Crops

Wastage of fresh fruit and vegetables is a costly part of the business. When the products you’re handling are highly perishable, then the best efforts to preserve them can only have limited success

When it comes to fertilising tomatoes after planting, much will depend on what fertiliser you used in the pre-planting stages and the condition of the soil.

The climatic, soil and water requirements of citrus trees.

We all know the Shoprite/Checkers stores, but how many people outside the fresh produce trade know of Freshmark, the company that distributes their fresh produce throughout South Africa and into Africa?

The first consideration for those who plant in the soil is the threat of soil insects, especially cutworms.

Combating invasive alien vegetation on rugged terrain can be expensive and challenging. But an ingenious solution introduced by KZN farmer Clinton Whitehead promises to be effective and affordable. Lloyd Phillips reports.

Top Free State maize producers Johan (Snr) and Johan (Jnr) van Huyssteen counteracted increasing grain input costs by phasing out wheat and sunflower crops in favour of maize. This made for 50% of lands lying fallow, a marked cut in production costs and minimum till practices. Annelie Coleman reports.

In her speech at the AGM of the African Farmers Association of South Africa, agriculture minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson spoke glowingly of the Walmart initiative to support small-scale farmers.

There are instances where tomatoes have to be pruned and cases where pruning is entirely optional. We therefore need to know why we prune and when or if it’s necessary.

Gilly Scheepers is the unassuming 2012 Grain SA and Syngenta Grain Producer of the Year. Flourishing in rugged terrain across three districts, he attributes his success to hard work and making do with what is available. He speaks to Lindi van Rooyen about inheriting farming skills from his father and humility from his mother.

Staking tomatoes involves a lot of work and expense, and many try to avoid this by planting determinate varieties.

In our imperfect social and business environment we frequently find that companies say one thing and make ambitious promises – especially when it comes to good service – but seldom, if ever, deliver on those promises.