‘Quality drives demand’ – SA potato farmer of the year
Syngenta Potato Farmer of the Year 2017, Nico Wagner of Wilnick Boerdery, employs various efficiency measures to ensure profitability, and the quality of his produce ensures a stable demand from...
Smarter ways to irrigate sugar cane
South Africa’s irrigated sugar cane farming region was hard hit by the recent drought. This prompted Dr Abraham Singels, principal agronomist at the SA Sugarcane Research Institute, and his colleagues...
When to plant sunflower for optimal yield
Sunflower’s consistent yield and drought-tolerance make it an attractive crop for SA’s dryland regions. It also has a relatively long planting window. Nonetheless, care should be taken to plant at...
Producing pulses: the benefits do outweigh the costs
Many SA farmers are unaware of the profitability and other benefits of pulses such as cowpea, groundnut and soya bean. As a result, these plants are neglected as crop alternatives,...
Rooibos: good production management key to higher yields
Wimpie Smit, co-owner of AMW Boerdery in the Western Cape, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about beating the odds in a tough market and managing a fickle crop.
Table grapes: how to speed up production in new vines
New vineyards can make or break a producer. Warren Bam, the Western Cape Agricultural Writers’ 2017 New Entrant to Commercial Farming of the Year nominee, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about...
Fir the love of Christmas trees: farming spruces in the UK
Christmas is associated with a host of traditions, and nowhere more so than in the UK. Here, it’s not really Christmas unless you have a real fir tree at home....
Olive oil success through innovation
The Greenleaf Olive Company near Cape Agulhas in the Overberg planted its first trees in 2006. Just 10 years later, the olive oil produced here is one of South Africa’s...
Using no-till practices for long-term sustainability
Grain producer, Danie Slabbert, wants to manage soil sustainably so that it remains productive for future generations. Annelie Coleman visited him on his farm in the Free State to learn...
Cotton gains ground with up-to-date harvesting tech
Sabrina Dean spoke to Deon Marais, combine harvester operator, and Richard Godfrey-Thom, a cotton farmer in the Vaalharts region of the Northern Cape, about the innovative cotton picker revolutionising and...
SA scientist’s maize weevil control breakthrough
Protecting stored grain from insect pests is essential for Africa’s future food security. University of KwaZulu-Natal doctoral candidate, Mohamed Saeed, describes his successful tests with a widely known fungus to...
The benefits of soya bean production in South Africa
Gerhard Scholtemeijer, Protein Research Foundation chairperson, is an ardent advocate for soya bean production in South Africa, and has promoted the crop for the past 20 years. He spoke to...
Cucumber farming: volume and quality trump shrinking margins
Over the past 15 years, Alan and Russell Heger have grown their farming operation into a major supplier of cucumbers in the Eastern Cape. Grant Hollins spoke to this father-and-son...
Free State Young farmer intends farming into the future
Free State Young Farmer of the Year 2017, Johan van Huyssteen, is working to ensure the sustainable productivity of his family farm for future generations.
Expert tips on producing better silage
Grant Pringle, an agronomist with Pannar Seed, tells Lloyd Phillips how a farmer can get the best out of a silage maize crop by using the correct planting and management...
Success with sweet piquanté peppers
Sweet piquanté peppers, marketed under the PEPPADEW label, require all the attention a farmer can spare to produce good results. Limpopo farmer, Jaco Kriel, spoke to Gerhard Uys about producing...
Tobacco Mosaic Virus: symptoms, transmission and management
Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) can infect a wide range of hosts, and losses of up to 20% have been reported in infected tomatoes. Phillip Mphuthi of the Agricultural Research Council’s...
Amaranth farm trial: a high-potential crop for marginal land?
Amaranth has a high nutrient value and is a popular superfood worldwide. Because it can withstand harsh climatic conditions, it is also an attractive crop to farm. Western Cape farmer,...
Cash crops can combat low grape prices – Part 2
While some farmers in the Olifants River Valley are switching to organic production to overcome poor wine prices, others are converting to fruit and vegetables.
Olifants River Valley farmers’ irrigation woes
The supply of water to Olifants River Valley producers has been frequently interrupted in recent years due to breakages in the irrigation canal. Glenneis Kriel spoke to Johan Matthee, CEO...
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