Global roundup from the fresh produce sector
I subscribe to a selection of newsletters from overseas that keep me in the loop with what’s happening on the international fresh produce scene. What happens abroad frequently affects our...
Start fertilising your cabbage before planting
Getting a full stand and a vigorous getaway is crucial for high yield. Some important aspects in this regard have been mentioned in previous articles.
Getting the land ready for cabbages
The first consideration when preparing land for cabbage is to get the soil’s nutrient content right.
Success with Maluti apples
In 1996, when Margie Jankielsohn and her husband Mark bought 548ha of the farm Merino in the Bethlehem district of the Free State, they had no idea that their operation...
APAC: Protecting your money
The Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC) was established in 1992 in terms of the Agricultural Produce Agents Act.
Choose the right cabbage seedlings!
The seedling is the start of a very valuable crop and the stand and speed of initial growth will have a significant effect on profit.
The quality equation
I recently conducted a training session on marketing for a group of small-scale farmers. As always, it was a pleasure to do so because they were eager to learn.
Alan Sutton wins Mpumalanga Farmer of the Year Award
Alan Sutton, chairperson of the Valley Macadamias Group and owner of Sutton Crest Farms has been crowned the Mpumalanga Farmer of the Year 2014 by the Agricultural Writers’ Association.
Cool tips for hot grapes
Situated along a 350km stretch of the Orange River, Orange River Cellars uses creative production techniques to deal with high temperatures in the harsh semi-desert climate.
Fresh Produce sector faces challenges
Challenge. I hope that my readers will regard this word in a positive way, instead of as something to be dreaded. I say this because the fresh produce sector faces...
Smart irrigation saves water
A degree of operational loss is unavoidable when using irrigation. But water loss because of poor or non-existent maintenance of irrigation equipment, pipelines and dams, is unacceptable.
Choosing the right canola cultivar
Canola plantings in the Swartland in the Western Cape have been increasing steadily over the past few years, as more farmers recognise the benefits of including canola as a viable...
Weevils & other sweet potato pests
The sweet potato weevil (Cylas spp) is arguably the most destructive pest of this crop.
Fresh produce sector : More change for the better
The rapid changes that we witness every day in the world are well-documented, but I remain constantly intrigued by them.
Irrigation & pest control in sweet potatoes
For sweet potato runners to root, the soil around the plants must be moist. Usually, the irrigation applied just after planting will be enough, but this depends on soil type...
Sugarcane: lessons from Australia
Situated along 2 100km of the continent’s east coast, Australia’s 385 000ha sugar industry was producing a whopping 32 million tons of irrigated sugarcane in 2008. This was processed to...
Design a crop cover strategy
Agricultural practices that degrade the soil are responsible for a host of problems: erosion, nutrient runoff, waterlogging, acidification, compaction, crusting, salinisation, nutrient depletion, leaching, organic matter loss, toxic accumulation, and...
Sweet potatoes after planting
Sweet potatoes are highly adaptable when it comes to soil type. I have grown this crop commercially in soils ranging from sandy to a very heavy clay.
Remembering Len Hobson
Len Hobson, who died recently at the age of 87, introduced papayas from Hawaii to South Africa in the late 1960s and became a recognised authority on subtropical fruit and...
Improvements at Springs Market
I cannot believe the transformation that has taken place at Springs Market.
