Value-adding in the eastern Free State
Agribusiness VKB has stabilised the Free State grain market by establishing a chicken broiler project and building a state-of-the-art chicken abattoir in Reitz. Sas Kasselman of Grain Fields Chickens says...
The pick of Porcini
Big timber companies may not consider porcini mushrooms to be worth much effort, but an Italian mushroom picker has made a meaty business out of this gourmet food. Robyn Joubert...
Romac rolls with the times
A father and daughter team from Zimbabwe bought a hydroponic farm and packhouse in Ballito in 2008. They positioned their business for growth by embracing government’s desire to advance black...
Teach farming skills before it’s too late!
Too few SA youngsters are interested in agriculture as a career. Puso Segoe feels this is due to farmers failing to expose their children to farming from an early age....
Tobacco farming – the growers’ view
New proposals from the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to regulate international tobacco farming have raised concerns among Africa’s tobacco growers and processors. Francois van der Merwe,...
Orchids of Eden
Duckitt Nurseries was initially built on passion and four orchid species, but it is now the biggest cut flower and Cymbidium orchid farm in South Africa with a few hundred...
Diversification: spreading the risk on a Tanzanian farm
Having too few production divisions can cause financial stress if markets fail. A Tanzanian operation has minimised the risk by launching a variety of enterprises in a relatively short time....
Swazi pots of gold
Eswatini Kitchen Honey is re-invigorating Swaziland’s honey industry through the promotion of bee-keeping as an income stream for poor communities. Robyn Joubert reports.
Local food markets: are they the answer?
Go big or get out is the current trend as farmers chase economies of scale. But any system which relies on shedding jobs and increasing monopolisation in order to reduce...
Rewarding productivity lifts performance
Training and performance monitoring are key to encouraging productivity in the workforce. Labour consultant Walter Blore shifts the paradigm and puts farming businesses on track. Robyn Joubert reports.
Hands-on grass farming
It’s a hard day’s work for the team as livestock farmer Gary Mitchell runs his commercial Drakensbergers and stud Dorpers in the KZN Midlands with minimal labour.
Alternative energy: Throwing caution to the wind?
Clean renewable energy or an imperfect solution? Are wind turbines the magic bullet for energy problems? Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Herding tractors: managing a large machinery fleet
Agricultural machinery and implements are vital to any commercial farming operation. It’s equally important that this equipment is well managed and maintained. Lloyd Phillips reports.
Game or the stock exchange?
Johan Rabie compares the investment performance of high value game species – with specific reference to buffalo and sable antelope – with investing on the JSE and other prominent stock...
In the family business
Two generations of Kotzés farm more than a dozen different lines on their historic Sandveld farm between Velddrif and Hopefield. For them, the pros far outweigh the cons of farming...
Young Free State farmer works towards partnerships
Laurens Schlebusch believes business associations between commercial farmers and farm workers will become increasingly important in the future. He talks to Annelie Coleman about grooming selected members of his staff...
Maize outlook 2012/2013
World maize consumption is expected to increase by 31,9 million tons this season. Loffie Brandt of Absa AgriBusiness reports on these and other trends both locally and globally.
The Kruger boosts its firepower
A new, environmentally sensitive fire management system is being introduced in the KNP. Peter Mashala spoke to Nick Zambatis, manager of biodiversity, and Danie Pienaar, head of scientific services, about...
Communal stock owners go commercial
Transport costs and traditions have made it difficult for communal farmers to play a major role in the commercial livestock industry. In KwaZulu-Natal, this situation is changing as auctioneers mobilise...
‘Know something about everything’
Petrus Bosman (31), the Santam-Agri Western Cape Young Farmer of the Year 2012, is the managing director of his family’s wine and vine farming business in Wellington. He spoke to...
