Business

From politics to premium wines, the Graaff family continues to make its mark. Sir De Villiers Graaff, Fourth Baronet of the family and De Grendel Wine Estate, spoke to Brian Berkman about continuing the tradition.

As a farmer, there are numerous strategies you can implement independently to boost productivity in the short term. This includes using quality inputs like fertilisers and improved seeds and adopting innovative techniques to optimise your resources. However, if your goal is to truly succeed, you’ll need great partners for the journey.

When Rentia Boerdery in the Free State, needed to install a system to irrigate fields from a storage dam on a piece of their land with drier soil, they turned to Agrico.

WeGrow Piggery started with a 600-sow unit, and has since increased its herd to 1 300 sows. With a feed mill in the pipeline, WeGrow looks set to continue on its growth trajectory.

Pride Milling, a leader in South Africa’s maize industry, continues to grow through innovation, strategic expansion, and strong leadership under the guidance of CEO Jorrie Jordaan.

Hendrik Eksteen, CEO of Grow Fresh Produce Agents, says maintaining farmer relationships is key to the company’s success.

HarvestFresh Farms and Thebe Investment Corporation are committed not only to growing this already-thriving business but uplifting the community in the process.

Strategic collaborations have enabled some Eastern Cape partnerships to develop and commercialise products aimed at health-conscious South Africans.

Preserve Botanica is pioneering research into upcycling hops waste. CEO Wanda du Plessis spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the company’s groundbreaking findings and their potential impact on the industry.

Bakhusele Mathupha is the founder of Phawu Likum AgriPak, a rural agroecology co-operative based in the small town of kuGatyane in the Eastern Cape. Through this initiative, he has introduced a food forest to help combat food insecurity in the local community. Mathupha spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about how collaboration, education, and a shared commitment to the land are empowering community members to create a self-sustaining food system while restoring the local environment.

At York Farm, just a stone’s throw from Ellisras in Limpopo, Johan van der Linde takes great pride in running his farm with the help of Agrico’s high-quality products and consistent service. “What Agrico does, they do well,” says Van der Linde.

Wind energy is now recognised as an essential part of South Africa’s energy mix. This is good news for farmers and other landowners, who may generate additional income by leasing a small portion of their land for development.