Glenneis Kriel
Glenneis Kriel is a senior agricultural journalist for Farmer's Weekly. Her ventures into agricultural journalism started out by chance, more than 20 years ago, when someone suggested she freelance for the magazine, which turned out to be her dream job. Her passion is to write stories that inspire greatness and make people evaluate the way they are doing things.
Extreme weather blamed on climate change and El Niño
Heavy rains and gale-force winds caused destruction in some parts of the country, but brought welcome relief in other parts.
Sharpen those blind-tasting buds with these great tips
Winemaker Chris Groenewald led the South African blind-tasting team in the international championships for the second time last year. He shared some blind-tasting tips with Glenneis Kriel.
Big trends affecting the wine industry
John Barker and Felicity Carter reflected on some of the major trends reshaping the wine industry at the recent South Africa Wine Summit held in Cape Town.
Sheepskin slippers: an investment or rip-off?
Farmer’s Weekly recently noticed some sneering social comments about the high price of sheepskin slippers advertised by a major pharmacy on Facebook. To understand why these slippers come at a premium price, we asked Louzel Steyn.
ConCourt dismisses Zim farmers R2 billion claim over land grabs
The Constitutional Court earlier this week ruled that a R2 billion claim against the South African government for damages suffered due to land grabs in Zimbabwe was made too late.
Farmers urged to update animal health programmes for winter
Now is the time for livestock farmers to sit down with their veterinarians to update their animal health and biosecurity programmes in preparation for winter, Dr Faffa Malan warned in a letter accompanying the latest animal disease report of the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa (RuVASA).
Will a biochar and volcanic rock blend reduce fertiliser needs?
Aquagel claims that the use of its micronised volcanic rock and organic biochar combination, called Regenr8, will significantly improve the carbon content of soil and reduce fertiliser requirements.
Former seasonal worker wins top farming award
Vivian Jakobs of Crispy Farming recently won the Western Cape Agri Prestige Awards Competition of 2023. Glenneis Kriel went to find out more about this inspiring farm manager.
Poor quality silage threatens animal health
When silage is bad, it can negatively affect feed intake, immunity, growth and reproduction of ruminants. Richardt Venter gave these tips to gauge and manage the quality of silage.
Farmworker’s son now a premium wine producer
In 2019, Paul Siguqa became one of the first black owners of a wine farm in the Franschhoek Valley and established himself as a producer of premium wine. He talked to Glenneis Kriel about his journey to success.
Congress discusses improving mental health in veterinary industry
The importance of mental health and ways to build resilience among veterinary practitioners were key topics at the World Veterinary Association Congress, held from 16 to 18 April in Cape Town.
Is subsurface irrigation about to take off in South Africa?
DNA Technologies claims their new subsurface irrigation systems can overcome challenges that have plagued the technology in South Africa, potentially saving water and boosting efficiency for fruit and grape production.
Heavy rains bring damage, but also relief
The intense low-pressure system, known as a cut-off low, that resulted in wind damage and flooding in parts of the Western Cape has bought welcome relief to most farmers across the country.
Strengths and weaknesses of the Expropriation Bill
Parliament recently approved the Expropriation Bill, which has now been sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa for his assent. While there are no timelines in which the president is required to sign a bill, Annelize Crosby, Agbiz Legal Intelligence, told Farmer’s Weekly that it would probably be signed prior to the elections scheduled for 29 May 2024.
Getting the best out of pear orchards
GA Erasmus en Seuns Boerdery in the Western Cape Overberg won the award for the best income per hectare for pears at Two-a-Day Awards Ceremony in 2023. George Erasmus and Nico Ferreira spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the farm’s pear production strategy.
Agribusiness confidence expected to remain low in 2024
Agribusiness confidence remained downbeat in the first quarter of 2024 and will probably stay that way in the second quarter.
Protectionism and shipping disruptions threaten agri trade
Solid business partnerships will become increasingly important to navigate market threats, according to Absa’s recently released AgriTrends Autumn 2024.
Department of agriculture under scrutiny for mismanaged funds
Fruitless and wasteful expenditure has increased almost a thousand-fold, from R33 000 in 2021/22 to over R30 million during the 2022/23 fiscal year, according to the recently released budget review and recommendations report of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.
Logistical challenges highlighted at Fruit Logistica
South Africa’s logistical challenges came under scrutiny at the highly regarded international fruit and vegetable producers’ gathering.
Agri GDP growth under pressure
The agricultural, forestry and fisheries industry shrunk by 9,7% in the fourth quarter of 2023, and 12,2% year-on-year, according to the latest GDP results released by Statistics South Africa.
