Herbicide – get more bang for your buck
Crop chemicals are expensive and if herbicide spraying isn't optimised, you get poor value for money, writes Bill Kerr.
What makes cauliflower different?
We need to take certain precautions when growing cauliflower that aren't as important for cabbages or broccoli, writes Bill Kerr.
What lies ahead for the fresh produce sector?
Talking to market agents these days can be quite depressing. In the past, there were always people you could rely on to give you a more positive view of current...
Planning for the planting season
Growing vegetables involves multi-tasking. I covered the importance of getting the timing right in my previous article.
Pride in potatoes
Stephan Fourie, who produces potatoes near Frankfort in the Free State, believes that three pillars support success in farming: an excellent product, sound management and good labour relations.
Precision farming a must for the future – O’Neill
Sugarcane farmer Brad O’Neill won the 2015 Nedbank Eston Show’s Farmer of the Year and Best Milling Cane award in the category 10 000t to 20 000t delivered in the...
Timing makes a big difference in farming
While working for a large seed company, I once had a chat with one of the directors, a financial fundi who contributed to steering the company in the right direction.
Lessons from Vito
Vito Rugani always used to say, “Remember the power of the brand!” A legend on the markets,
Why violent strikes?
I’m not privy to the inside story on the strikes experienced in the fruit sector recently. According to what I’ve read, Dutoit Group in the Western Cape and Umbhaba Bananas...
Reduce losses with this drought strategy
Fruit farmers in the Ceres Valley will have to manage their water strategically this season, as parts of the region received less than half the annual rainfall. Louis Reynolds of...
Vegetable production in a competitive market
Growing vegetables is highly competitive, demanding and arguably the most difficult branch of agriculture in which to succeed, especially for new entrants.
The value of nets in citrus and table grape production
The farm Matroozefontein has the most westerly citrus orchards and table grape vineyards in Southern Africa. In this arid area, farming under nets has proved a success.
