Secure health, secure profit
Biosecurity plays a vital role in ensuring maximum profitability for poultry farmers. Because of the high mortality rate in chickens, hygiene, stocking density and the immediate environment all need to...
Fresh future for guavas
A clever marketing campaign for guavas has helped remind consumers about the health benefits of this unpretentious fruit, and opened new opportunities for farmers by reviving the demand for fresh...
Making it work in Molemole
Lifting poverty and creating jobs through small agribusiness growth is on Dr Lekau Mphasha’s agenda. He talks to Peter Mashala.
Berries to the fore
Global demand for berries is at an all-time high, with sales in the UK, South Africa’s main export market for berries, expected to reach the £1 billion (R12,9 billion) mark...
Putting the pieces together
With visionary enterprise, sugar cane farmer Renuka Devi Somaroo is expanding her business by putting together a mosaic of abandoned farms under land claims in the Glendale Valley. Robyn Joubert...
Farm-to-fork broiler production brings success
Since the mid-1990s, Tony and Stuart Buchler of Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape have transformed a sideline broiler enterprise into their core business. Today, as Mike Burgess discovered, they control...
Understanding the labour law changes
The newly released bills amending the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act offer more clarity to questions surrounding the future of labour brokers in South Africa....
From business exec to farmer
Andy Tladi was 53 when he swapped the life of a business executive for full-time farming – on the land he once ploughed as a small boy. Today, eight years...
Great cheese from the Great Karoo
In the Great Karoo you will encounter roughly one human for every 100 sheep, but Francy and Peter Schoeman from Langbaken farm near Williston are breaking the mould with their...
Meat rabbits good for the bottom line
Today’s high cost of living sometimes means that a single income source just doesn’t cut it. Sigrid Lemmer turned to part-time meat rabbit production. She talks to Lloyd Phillips.
Staring down the barrel of the land claims shotgun
Theo de Jager stands at a crossroads. He can choose to sell his farm to one of 16 land claimants or he can fight to stay in business. Does Theo’s...
Cross-flow turbines free farm from Eskom
In 1974, the Brak River, a tributary of the Great Fish River near Cradock was transformed from a tiny stream into a fast-flowing river when water from the Orange-Fish Tunnel...
Success with mixed farming in the Karoo
Andy and Sheryl Duthie pay careful attention to every aspect of their mixed farming operation in Northern Cape. They also involve their three children in the enterprise, running profitable mini-businesses...
Farmers venture into UHT milk
In the heart of the Southern Drakensburg’s dairy production area, Creighton Dairies, a milk transporter, has taken a bold step into processing by setting up a multi-million rand UHT plant....
Reduce costs with contract harvesters
As most farmers already have too much to deal with every day, a silage harvesting contractor can ease this burden and save the farmer money. Contractor Justin Nel tells Lloyd...
Successfully producing quail’s eggs
Elize van Greunen supplies quails and pickled quail eggs to a niche market.
Surviving tough times
Award-winning farmer Steve Botha has managed to remain successful in the niche market he created through innovation, extending his product range, maintaining a close relationship with his clients and growing...
Reducing the distance between farm & fork
Jasmyn in Hartbeespoort has grown from a double garage-size farm stall to a farmers’ market of choice for fresh food lovers in the Gauteng area. The farm and shop are...
Invest in your WORK FORCE
An effective labour management system is one of the most important investments 2011 Agri SA Young Farmer of the Year Gog van der Colff made in his grape and raisin...
Georgia on their minds: Why SA farmers and investors are looking east
The natural beauty isn't the only reason why many agri-investors are eyeing Georgia. During a whirlwind tour as guest of the State Ministry on Diaspora Issues, Farmer's Weekly editor Alita...
