Fruit & Nuts

Despite extremely dry conditions, Ceres Valley farmer, Retief du Toit, recently succeeded in producing his two best harvests ever. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he achieved this.

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture is funding research to stimulate and sustain the growth and development of minor crops in the province, a move that promises to transform the guava industry in the region.

Golden kiwifruit is in high demand in Europe and Asia. New Zealand is currently the largest producer and exporter of the fruit in the southern hemisphere, but South Africa is ideally placed to take advantage of an annual gap in production.

Jeandré du Preez visited Derick van Zyl, estate manager of the farm, Esperanto, in the Koue Bokkeveld, to learn about cherry production in that province, and what makes this crop a challenging yet rewarding one.

Wine grape prices have remained unchanged for the past decade, and producers in the Olifants River Valley have started to investigate alternative avenues for generating income. Local farmer, Willem van Zyl, explains these to Glenneis Kriel in a two-part series.

Farmers invest considerable money and time to produce high-quality fruit and vegetables. Lucien Jansen, CEO of the Perishable Products Export Control Board, South Africa’s export certification agency, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the importance of cold chain management.

‘Off-season’ is a misnomer, says Marble Hall citrus farmer Piet Engelbrecht. This is when crucial tasks such as pruning take place. Gerhard Uys visited him.

Gerhard Dreyer, owner of The New Nut Company in North West, says there is always demand for groundnuts in the local and international markets, and farmers in the right climatic conditions could reap rich rewards from investing in this crop. Gerhard Uys reports.

Thinking of using uncertified plant material in your fruit orchards? Think again. The cost of doing so might be far higher than you imagine, according to researchers from the South African Plant Improvement Organisation Trust.

Growing pecan nuts requires long-term commitment. Dries Duvenhage of Hartswater in the Northern Cape planted his first hectare of pecans 16 years ago and patiently waited for the return on his investment.

Farming granadillas can be profitable, but growers should realise that the crop requires intensive management and significant capital investment. Wilma den Hartigh visited Kosie Eloff’s farm in Limpopo to find out how to grow this crop successfully.

Robertson farmer, Louis Loubser, has developed a system that allows micro-sprinkler users to significantly cut water and energy use in orchards. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his invention, the Tree Hog.