Counter-seasonal imports
Walking through my local supermarket the other day, I noticed nectarines selling for R60/kg. The sign did not say where they came from, but my guess was Spain.
Challenges of banana farming in South Africa
While Steyl Willemse’s farming operation near Kiepersol in Mpumalanga is still dominated by bananas, he is gradually switching to macadamias to keep the farm running optimally.
Imasa 2013
If you consider the role it has been playing in the fresh produce sector in recent years and its limited resources – both financial and human – then you can’t...
Understand your market
How many farmers load up their truck with fresh produce, dispatch it to the market, and say to themselves: “I’ll leave it up to the agent now. It’s his job...
Growing melons
Melons are more sensitive to disease than most other cucurbits. As the diseases that attack melons are generally associated with rainfall and humidity, the fruit is normally grown in low-rainfall...
Beating out a new path in sugarcane
Introducing biological practices was a brave move on the part of Pongola sugar farmer Ernst Holl – but a current yield of 120t cane/ha from 16-year-old cane shows he’s on...
SA’s top barley producer trusts crop rotation
Barley farmer Willie Beukes of Haasjeskop Boerdery near Caledon has a proven strategy for success: a crop rotation cycle that ensures effective weed and disease control. Denene Erasmus reports.
Moringa makes an easy meal with a nutritious punch
There are many pots on the boil on the farm of DAFF’s Best Female Entrepreneur of the Year, but the main course is based on Moringa.
Fresh Produce industry – more competitive
In the fresh produce business today, competition among role players has risen to unprecedented levels as individuals and companies all vie for a share of the proverbial pie.
Producing butternuts: Spacing, yield, diseases
The essentials of growing butternuts are similar to those of other cucurbits. Spacing may vary, however, depending on the cultivar. Some butternuts are compact growers, while others produce long runners.
A new grain industry for SA
The newly formed NuGrainSA Consortium recently introduced the so-called pseudo grains quinoa, buckwheat, millet and grain amaranth to the South African agricultural fraternity. William Weeks says the consortium’s vision is...
All ahead for conservation agriculture
At the first annual conference of Conservation Agriculture in the Western Cape, low soil disturbance, mulching lands and crop rotation were recurring themes. Marius Swart was there.
Market agents code of conduct
A Code of Conduct (CoC) ensures stability and purpose within a sector and a measure of confidence for clients. Market agents have a CoC embodied in the constitution of the...
Getting watermelons ready for the market
To obtain high prices on the market, a watermelon grower has to produce fruit that looks good as well as tastes delicious.
The strange history of the butternut
The butternut has a most unlikely origin. It was bred by a Charles Leggett of Stow, Massachusetts, in the USA in the mid-1940s. He was not a plant breeder, but...
A guide to farming saffron in South Africa
Thousands of corns yield just a few grams of saffron. South Africa’s first saffron farmer, Renske van Zyl, explains the process of growing this delicate spice. Jay Ferreira reports.
Improving seedling production
To meet the demand for seedlings without compromising on quality requires a willingness to adopt new technologies and to implement strategic planning. Lloyd Phillips reports.
Common watermelon fungal diseases
Watermelons are generally grown in fairly dry climates as this reduces the risk of diseases considerably.
Profiting by a softer approach
This beef and vegetable farmer has successfully merged organic products into his conventional spraying programme and is building the soil with green manure crops.
Fresh produce conference season
We’re approaching the fresh produce sector’s ‘conference season’ once again.
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