Agribusiness

Four years ago, Simply Bee was selling bottled honey from 240 hives. Today, the company manufactures more than 50 products from over 600 hives, selling them at 163 outlets across South Africa and exporting them to several countries. Yet every item is still handmade in Hopefield.

The big grocery retailers in the UK underwent considerable growth between 1990 and 2010. In more recent years, this trend has reversed, with most of these supermarkets experiencing a slump in sales. Justin King, former CEO of Sainsbury’s UK, explains the shift in consumer behaviour driving this phenomenon, and the implications for the rest of the retail world.

Macadamia nuts are in huge demand internationally, yet global production is nowhere near meeting this. A teamwork strategy in KwaZulu-Natal is aiming to take full advantage of the growth potential of South African macadamia production.

Over the past three years, Durbanville Hills wine cellar has saved thousands of rands simply by changing the way it uses electricity. Cellar master Martin Moore talked to Glenneis Kriel about these changes.

An Eastern Cape distributor is marketing a unique maize seed pack to communal homestead maize producers with notable success. Mike Burgess visited Border Seed Distributors to investigate why this product is revolutionising household maize yield in the former Transkei.

Retired broker, Hennie Lamprecht, runs a profitable, free-range chicken farming operation.

Careful financial planning is required before moving off the grid. Prof Alan Brent from the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies shared some crucial cost calculations with Glenneis Kriel.

German-born Ludwig Taschner is SA’s best-known rose grower and breeder. Mike Burgess visited his nursery, Ludwig’s Roses, north of Pretoria, to learn about the building of a business that defines the country’s rose industry.

Producing above the norm is attainable with well-managed hens, says poultry and mixed farming producer Erik Naudé.

A successful lease-back transformation project in Limpopo run by South Africa’s 2014 National Farmer of the Year, the Bosveld Group, proves that not all old land reform plans need to be totally discarded in favour of new models.

The drought during the past summer grain production season could result in cash flow restraints for grain producers. At the same time, livestock management has become increasingly important for mitigating the effects of the drought, Annelie Coleman reports.

The farm Lushof in the Koue Bokkeveld produces stone and pome fruit on 220ha.The operation has managed to reduce its annual electricity bill by about 20%, with the help of new irrigation technology and smart planning.

Hunger remains an everyday reality for 795 million people across the globe. The vast majority of these – 780 million – live in developing regions. This year’s Universal Expo, hosted in Milan, Italy, focuses on finding sustainable solutions to end world hunger. Denene Erasmus attended the event.

Johan Tijssen, owner of Dicla Farm and Seed and a first-generation South African of Dutch descent, demonstrates how it’s possible to generate a multi-million rand annual turnover from just 260ha.

There is still confusion in the agriculture sector about the need for water-use licences, says Desmond Visser. Now the application process has been streamlined.

Hunting rifles lovingly handcrafted by Ralph Badenhorst Bespoke Rifles can compete shot-for-shot with European tailor-made rifles. Gerhard Uys visited the team for a closer look at their unique creations.

Two sisters from the farm Kromrivier in the Cederberg are brewing up a storm with their premium-quality craft beers, and at the same time contributing to the region’s ecotourism.

Macadamia growers are in the pound seat, with prices at unprecedented highs. Nut processor, Mayo Macs, is helping farmers ensure that the good times last, says Myles Osborn, consultant to Mayo Macs.

Former minister of agriculture Dr Kraai van Niekerk’s honeybee hobby, which he started after quitting politics in 2009, has grown into a fully-fledged farming enterprise. It is now among the top 20 honeybee operations in the Western Cape.

Transferring a farming operation amicably to the next generation requires communication and planning, says agri-economist Dr Philip Theunissen.