Flower to freight: an inside look at commercial litchi production
Local litchi producers compete with Madagascar and Mauritius during the counter-seasonal summer harvest. To meet global demand, production chains must stay efficient, says Jaco Henery, production manager at Komati Fruits,...
TopFruit: pioneering stone fruit varieties for every season
TopFruit provides South African producers with stone fruit varieties that meet specific market demands. Our selection spans the entire growing season and includes cultivars with varying chilling requirements, ensuring adaptability...
Sound advice from a fourth-generation sugar cane grower
Sugar cane farmer Pratish Sharma shares his practical insights with Octavia Avesca Spandiel on aspects like soil health, pests, irrigation, harvesting, and industry rules, offering useful guidance for anyone entering...
Indigenous and drought-hardy summer crops for profitability
Indigenous crops like Bambara groundnut, amaranth, sorghum, and cowpeas offer climate-resilient, nutrient-rich, niche market opportunities in South Africa, despite structural and commercial challenges.
Top farm’s recipe for superior grain production
Successful grain production requires adherence to a range of non-negotiables, including optimal timing of planting, crop protection and harvest. Mpumalanga grain producers Michael and Gareth Allen spoke to Lindi Botha...
Trial and error, good relationships: key to veggie farmer’s success
Since he started farming in 2017, Gauteng vegetable farmer Jaco Botes has gone through a process of trial and error to find the right mix of crops, the best cultivars,...
Good chillies for making a fiery hot sauce
There is a distinct fruity aroma associated with the Capsicum frutescens species of chilli pepper, and it’s also quite pungent.
Karoo seed onions perform well on the global market
Seed onion production is proving a valuable drought risk mitigation strategy for several farmers in the Karoo Highlands of the Northern Cape, around Williston, Fraserburg, and Calvinia. Hannes Esterhuyse spoke...
Blending indigenous farming with innovative business techniques
Seniren Naidoo, who farms in Upper Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal, has merged ancestral wisdom with modern business acumen to build a thriving agricultural enterprise. He spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about his...
Smart management to revive old banana plantations
When Jacques de Villiers took over the Giba banana farm in Kiepersol, Mpumalanga, after a hurricane destroyed the plantation, he had little more than experience and determination to work with....
Father and son drive diversified farming success in Limpopo
Father-and-son team Kallie Snr and Kallie Jnr of CPJ Erasmus & Seun Boerdery in Limpopo’s Letsitele Valley have built a thriving pepper enterprise in a region dominated by citrus production...
Veggie farmer proves success is possible on communal land
Thulani Magida is the poster child for communal farming in South Africa, demonstrating that commercial success is possible. But his journey also highlights the challenges this segment faces, providing valuable...
Broccoli: winter crop in year-round rotation
Among the Brassica genus types, broccoli has been one of the popular choices for farmers in cooler climates. In the past, broccoli was rotated out in summer, but farmers like...
New seed treatment application option available to soya bean farmers
Successful soya bean production depends on keeping plants healthy from planting to harvesting. Using fungicidal, insecticidal, and plant growth regulator seed treatments helps seedlings reach their full yield potential by...
Grit, greens, and good business: the rise of Zandile Kumalo
Successful hydroponics farming is about more than just the ability to harvest a quality crop. As a capital intensive industry, it also requires collaboration, flexibility and negotiating skills to raise...
The essential role of boron in table grape production
The addition of micronutrients like boron are critical in the cultivation of table grapes, as Zunel van Eeden discovered in conversation with agronomist Pieter Botha.
Dragon fruit: essential tips for growing this tricky crop
Dragon fruit farming in South Africa has been fraught with challenges, resulting in many undertakings being abandoned. But perseverance pays off, and through constant fine-tuning, Freddie Steyn has triumphed. He...
Roadway Farms: building a sustainable future in vegetable farming
Roadway Farms in Albert Falls, KwaZulu-Natal, is implementing a model intended to keep the family operation financially viable and sustainable into the future. Vegetable farmer and entrepreneur Shakti Satyapal talks...
Lessons from a small-scale tomato farmer and agro-processor
When Pumeza Maseti speaks about her journey into agriculture, her passion and creativity shine through. She now manages 1,6ha in Stutterheim, Eastern Cape, through Sinemihlali, a co-operative established to create...
Cotton farming: what’s not to love?
The co-owner of Wilkot Boerdery in the Northern Cape, Johan Maree, shares his cotton farming journey with Nichelle Steyn and explains why there is so much more to the crop...
