Vegetables

Regular readers of this column will know that I’m ascerbic in my criticism of municipalities controlling and managing fresh produce markets.

Whether dealing with chillies or peppers, you should know what your market requires before choosing a variety.

In his budget, former Minister Pravin Gordhan allocated large sums to improve the lot of small-scale farmers, while Fetsa Tlala will supposedly “boost domestic food production and reduce reliance on...

It seems that one of my steadfast beliefs about markets has just suffered a blow to the solar plexus, so to speak.

This week, we take a look at the most important Capsicum species. Some of these vary a great deal from each other, while a number share similar characteristics.

Prior to previous elections, I’ve taken the opportunity to offer what I thought was wise counsel concerning the upgrading of SA’s fresh produce markets.

There are approximately 22 species of Capsicum, of which five are grown commercially. However, some of these can be crossed with one another to produce different varieties.

Once upon a time, the CEO of a certain fresh produce market in South Africa decided that his market would be run differently. He did away with the ‘market agency’.

TechnoServe South Africa is providing small-scale fruit and vegetable growers, who often have difficulty in finding established markets, with a ready market for their produce. The organisation’s operations director, Mandla...

Peppers belong to the Capsicum genus (family Solanaceae). It’s when we come to common names that things get confusing.

The Draft Agricultural Produce Marketing Agencies Bill is somewhere in the pipeline on the way to becoming an Act.

Some diseases of Swiss chard are weather-related. These include Cercospora (leaf spot), downy mildew, mosaic virus, and a fungal disease I have yet to identify.

In addition to those already discussed, there are other pests likely to be a problem with Swiss chard from time to time. Let’s look at three of the most common...

Anybody who has spent time on a busy fresh produce market floor will agree that it is a madhouse of noise and frenetic activity – especially at the daily trading...

The leaf miner was once a major headache for producers, having a wide range of hosts and a particular fondness for Swiss chard.

Over the years, I’ve made it a habit to observe as much as possible about the fresh produce sector, be it while walking the market floor, shopping at my local...

I rate consistency as one of the ‘Big Five’ in fresh produce marketing, along with supply, demand, quality and communication.

Swiss chard is easy to grow and exceptionally productive, but it does take a lot of nutrients out of the ground.

Getting paid a fair price for a product is surely uppermost in all farmers’ minds. Having said that, what is a fair price?

With Swiss chard, the cork-like ‘capsule’ that you plant is actually the fruit, which contains up to four seeds.