Crops

Five Mpumalanga apple farmers have pooled their resources to establish their own packhouse, but each producer is independently responsible for producing a quality product in the orchard. Producers Jan Grey and Ryk Pretorius spoke to Gerhard Uys about the advantages of this operating model.

In his Managing for Profit column of 5 February, Peter Hughes tells how leadership expert Fred Kiel found that businesses managed by people of character made returns up to five times higher than businesses whose leaders indulge in questionable behaviour.

Izak de Beer may be one of only a few farmers in Olifantsriver in the Western Cape who is making a profit out of wine grapes. Creative use of mechanisation is one of the reasons for his success. Glenneis Kriel spoke to him about his production methods

The manner in which lettuces are transplanted makes all the difference to the profitability of a crop, as all subsequent practices and expenses up to maturity remain the same.

I recently attended the annual producers and market agents’ information day hosted in Ceres by Korkom.

When planting lettuce, it is very important to ensure that the soil is sufficiently moist to reduce transplant shock.

Drought in the northern Eastern Cape played havoc with this season’s raspberry crop of the Berrynice Berry Company. Fortunately, a small land of strawberries planted as a trial provided a good harvest and inspired the company to continue the crop commercially. Grant Hollins met with Mandy Aukamp in Molteno to learn more about their experience.

The other day, I met with two young people from the subtropical fruit sector. As we settled down around the table, they brought out their smartphones.

The trend nowadays is to feed the soil and not the crop.

The latest South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) crop estimate makes for interesting reading, and reminds me once again of just how complex the fresh produce business can be.

Arrested Ear Syndrome, which causes partial or complete failure of the maize ear, has recently begun to appear in local maize crops. Grant Pringle, agronomist from Pannar Seeds, details possible causes, effects and treatment.

Lettuce growing has changed much over the past 30 years or so.

Hanro and Karin Knoetzen produce two varieties of figs on 8ha of their 600ha mixed-crop farm near Porterville in the Western Cape. While most of the crop is bound for the export market, surplus ripe figs are transformed into fig-based products for the local market.

Over the past year or so, several new market agencies have opened on some of the bigger markets.

Lettuce has its origin in the eastern Mediterranean and has been cultivated for thousands of years. It is part of the daisy family Asteraceae, and the range of varieties is increasing at an astonishing rate as the world becomes more ‘salad-conscious’.

In 2000, farmer Wilfred Stephan became one of the first producers in the Western Cape to grow table grapes under nets, a system that offers a multitude of benefits. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he has adapted his infrastructure to save costs and improve its efficiency.

As I’ve noted before, in the 1940s this country had more than 100 markets. Today, we are down to 24.

Having ignored my own advice – given to readers in a past column – I recently ended up paying the price.

Pitso Sekhoto and his daughter Nono farm apples near Senekal in the Free State. The Sekhotos spoke to Gerhard Uys about orchard production, climate change and drought.

At this time of the year, I usually make my annual forecast of the fresh produce markets. I peer deep into my crystal ball and, with uncanny accuracy, predict that prices for fruit and veg will go up… and then come down.