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 in Mpumalanga have been at the forefront of the current wave.
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.
Ugly fruit and veg can be beautiful
The move to stock ‘almost perfect’ fruit and vegetables has for many years been an obsession in supermarkets abroad.
Better plant survival and germination in hot, dry conditions
Previously, I described how the high mineral content of borehole water could cause mineral build-up on leaf surfaces, with consequences for the application of chemicals.
Never a dull moment in the fresh produce sector!
I’ve often written in this column about how stimulating the fresh produce sector can be.
Growing in hot and dry conditions – Part 1
Here are some guidelines for growing vegetables under drought conditions.
Learn from history
Fresh produce markets have an interesting history. Go back more than 150 years and you’ll find a person called the market master who worked for the local municipality and also sold farmers’ produce by auction.
There’s more to crop rotation than meets the eye
Just about every farmer would agree that crop rotation is a good thing – and the more diverse the crops in the rotation, the better.
The Codes of Best Practice (CoBP) for National Fresh Produce Markets
The ‘Codes of Best Practice (CoBP) for National Fresh Produce Markets’ prepared by the Project Rebirth Steering Committee (chaired by the department of agriculture) will bring our fresh produce markets in line with international standards.
A practical use for no-till farming
No-till is highly practical for small-scale vegetable farmers and organic farmers, while conventional commercial vegetable growers will find some aspects of the practice useful.
Where size counts
I suppose that being in the fresh produce business makes it inevitable that I classify markets according to their size – not unlike potatoes or certain fruit.
Mulch ado about no-till
No-till farmers have always known that leaving a layer of crop residue on the soil surface increases the humus content.
Food safety struggle
To achieve a HACCP (Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points) accreditation is costly.
‘Payment exchange’ – a good idea, in part
I heard a new proposal recently from a distinguished ‘market man’ whose opinion I rate highly.
No-till vegetables: how to grow them
No-till vegetable production is not practical for everyone and is more suited to the small-scale organic farmer.
Well-deserved award for Project Rebirth
Last week, I wrote about the 70th birthday celebrations of the Institute of Market Agents of South Africa (Imasa) and predicted that it would be ‘an affair to remember’.
Imasa turns 70
I recently was in Bloemfontein with the Institute of Market Agents of South Africa (Imasa) to celebrate its 70th birthday.
The role of earthworms in boosting soil quality
Of all soil organisms, earthworms can be by far the largest component by weight. Their benefits are generally insufficiently appreciated by farmers.
