Agribusiness

Driven by climate change and shifting consumer tastes, South African winemakers are embracing heat-tolerant, disease-resistant alternative grape varieties. Explorations at nurseries like Bosman Adama show how these novel cultivars secure sustainable viticulture.

Quality, consistency, and partnership are three important pillars that a flower business in Brazil is attributing their success to. Joost Kalanchoe, a business based in Holambra, has been specialising in the greenhouse production of potted Kalanchoe and Euphorbia milii. These flowers are sold on the flower auction in Holambra.

‘The flood showed us the worst of nature, but it also showed us the very best of people.’ Pieter de Waal spoke to several farmers and winemakers affected by the floods.

Brazilian coffee producer Luka Delpasso is adding value to the family business by producing, roasting and marketing specialty coffee while farming in harmony with nature. Quality, sustainability, and innovation are at the heart of the enterprise.

Established in 1692, Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch blends its historic Cape heritage with modern, award-winning winemaking. Today, it stands as a global leader in regenerative agriculture, art, and tourism.

Vencor Holdings, an integrated meat producer based in Polokwane, Limpopo, recently completed the latest phase of an extensive solar and battery installation aimed at reducing its exposure to rising electricity costs while improving supply security. Ruan Erasmus, CEO at Vencor Holdings, and Connor Northing, chief technical officer at SunRanch Solar, spoke to Henning Naudé about the hybrid energy strategy behind the project.

Bruce Jack has become one of the Cape’s most influential winemakers, recently claiming, for the sixth time, a top spot in the annual Drinks International ‘The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands’.

By creating a favourable microclimate around crops and blocking sunlight from reaching seed weeds, Spunchem International’s products help growers improve yields, reduce production risks, and increase profits.

Crowd-farming allows investors to buy physical assets like cattle or crops, managed by professional farmers. While offering tangible alternatives to traditional markets, these ‘living investments’ are tied to biological and market realities, requiring a deep understanding of agricultural risks and long-term commitment. Cobus du Plessis reports on the advantages and risks associated with this type of investment.

Amid mounting pressure on water resources, and climate change expected to intensify extreme weather events such as droughts, heatwaves and floods, agricultural business Six33 Produce has taken proactive steps to strengthen its water resilience. Corné Oosthuizen shared how the farm is adapting with Glenneis Kriel.

On a small piece of land in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng, Alan and Belinda Stewart have built a diversified enterprise that produces vegetables, eggs, and cheese, taking their harvest directly to customers through a farmer’s market and home deliveries. Their journey offers lessons in diversification and building demand, proving that even a modest footprint can yield a sustainable livelihood.

At Leafline Washable Sanitary Wear in Bathurst, Eastern Cape, pineapple leaf fibre is transformed into reusable sanitary and incontinence products. Founder and director Candy Androliakos spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about unlocking the value of crop residues to support sustainability, rural employment, and circular economy principles in the local agriculture sector.

At its 74th annual general meeting, AVBOB announced a R15 billion special bonus in the form of its 65Alive Cash Benefit for qualifying members.

Celebrated globally on 1 June, World Milk Day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to recognise milk’s important role in nutrition and celebrate the people and industries behind it.

In the rural village of Nonaliliti, Eastern Cape, where subsistence farming and indigenous knowledge still shape daily life, 30-year-old agroecology practitioner Kanyisa Deliwe is helping to redefine what sustainable farming can look like.

By investing in a private solar microgrid, Mooigezicht Estates has reduced its reliance on Eskom while gaining greater control over energy costs and supply. Francois Rossouw spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the thinking behind the project, the system’s performance so far, the financial considerations behind the investment, and what it means to the future of the business.

The Tshwane Economic Development Agency is calling for investment proposals across the city’s key sectors.

Starting a new business is most often done closer to home. Stephanie De Wit did it the other way around. She started her fruit export company, Agri Bianco, in Morocco. Six years later she has come full circle by opening a South African office, and shares the lessons and experiences locally that shaped her to start a new venture in a foreign country and culture.

How Castrol is helping South African farmers protect their season and WIN.

Eersteling Farm is built on opportunities, something that the farm’s people want to share with those still to come in order to create a sustainable future. John Deere Financial recently produced a short film about the farm and captured what made the farm what it is today.