Survey​ Information

SAGL activity list for the wheat crop quality report:

• Upon commencement of the harvesting season, SAGL sends out circulars to all members of the Grain Silo Industry as well as to the National Chamber of Milling as a reminder for the sending of representative crop samples to SAGL.  Included in the circular is a sampling procedure as well as courier information for the sending of samples to SAGL.  (Please see the procedure for sampling and sending of samples to SAGL below.) 
• SAGL starts receiving samples within a month of sending out the circulars.
• Analysis commences upon receival of the first samples.
• Within two weeks of receiving the first samples, the first data are available on the SAGL web site. 
• Results are from then on updated onto the web site on a weekly basis.
• The suppliers of the samples, receive the results on a weekly basis via e-mail.
• The sending of samples to SAGL is followed up by means of weekly telephone calls.
• Analyses: 
  • Each of the 480 samples, representing the different production regions, is fully graded and thousand kernel mass is done. 
  • Small sub-samples are milled on the Quadromat mill, after which moisture and protein analyses followed by a Mixograph analysis are done.  These analyses take 2 – 3 months to complete depending on the availability of samples.
  • When all the samples from a specific production region have been received and graded, composite samples per class and grade per region can be made up.  For the Northern production regions this normally happens at the earliest towards the middle of March. 
  • Once the composite samples are made up, they are milled on the Bühler mill, moisture, protein and colour analyses are done and then Rheological tests (Farinograph, Alveograph, Extensigraph, Mixograph and 100-gram baking tests) are performed.  These analyses take between one and one and a half months time to complete as this is done in the same time frame as the annual wheat breeder line evaluations. 
  • In the meantime cultivar identification is done on each of the samples and sale figures of seed sold by the commercial grain silo owners are obtained. 
  • Mycotoxin analyses, comprising of Aflatoxin, Deoxynivalenol and Ochratoxin A analyses are done on 30 randomly selected samples.
• When all the analyses have been completed, normally at the beginning to the middle of May, SAGL starts with the compiling of the report, this includes drawing up of tables and graphs, statistical analysis of data an the most time consuming part, the selection of graphs representing the different production regions.  The compiling and formatting of the report as well as the reduction of the graphs normally takes three to four weeks.  The final draft of the report is forwarded to the printers approximately a week before the hard copy report is ready for distribution.
• As the planting and harvesting times are highly dependant on environmental and climatic conditions, setting fixed dates for the individual activities is not an option.
• The whole process of putting together a crop report is very time consuming.  SAGL personnel work at full capacity in order to make the report available as soon as possible. 
• The sooner the samples are forwarded to and received at SAGL, the sooner analyses can commence and the sooner the report can be made available.