Crops

Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is a fungus in a hurry, and may already have done much damage if you’re not awake and watching out for the conditions which favour it.

Janie Cilliers became a farmer out of necessity, but soon fell in love with it. And, after much hard toil, seven years down the line JC Trading in Brits has grown from four tunnels to 29, delivering nearly 25 000 cucumbers a week. Lindi van Rooyen reports.

Leaf miners need not be the threat they were when originally introduced.

In the drive to mine the wealth of Mpumalanga, many productive farms have been turned into open cast mines while others wait to be dug up. Investing in soil which is soon to be mined presents some challenges to the farmer. Lindi van Rooyen visited Ivan Enslin to see how an appropriate soil management plan can save money and optimise yield.

Being a market manager (MM) on a fresh produce market is a hands-on business and not about skulking in sumptuous offices. Unfortunately, far too many of our current crop of MMs seem to prefer the latter option.

As if the challenges of growing tomatoes aren’t enough, tomato farmers seem to be constantly subjected to new pests and diseases.

Canadian canola expert Phil Thomas says producers can improve yields with innovative technology and better farming practices. Kobus van Tonder reports on Phil’s recent visit to SA.

We spoke about the fiduciary relationship between producer and market agent in the previous issue and focused on the producer. This week we turn the spotlight on the market agent.

Bacterial wilt can be a devastating disease in tomatoes. I’ve seen whole crops destroyed, and if you’re farming in a warm area where the disease is prevalent, it’s worth knowing how to eliminate or reduce potential damage.

Left to his own devices, a young sugarcane farmer from Upper Tongaat has made great headway in developing a farming model that meets his financial and sustainability goals. Robyn Joubert reports.

Early blight (Alternaria solani) is a fungal disease that every tomato grower should know about. It’s sometimes referred to as ‘target spot’ as it forms concentric rings reminiscent of a ‘bulls-eye’.

Last week I wrote about the all-important fiduciary relationship between producer and market agent. Now I’d like to offer a few suggestions to both parties as to how to make it work.

There are now two species of powdery mildew which attack tomatoes in South Africa. The most common is Leveillula taurica. The spores don’t need water to germinate and it is therefore a problem in greenhouses and in lands in dry areas or seasons.

Rénald Radley runs 30ha of mango orchards on Radley Estate. Lindi van Rooyen spoke to him about producing quality mangos through careful pruning and inducing drought.

The fiduciary responsibility carried by market agents remains the most crucial requirement of their relationship with producers.

An unmarketable fruit is pure loss, having cost the same to produce as a perfect fruit. And there are a number of disorders which can affect the percentage of marketable fruit gained from a tomato crop, or which can downgrade the fruit.

A wave of rejuvenation and new commitment is sweeping all before it as role players in the sector take on the most serious challenges currently faced by South Africa’s fresh produce markets.

Kiewiet, Theo and Neilus Ferreira have long realised that soil is a farm’s greatest asset, so they expend as much effort on crop rotation as on growing crops. A family business, they also believe in keeping ‘family’ and ‘business’ separate. Lindi van Rooyen reports.

Whiteflies and mites are likely to attack your tomato crop unnoticed if you don’t keep a wary eye open for them.

Ten years ago, James and Rita Chance were forced off their thriving tobacco, maize and cattle farm in Zimbabwe. Since then, they have made a success of tobacco farming in Zambia.