Technology

The recent annual Nedbank Eston Show was blessed with a spell of good weather and the local farming community turned out in force to see what was on display.

The new Afri apple varieties could potentially extend the local season by two months.

The Trelleborg Road Show is traversing the world to demonstrate the value of using the right tyres at the correct inflation pressure. It visited KwaZulu-Natal recently.

The intensive but highly productive practice of growing crops in greenhouse environments lends itself to significant pest and disease threats. Paddy de Vries of Intense Agri Hydro provides valuable insights on dealing effectively with these.

The latest crop monitoring technology developed in Israel could soon be available in South Africa. Wilma den Hartigh spoke to Daniel Koppel of Prospera about its applications.

Massey Ferguson’s latest large square balers are now available locally through SA distributors Barloworld Agriculture.

The company’s 50 000th Lexion combine harvester rolled off the assembly line in Harsewinkel, Germany, earlier this year.

The Northern Cape Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO NC) works proactively to improve the province’s livestock reproductive status, and has initiated a bull and ram testing project to combat sexually transmitted livestock diseases.

The first public demonstration of the revolutionary mobile pelleter was held recently at a field day in Hungary. The machine eliminates the entire baling process.

Insuring against weather volatility is the norm in countries such as the US, but is not common practice in South Africa. Hans Smit of BVG, a risk management company, says a new weather derivative product could help crop producers hedge against erratic weather.

The TE20 gave the world the Ferguson System, a major advance in production efficiency. Joe Spencer recalls the history of this legendary tractor.

A US company, Indigo Agriculture, has developed microbial-enhanced cotton seed that can thrive in hot conditions and boost production without genetic modification. Koot Louw, secretary of Cotton SA, tells Wilma den Hartigh how this could benefit the South African cotton industry.