Agribusiness

Tsitsikamma dairy farmer, Nigel Lok, has 920 Holsteins producing 25 000ℓ of milk per day, and a total herd of 1 800 cows.

Consumers worldwide are increasingly demanding varied flavours and health benefits from tea. Meeting this demand is what German-based Teehaus Shila excels at. Lloyd Phillips spoke to deputy manager Arpan Chatterjee at the International Green Week 2018 in Berlin.

Marco Torsius is one of the founding members of commercial egg supplier TopLay, and a member of the egg committee of the SA Poultry Association. Sabrina Dean visited him to find out more about building up a successful egg operation and weathering the avian influenza outbreak.

Not all cuts of beef are considered equal, and where in the world you eat your steak also determines how much you pay. Namibian farming economics consultant Dr Helmke Sartorius von Bach examines the origin of modern slaughter techniques, the price of beef in Southern Africa and Europe, and the potential for beef exports to lucrative markets such as Norway.

Based in the Eastern Cape, Warrick Harvey has rapidly built an international reputation as a crafter of exceptional bows. Mike Burgess spoke to him about his life-long love of archery.

The cost of farm machinery is a major challenge for small-scale and commercial farmers. Nick Hoffman, general manager at Linebooker, and Jehiel Oliver, creator of Hello Tractor, explain how new digital platforms are being used to source equipment with ease.

Small commercial beef producers and stud breeders make up a large and valuable part of Canada’s cattle value chain. While in Alberta, Gerhard Uys, who recently visited Farm Fair International, a Canadian agricultural show, visited three farming families that run small, profitable commercial herds.

Yolandi Joubert’s oyster mushroom operation, launched just three years ago, is an important lesson in what passion and discipline can achieve in small-scale agriculture.

At the beginning of 2017, plans aimed at cashing in on the growing demand for donkey meat and hides were announced in North West. Glenneis Kriel reports on the viability of donkey production in South Africa.

Replacing a burnt-out electric motor can cost a great deal, whereas rewinding it can return it to tip-top condition at much lower cost. Rashad Williams and Fa-eez Appollis spoke to Jeandré du Preez about how their rewinding business saves farmers money and production downtime.

Not only is indigenous iMbuzi goats’ hair used to produce cashmere at the Ivili Loboya production unit near Butterwoth, but local smallholders are also empowered.

Switzerland has long been famed for what some describe as ‘stinky and holey’ cheeses. However, as Lloyd Phillips discovered, there is much more to Swiss cheeses. Some, for example, are produced and matured under highly unconventional circumstances.