Agribusiness

The global beef market is highly competitive and difficult to break into. With South Africa’s beef export industry still in its infancy, Susan Marais explores the reasons why Chinese consumers might not be the most willing buyers of our product, and looks at what the local beef industry could learn from its top competitors’ strategies.

Beekeeper Ryno Barnes recently replaced his wooden hives with hives made of polyvinyl chloride foam board, a unique lightweight, eco-friendly material. So impressed was he with the results that he launched a separate company to manufacture these hives for other beekeepers.

The future of the country’s sugar cane sector has never been more uncertain and, as a result, the livelihoods of many thousands of people hang in the balance. Could the South African Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan be the lifeline that the industry has been waiting for? Susan Marais reports.

Nico Laubscher of Alzanne Boerdery is constantly on the lookout for ways to improve business efficiencies, and this led to him exploring solar energy as a way of reducing his electricity bill and carbon footprint. Laubscher and Paul Kotze of Solar Energy Architects spoke to Wouter Kriel about the unique placement of the solar panels.

In this, part one of a two-part series, Mariana Purnell, a consultant with eGrain, a provider of electronic warehouse receipts for the grain industry, discusses the challenges that changes to grain quality control pose for the industry. In particular, she focuses on producing maize according to particular standards for niche.

According to Peter and Francy Schoeman of Langbaken Karoo Cheese, their cheese business has enabled them to survive the prolonged drought in the area. They spoke to Wouter Kriel about how they developed their sheep farm into a cheese operation.

Hops are traditionally grown in the Western Cape, but on a rooftop in Johannesburg, Khaya Maloney has shown it is possible to grow hops in the city using a hydroponic system.

Most volatile family agribusiness disputes have deep-rooted causes that stem from secrecy, distrust and avoidance. By confronting these issues early on, conflict can be avoided, says Trevor Dickinson.

Reducing inputs costs and increasing yields are the foundation of a profitable enterprise. However, true sustainability comes from investing in practices that increase your farm’s ability to produce over time. Lindi Botha spoke to Leon Eksteen of Bufland Boerdery about choosing the right investments.

Is it possible to start a farming operation in South Africa in 2021 for less than R1 million? A number of experts discussed the start-up potential of layers, broilers, pigs, vegetables and lucerne with Susan Marais.

National fresh produce markets are vital to food security in South Africa, providing a robust, transparent pricing system and a crucial service to buyers and sellers across the country. While widely successful in these aspects, fundamental problems in these markets are threatening the future of the industry, and they need to be addressed.

The most successful agribusiness families understand that their enterprises are not possessions; instead, they are legacies that they are obliged to take care of for future generations, writes Trevor Dickinson.

Agriculture has been one of very few lights glowing in South Africa’s economic gloom: the sector has managed to grow where most others have declined. However, the grim reality of crumbling transport and water infrastructure is endangering its future.

Heinrich Lategan is the fifth generation to farm on Tevrede, between Worcester and Wolseley in the Western Cape. Tevrede has traditionally been a grape farm, but the family has had to embrace an ethos of diversification in order to keep the business going. The past two years have proved to them just how important value-adding can be.

Agriculture has an important role to play in funding a greener future for the planet. Green bonds, which are fixed-income financial instruments that offer environmental and/or climate benefits, will give farmers the opportunity to lower their carbon footprints.

OneFarm Share allows farmers to contribute their surplus fresh produce to needy families across the country.

Larry Whitfield, owner of Loxtonia, an apple, pear and plum farm, has successfully branched into cider production. Unusually, he uses fresh apples to produce his award-winning ciders. He spoke to Wouter Kriel.

The egg industry is one of the largest employers in South Africa’s agriculture sector and a key provider of affordable protein to millions of consumers. Pieter Dempsey spoke to Dr Abongile Balarane, general manager of the Egg Organisation at the South African Poultry Association, about the strategies that are being adopted to support egg producers and secure the future of the industry.

Life is dynamic, and sometimes change happens for the worse. This is why you need to be properly prepared for these changes. Hollard explains that insuring your property and business is not a once-off event, and that you should constantly be reviewing your cover.

Limpopo insectary Insectec was founded to develop a secure and steady supply of biological pest control solutions for producers of a variety of fruit and vegetable crops.