Agribusiness

Kobus se Kwekery in Oudtshoorn won Klein Karoo Seed Production’s award for the best emerging agricultural business in both 2017 and 2020. Yolandi Leen, who co-owns the nursery with her husband Kobus, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their journey to success and the market they serve.

A prime cannabis farm, with conditionally approved Good Agricultural and Collection Practice certification, is for sale in Atlantis, Cape Town, with tremendous potential for those looking to enter the fast-evolving South African cannabis market.

Running a boutique dairy comes with certain benefits: a smaller herd to manage, and the opportunity to hone your craft and make high-quality products. However, with a business this size, staying viable requires hard work and careful bookkeeping. Grant Warren spoke to Lindi Botha about how he runs his artisanal dairy.

Multi-generational business families remain a powerful economic force in numerous industries worldwide. Trevor Dickinson looks at the lessons that family-run farms can learn from these success stories.

Cashew nuts, sesame seeds and cocoa beans represent more than 50% of Nigeria’s agricultural exports. However, there are many challenges to these industries that hamper future expansion. Janine Ryan explores the agriculture sector in this West Africa country.

Interest in mushroom is on the rise, particularly among consumers wanting to cultivate their own supply. Capitalising on this market, MushRush in KwaZulu-Natal supplies mushroom spawn to clients across South Africa. Owner Sandra van Rij explained the multi-stage process of producing spawn to Lindi Botha.

Jean Minnaar, managing director at Old Mutual Wealth Private Client Securities, explains the various benefits offered by offshore investment.

Wine producers that switch to organic production risk suffering a severe financial knock. Glenneis Kriel reports on how Western Cape-based producer Bosman Adama has managed this risk successfully.

Corteva employees speak about their experiences with the company, and how they are doing their part to try to make life better for farmers.

Boets Nel, co-owner of De Krans Wines near Calitzdorp, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how his business survived the drought, coped with COVID-19 trade restrictions, and adapted to a changing market.

Natie Ferreira, director of a new cannabis research centre at the Agricultural Research Council’s Bien Donné site near Paarl, was recently issued with a permit to cultivate 8ha of hemp for the purposes of study and development. He and researcher Moses Mlangeni spoke to Marinda Louw Coetzee about the planned research at the centre, and how it will help to boost the commercial cultivation of hemp in South Africa.

Offshore investing is no longer a luxury reserved for a few. It is a realistic, easily accessible and important financial planning option for all serious investors seeking to protect and grow their wealth. Jean Minnaar, managing director of Old Mutual Wealth Private Client Securities, explains how to take maximum advantage of offshore investing.

Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region, in partnership with the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa, recently announced the winners of the Nestlé Needs YOUth Agri Competition, who all received incredible prizes.

Citrus is a major exportable commodity for Morocco, and that country’s government has aimed various initiatives at improving its production of this fruit.

After the successful approval of the merger between Senwes and the Suidwes Group in 2020, Senwes is currently in the final year of three years emanating from the merger.

Dilapidated country roads are a direct threat to South Africa’s agricultural and rural economies, yet farmers and communities have largely encountered a wall of indifference from government. In an attempt to be heard, Agri SA and its affiliates conducted a countrywide survey amongst 311 primary production units, many of which expressed frustration over the authorities’ lack of action.

Toverveld Biltong was started by Madie van Zyl some 14 years ago as a way of earning additional income. Annelie Coleman visited her on her family farm, De Dam, near Colesberg to learn more about her enterprise, and discovered why demand for Toverveld’s biltong and other meat products has grown … and grown.

Egypt has become a global powerhouse in terms of orange production and exports, and its government is aiming to improve production even further.

Despite South Africa’s economy and infrastructure being under severe stress, global agtech company Syngenta is investing in the country’s seed market. Gaël Hili, Syngenta’s regional director for Europe, Africa and Middle East Seeds, spoke to Susan Marais about the potential that South African agriculture holds.

Thabile Nkunjana, an agricultural economist at the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), and Dr Sifiso Ntombela, chief economist at the NAMC, examine the decline in South Africa’s sugar production and the factors threatening future growth.