Crops

Raka Wines started diversifying its farming business three years ago by introducing winter grains and canola. This was so successful that the enterprise’s canola crop achieved the highest yield in the 2014 Southern Cape canola competition.

As I write, the markets are awash with produce. Prices have tumbled in many cases. Our mild winter has resulted in extended production periods for some crops, which has meant an oversupply.

Each group of organisms living in the soil has a different function and these organisims’ interaction with one another should create a balance that benefits plants.

The use of chemicals to control pests and diseases in crops is bad news for the environment and the farmer’s bottomline. During a visit early this year to South Africa, Graeme Sait, CEO of Nutri-Tech Solutions in Australia, offered cheaper, natural alternatives.

Fresh produce markets and their agents face a multitude of challenges and it’s inevitable that comment on the market floor will be vociferous.

Healthy ‘living’ soil can contain up to 15t/ha of bacteria, actinomycetes, protozoa, algae, fungi, nematodes, earthworms and arthropods.

When a farmer decides to buy a new tractor, does he choose the shiniest, most expensive model?

Last year, Gert Cilliers from Stella in North West decided to plant cotton for the first time since 1993. Gerhard Uys spoke to him about his decision.

Last week, I mentioned how humus formation depended on nitrogen (N). Even when a large quantity of organic matter is present, very little humus can be created if the nitrogen level is too low.

A highly experienced market man recently told me he reckoned fresh markets would be gone within 10 years. That comment got me thinking.

The nature of the soil in the southern parts of the Western Cape has up to now limited the full implementation of no-till. However, Human Landboudienste recently tested a disk planter near Riviersonderend that shows a lot of promise in addressing this problem. Glenneis Kriel investigates.

Chemical fertilisers came into their own after the Second World War. They were convenient to use and food production became much easier, relatively speaking.

An agent on the Durban Market recently made an interesting remark to me.

Major apple producers across the world are switching to high-density planting to reduce labour costs, improve fruit quality and increase production. Willie Kotze, research and development manager at Dutoit Group, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the importance of a well-built trellis system when making such a change.

Usually, a soil analysis gives the percentage of each cation as a measure of the total cations in the soil.

Winter came late this year and the impact on the markets has been almost disastrous for many products.

Nieuwoudtville farmer Pierre Rossouw is conducting trials and implementing conservation farming practices to improve the soil health of his rooibos tea lands and counteract soil erosion due to wind action.

Continuing with our discussion of the soil analysis, we now come to phosphorous (P).

South Africa’s fresh produce commission markets have a number of unique features that set them apart from other markets around the world.

This article deals with interpreting a soil analysis.