Beat cyst eelworm with trap crops
An integrated approach to controlling cyst eelworm usually produces the best results, but using a trap crop is perhaps the single most important method.
How helping soil life can boost farm profits
The self-regulating ecological balance in nature’s soils is what keeps them so sustainably productive. Graeme Sait, CEO of Nutri-Tech Solutions in Australia, says that farmers need to learn more from...
Dealing with direct sales – at last!
Over the years, I’ve listened to market people bemoaning the fact that producers supply direct to supermarkets.
History of the market agent
The advent of market agents in South Africa goes back to the mid-1800s, when farmers became unhappy with the service provided by the market masters.
Selecting a suitable soil biofumigant
The phasing out of methyl bromide and pressure on various synthetic nematicides and other compounds have sparked global interest in the use of certain brassica species to suppress soil-borne pathogens...
Beet cyst eelworm: the chemical option
In the previous issue, we discussed the fact that beet cyst eelworm is impossible to eradicate once it is established on a land.
Growing apples in the Malutis
Maluti Fruit’s high-risk but focused decisions are paying off for producers, placing the eastern Free State firmly on the apple map.
Undermining the market
Driving into the Cape Town or Port Elizabeth markets, you will see rows of people selling apples, oranges, potatoes and other products.
Learning to live with the beet cyst nematode
The cyst nematode (eelworm) get its name from the hardened cyst that it forms to protect its eggs.
Better soil with summer cover crops
Swellendam farmer Hoppies Uys has started a new farming trend in the Southern Cape by planting a summer cover crop directly after harvesting a silage crop in August. He talked...
Gathering momentum for the markets
There was a time, more than 50 years ago, when fresh produce markets enjoyed a market share of 80% or more. This is an ‘educated guess’ based on my own...
Combating herbicide resistance
To combat herbicide resistance, farmers worldwide are having to become inventive in their herbicide application. Villa Crop’s Pieter le Roux offers practical solutions to the problem and looks at some...
Some important green bean pests
Of the pests that damage beans, perhaps the best known is the bollworm.
Market agents and buyers
Market agents are taught from day one that the producer is their main client – and rightly so. It’s the producer who pays their commission. But what about the other...
Other important fungal leaf diseases in green beans
The most well-known fungal disease in beans is rust (Uromyces phaseoli). But it has become less of a problem due mainly to the emergence of resistant bean varieties.
Fruit trends: expect the unexpected
Consumer tastes in fruit are becoming increasingly sophisticated and varied across the world, and a future trend will be growing demand for new eating experiences and exotic flavours. Riaan van...
Success for Mooketsi Market
I recently made my third visit to the relatively new Mooketsi Regional Market north-east of Polokwane in Limpopo, and came away almost in awe.
How humus can save the world
Humus is arguably one of the most important contributors to sustainable life on our planet, yet it remains largely unappreciated. Graeme Sait, CEO of Nutri-Tech Solutions in Australia, explains why...
Sharon fruit in SA – growing local and export sales
Exotic Sharon fruit was introduced to South Africa in the late 1990s, but it took years to establish in which regions the trees would produce optimally. Over the past five...
Behaviour at the markets
I often chuckle inwardly when I’m on a market floor listening to a negotiation between the salesperson and a buyer. The exchange frequently differs dramatically from what I teach about...
