Agribusiness

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. Jan du Toit, Senior Labour Law Consultant at SA Labour Guide, highlights key amendments.

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 later, his business has grown to four farms, one of which is in the Republic of Congo. Lindi van Rooyen reports.

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 small herd of Jersey cows and cheesery. Denene Erasmus visited them.

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.

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 inside angle, as Agri SA’s deputy president and head of the portfolio committee on land reform, make him more or less inclined to sell? Lindi van Rooyen reports.

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 was released into it. This has allowed the Colletts of Grassridge Farm to produce 52kW of three-phase electricity from cross-flow turbines. Mike Burgess reports.

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 in goats and poultry. Heather Dugmore visited the family.

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. Robyn Joubert reports.

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 Phillips what such a service entails.

Elize van Greunen supplies quails and pickled quail eggs to a niche market.

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 baby vegetables and herbs that are hard to find in SA.

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 run side-by-side, ensuring that customers gets the freshest produce, and the absence of a middleman ensures greater profits.

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 enterprise. It afforded every worker the opportunity to take responsibility in this major enterprise and resulted in better production. Annelie Coleman reports.

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 van der Walt was introduced to the reforms stimulating economic growth and encouraging foreign investment.

As the economic crisis in Europe closes doors to agri-exporters, markets in other parts of the globe are opening. Robyn Joubert reports on export opportunities in Iran, Australia and Vietnam

In Mauritius, the sugar industry co-generates a significant proportion of the country's electricity needs, using bagasse as feedstock.

Farmers in Beaufort West are taxed R3 104 (R2 500 after rebates) per annum for each R1 million their farm is worth, while farmers under the adjoining Baviaans municipality are paying about R95 per R1 million. This indicates problems in the application of the new Municipal Property Rates Act, which farmers need to be aware of.

If nothing is done to increase water availability in the Vaal River water supply system - including clamping down on illegal water use by irrigation farmers - it will be the farmers themselves who first feel the pinch of a severe drought-like deficit.

Evergreen agriculture combines conservation farming and agroforestry to create what proponents call an 'out of the box solution' to increase crop yield, improve soil, make better use of scarce rainwater and absorb atmospheric carbon. Alan Harman investigates.

Charl Senekal's achievements over the past 30 years have made him a 'super farmer' - he's got big ideas and the guts to follow them through. He told Robyn Joubert about his success with mechanisation and economy of scale.