Crops

A sunrise industry in South Africa with potential to expand markets locally and abroad, kiwifruit offers good returns on a small piece of land. Malcolm Deacon, owner of Gold Tree Farms, cautions, however, that knowledge gaps abound, and until the industry matures, farmers will have to troubleshoot their way through production.

Growing your own seedlings requires experience. Mistakes are inevitable and you’ll need to adjust your system accordingly, says Bill Kerr.

In this article, Janine Ryan looks at the importance of maize production in the world today, and its value for food security. She also explores the history of maize and how it evolved into a crop that is widely cultivated.

The production and consumption of olives and olive oil are on the rise in South Africa. Magda du Toit spoke to farmers and other experts about the country’s burgeoning olive industry, and what is required to produce this Mediterranean fruit.

Farmers can plant Swiss chard in one of two ways: direct seeding or seedling transplants. Bill Kerr explains the pros and cons of each approach, and advises how to get the plants off to a good start.

TopFruit is introducing two black-skinned plums with excellent eating quality and early harvest windows. Characterised by their black skin and red flesh, they have been carefully selected and developed to thrive in the Southern African climate.

South Africa’s relatively young macadamia industry has a long way to go to establish optimal farming practices and efficiencies. However, with nut prices falling, producers need to focus on cost savings that will balance inputs with output. Lindi Botha reports on key areas that macadamia farmers should be paying attention to.

Dragon fruit production in South Africa is growing, thanks to increasing demand from Northern Hemisphere countries.

Cabbage, which is native to western Europe, has been cultivated for at least 3 000 years and is today a major crop worldwide, says Bill Kerr.

While production on most grape farms in the Orange River region has taken a knock this season due to adverse weather conditions, GPA Boerdery has managed to achieve a decent harvest. Lourens Maass and his son Kobus, who run GPA, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their recipe for success.

You may know all that’s necessary about growing a crop, but if your timing is off, your profits will suffer severely, says Bill Kerr.

At NAMPO 2023, Pannar’s team of experts will be available to help farmers determine which maize hybrid seed with PowerCore™ technology best suits their farm for the next growing season.