Understanding how the market operates
I’ve always defended the producer’s right to market his produce as he sees fit. If this includes supplying direct to a supermarket, that’s fine. For a large producer, not having...
Beat cyst eelworm with trap crops
An integrated approach to controlling cyst eelworm usually produces the best results, but using a trap crop is perhaps the single most important method.
How helping soil life can boost farm profits
The self-regulating ecological balance in nature’s soils is what keeps them so sustainably productive. Graeme Sait, CEO of Nutri-Tech Solutions in Australia, says that farmers need to learn more from...
Dealing with direct sales – at last!
Over the years, I’ve listened to market people bemoaning the fact that producers supply direct to supermarkets.
History of the market agent
The advent of market agents in South Africa goes back to the mid-1800s, when farmers became unhappy with the service provided by the market masters.
Selecting a suitable soil biofumigant
The phasing out of methyl bromide and pressure on various synthetic nematicides and other compounds have sparked global interest in the use of certain brassica species to suppress soil-borne pathogens...
Beet cyst eelworm: the chemical option
In the previous issue, we discussed the fact that beet cyst eelworm is impossible to eradicate once it is established on a land.
Growing apples in the Malutis
Maluti Fruit’s high-risk but focused decisions are paying off for producers, placing the eastern Free State firmly on the apple map.
Undermining the market
Driving into the Cape Town or Port Elizabeth markets, you will see rows of people selling apples, oranges, potatoes and other products.
Learning to live with the beet cyst nematode
The cyst nematode (eelworm) get its name from the hardened cyst that it forms to protect its eggs.
Better soil with summer cover crops
Swellendam farmer Hoppies Uys has started a new farming trend in the Southern Cape by planting a summer cover crop directly after harvesting a silage crop in August. He talked...
Gathering momentum for the markets
There was a time, more than 50 years ago, when fresh produce markets enjoyed a market share of 80% or more. This is an ‘educated guess’ based on my own...
