SA Graan May 2018

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RELEVANT
May 2018
Quality of the 2016/2017 sunϐlower crop
The number of samples received for this
survey that contained sclerotia from the
fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, increased
from 18 samples (10%) in the previous
season, to 28 samples (16%) this season.
14 of these samples originated in the Free
State, 13 in North West Province and one in
Mpumalanga.
The highest percentage (5,52%) was pre-
sent in a sample from North West Province
and this was the only sample that exceeded
the maximum permissible deviation of
4%. Weighted average levels ranged from
0,06% in the Free State to 0,18% in North
West Province. The national average of
0,11% was slightly higher than the 0,04%
of the previous two seasons.
Although test weight does not form part
of the grading regulations for sunflower
seed in South Africa, the g/1 L filling
weight of each sunflower seed sample
was determined by means of the Kern 222
apparatus. The test weight values were then
extrapolated by means of formulae obtained
from the test weight conversion chart for
sunflower seed oil of the Canadian Grain
Commission. These approximated values
provide a measure of the bulk density of
South African sunflower seeds.
Over the past three seasons, the national
weighted average test weight varied
between 42,1 kg/hl in the season under
discussion, 42,5 kg/hl during the previous
season and 44,2 kg/hl in the 2014/2015
season.
Regionally, the weighted average test
weights this season ranged from 41,3 kg/hl
in the Free State to 42,7 kg/hl in North
West Province.
The nutritional component analyses, namely
crude protein, -fat, -fibre and ash, are re-
ported as % (g/100 g) on an ‘as received’ or
‘as is’ basis. See Table 1 (on page 61) for a
summary of the results obtained over five
seasons.
Visit for detailed results
of this, as well as previous surveys. The
reports are also available for downloading
in a PDF format.
Graph 2: Average percentage foreign matter per province over five seasons.
With gratitude to the Oil and Protein Seed Development Trust for financial support of these annual surveys and to
the members of Agbiz Grain for providing the crop samples.
Tractor tour aims to cover
6 000 km in 55 days
The Xtractor tour recently kicked off
in Cape Town after successfully
completing a tour in Australia. It will
wind its way among the vineyards
of the Garden Route before heading straight
inland across the vast semidesert of the
Great Karoo and up among the sand dunes
of the Kalahari desert.
They will then turn east, aiming for the sum-
mits of the small mountain kingdom of Le-
sotho. A steep descent down the imposing
slopes of the Drakensberg chain will take
them back to the sea, the Indian Ocean this
time, for a quick tour of some of South Afri-
ca’s most celebrated nature parks, including
the world-renowned Kruger. Johannesburg
and Pretoria will mark the finishing line for
this challenge.
Farming, technology and solidarity – these
are the key words that clearly represent and
justify the decision of BTK to support this
second expedition of Xtractor in South Af-
rica. Being a unique opportunity to demon-
strate, among the extreme courses and the
fascinating missions to be completed, the
tenacity and strength of its tyres, Agrimax
Force e Agrimax RT 657, that equip the Mc-
Cormick tractors in the Xtractor tour from
Cape Town to Pretoria.
The established X7 and new high kilowatt
X8 McCormick tractors (to be launched at
this year’s NAMPO Harvest Day) were used
for this tour.
Tyres with the well-known features of
adaptability to the roads and fields, flexibil-
ity, traction and reliability, will be best able
to take on this adventure between parks,
gold mines and the spectacular African
highlands, guaranteeing the utmost safety
of the drivers.
The BKT group offers a vast and modern
variety of off-highway tyres, specially de-
signed for vehicles operating in the farming,
industrial, earth-moving, mining, port, all-
terrain vehicle (ATV) and gardening sectors.
BKT's innovative solutions are designed
for the needs of any type of user and com-
prise over 2 400 products sold in more than
140 countries around the world.
JURGEN VAN ONSELEN, Kolbe Media
Product information
The new high kilowatt X8 McCormick trac-
tors were used for this tour – to be launched
at this year’s NAMPO Harvest Day. On the
photo are Richard Wheeler, Callie Human,
Jacques van Zyl (all from Argo Industrial) and
Antonio Salvaterra (Argo Tractor, Italy).