Crops

While wheat remains South Africa’s dominant winter grain, diversification into oilseeds and legumes is becoming increasingly common as farmers look to spread risk and improve soil health. Farmer’s Weekly spoke to experts for insights into crop performance, rotation, and management strategies shaping winter grain production.

At 27, Phomolo Sewedi is steadily building a farming business with purpose in Ganalaagte, North West. From humble beginnings, he is carving out a place in agriculture through persistence, adaptability and a strong sense of responsibility to his community. His journey reflects the grit and vision that define this year’s 30 under 30

In the fast-moving world of fresh produce procurement, where weather, markets, and margins collide everyday, 26-year-old agribusiness professional Luphotho Poswa is becoming an integral part of Africa’s supply chains from farm gates to retail shelves.

Groundnuts favour warm, dry climates, but since they are widely planted under dryland conditions, they do require good rainfall. This presents a challenging scenario for disease management, as diseases that attack groundnuts thrive in warm, wet conditions. Lindi Botha investigates effective strategies.

As Peru dominates global blueberry production through scale and efficiency, South African producer Six33 is taking a different approach. By focusing on premium fruit quality, improved genetics and refined labour management, the Franschhoek-based business is positioning itself to compete in an increasingly demanding export market.

By leveraging a global genetics pool at its Camet facility, Syngenta is bridging the gap between Argentinian innovation and South African fields, transforming sunflower from a ‘replacement crop’ into a high-margin, oil-rich powerhouse.

With the expansion of soya bean cultivation in South Africa, growers must prioritise biocontrol for pest risk mitigation. Gustav Venter, technical lead of Insecticides at Syngenta, says the often-underestimated threat of sucking pests in soya bean crops can be managed with early scouting, identification, and thorough chemical control with integrated pest management.

Grain SA agricultural economist Gerhard Burger says South Africa’s grain industry is entering the new production season with strong summer crop prospects, but the improved outlook comes with growing pressure on prices and shrinking producer margins.

Young entrepreneurs Ashley Bennett and Kate Jarvie have launched a macadamia tissue oil that combines their love of Zululand and wellness. Their 100% natural product is helping them forge new roles within their family agribusinesses while building a market for an under-appreciated local resource.

The Zimbabwean government is urging the domestic hemp industry to turn the regulatory framework introduced in 2020 into tangible commercial output and profitability.

On 10 March this year, Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa chaired the year’s fifth cabinet meeting which discussed the country’s winter agriculture production plan. As expected, wheat production was part of that agriculture plan.

Tomatoes remain one of the most widely produced and consumed vegetables globally, underpinning both international food trade and local food security.

Although Mozambique is often viewed as a cheaper, easier farming location than South Africa, cost comparisons tell a more complex story. But while cross-border production presents real challenges, it also offers opportunities for complementary trade, diversification and regional food security, particularly when it comes to subtropical crops such as bananas.

Albertus van der Merwe, Raisins South Africa’s Most Improved Grower of the Year in 2025, balances multiple farming ventures while maintaining precision, performance, and a people-focused approach.

Many raisin producers assume that retiring without a son to take over the farm means the end of the family business. Alcois Blaauw, this year’s winner of the Raisins SA Female Producer Award, proves that assumption to be wrong. Glenneis Kriel reports.

To achieve a better price for your onions, it is important to present properly cured bulbs of uniform size to the market, says Bill Kerr.

On Nooitgedacht farm near Kenhardt in the Northern Cape, drought isn’t a crisis – it’s a way of life. But by improving soil health, Charl Saunderson has managed to make his land more resilient and productive in one of South Africa’s toughest farming regions.

Delicate, high-value crops such as lettuce and herbs can provide high returns, but are susceptible to disease and sensitive to extreme weather. In the Western Cape, one retail supplier is getting around these challenges by marrying outdoor shade netting tunnels and hydroponics.

Tomato farming has become a high-stakes, high-input business where success depends on getting many moving parts right at once. From seed choice and soil preparation to climate control, irrigation, nutrition and pest management, every stage of the crop’s life cycle demands precise, season-specific decisions.

Vineyard success is built from the ground up, starting with the correct planting and care of new vines. Glenneis Kriel reports on the advice of viticulturist Marko Roux on how growers can give vines the best possible start.