdevlei and Clocolan.
Soybean rust
No report back.
Soybean web study
Cognisance was taken of the extracts from the latest updated soybean web study.
Sclerotinia
(Resolution 13.1.4.1 of the minutes of the combined meeting of the Soybean Work Group and the Sunflower, Soybean and Soybean Food Forum held on 11 October 2017)
Mr Keun reported that SANSOR had been requested to advise its members to label Sclerotinia-, nematode- and rust-resistant cultivars accordingly. He said feedback was being awaited.
Noted:
- That feedback is being awaited, after SANSOR had been requested to advise its members to label Sclerotinia-, nematode- and rust-resistant cultivars accordingly.
Mr Keun
Soybean Work Group
- That feedback is being awaited, after SANSOR had been requested to advise its members to label Sclerotinia-, nematode- and rust-resistant cultivars accordingly.
South African Cultivar and Technology Agency (SACTA)
(Resolution 13.1.6.1 of the minutes of the combined meeting of the Soybean Work Group and the Sunflower, Soybean and Soybean Food Forum held on 11 October 2017)
The Chairperson reported that feedback was being awaited, after the Forum's application for endpoint royalties on soybeans had been submitted to the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC).
Resolved:
- That feedback is being awaited, after the Forum's application for endpoint royalties on soybeans had been submitted to the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC).
Mr Keun
Soybean Work Group
SSSF
- That feedback is being awaited, after the Forum's application for endpoint royalties on soybeans had been submitted to the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC).
Weeg&Wen Yield Competition (Maize and Soybeans)
The Chairperson reported that any number of articles had been published on the winning producers' of the Weeg&Wen Yield competition's practices.
Rhizobium
Dr Dreyer noted that a very good article on rhizobium had been published in the December 2017 edition of the Oilseeds Focus.
Sunflower
Nurture me nature
Cognisance was taken of the article on the use of sunflower seed flour, as published in The Sunflower, December 2017.
Seed
Snippets
No report back.
Non-GM seed
The Chairperson reported that Synopta were contemplating non-GM seed.
Other
No feedback.
Technology transfer
Information Days 2018
Cognisance was taken of the following information days that had thus far been organised for 2018:
5-9 February ARC-GCI Sunflower trials visiting days 22 February ARC Plant Health and Protection Open Day 7 March Stoffberg Farmers' Day 7-8 March GrainSA Congress 13-14 March Ottosdal Minimum Till Day 15-18 May NAMPO Harvest Day 1-3 August Soya in Human Health Conference, Pretoria Videos
No feedback.
Oilseeds Focus
Cognisance was taken of the December 2017 edition of the Oilseeds Focus.
Soybean Food Association
The Chairperson reported that Prof Hettie Schönfeldt of the University of Pretoria had been granted funding to conduct a survey on the current state of the South African soybean food market. He said the results of the survey had been submitted for consideration by the Oilseeds Advisory Committee, following which a decision will be made on the possible establishment of a soybean food association.
Other matters
News reports
Cognisance was taken of the news report included in Annexure J.
Articles
Cognisance were taken of the articles included in Annexure K.
Sunflower Highlights
Cognisance were taken of the various editions of the Sunflower Highlights, included in Annexure L.
LEAF Services
Mr Keun reported that the meeting that representatives of the grain and oilseeds industries were to have held on the LEAF Services matter in January had been cancelled. He said meetings have been scheduled with some of the individual industry associations and added that feedback would probably be received by the end of February.
Presentation: Planting date and row width trials in the Eastern Free State, Mr J van Zyl, VKB
Cognisance was taken of the copy of Mr van Zyl's presentation on planting date and row width trials in the Eastern Free State.
Presentation: Ecologically based rodent management, Mr E von Maltitz, ARC-PPRI, Roodeplaat
Mr von Maltitz delivered a presentation on ecologically based rodent management, or EBRM, in various crops. He said EBRM required an understanding of the population biology, the behaviour and habitat use of a pest species, and the formulation of that knowledge into a large scale rodent management campaign. He noted that researchers had to be familiar with the taxology of the pest species, so that the correct species could be targeted.
Mr von Maltitz provided an overview of rodent damage and impact, and presented, among others, visuals of gerbil damage to maize and of various types of rodents. He said damage was caused pre-harvest, post-harvest, during food storage, food processing and distribution; while diseases were also transmitted. He also presented an overview of the various research trials, that had been funded by the Maize Trust, Sasol Agricultural Trust and GrainSA. He said trials had been done on burrow baiting, and added that chemical control was only effective when the trials were replicated continuously. He noted that mammalian and avian predation and rodent density versus crop waste had also been studied. He said producers in the Free State had successfully been using zinc phosphide in combination with various substances as a bait, but added that he could not recommend the use of such unregistered chemicals.
Mr von Maltitz concluded by providing information on the various ways technology transfer of the research results had been effected.
The Chairperson thanked Mr von Maltitz for his presentation.
Bayer
Cognisance was taken of Bayer's press release on the sale of selected Crop Science businesses to BASF.
Award: Best Master's degree dissertation
The Chairperson presented the Oilseeds Industry's award for the best master's dissertation in 2015 to Mr Swys Viviers for his dissertation titled "The evaluation of locally produced full-fat canola and canola oilcake meal as protein sources in diets for slaughter ostriches".
Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on 24 April 2018.
Adjournment
There being no further business for discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 13:30.