Bacterial diseases in tomatoes
Bacterial diseases are extremely difficult to control and can be very destructive in tomatoes (and other crops).
Protecting farmers
One of the stipulations of Act 12 of the 1992 Agricultural Produce Agents Act is that a market agency must comply with the requirements of the Agricultural Produce Agents Council...
Breaking the trust between Producer and Market agent
The other day, a market agent told me about a supposedly ‘loyal’ producer who had decided to bypass him and supply directly to an unnamed buyer in the same town,...
Other tomato wilts
We have already discussed bacterial wilt which sees the leaves and growing tip of an apparently healthy plant hanging due to lack of water.
What is ‘VAC’?
‘VAC’ is my acronym. It stands for ‘visibility, availability and credibility’, and refers to the need for a market manager (MM) to be on the market floor as frequently as...
Don’t let late blight catch you napping
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.
Managing leaf miners in tomato crops
Leaf miners need not be the threat they were when originally introduced.
The role of a market manager
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...
Dealing with tomato curly stunt virus
As if the challenges of growing tomatoes aren’t enough, tomato farmers seem to be constantly subjected to new pests and diseases.
About agents
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.
Growing tomatoes in a bacterial wilt area
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...
Be pro-active where early blight is a threat
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...
