How technology can help the fresh produce sector
Markets and market agents throughout South Africa use Freshmark Systems (FS) software to manage their sales and administration.
Better crop spraying techniques– Part 1
Even with the correct crop chemical, efficacy will be reduced if the spraying technique is not up to scratch.
Don’t dump fresh produce!
A small-scale farmer recently told me that he supplied spinach to a client on contract, and sent his surplus spinach to the market.
Adding value to your fresh produce
If only some farmers realised that it takes remarkably little effort to improve product presentation – and get a higher price as a result.
Common onion diseases to watch out for
A number of onion diseases are highly destructive and all prospective onion growers can benefit from knowing about them.
Staying competitive at the markets
I paid an early morning visit to the Joburg Market recently. It was an icy Tuesday, and the place was hectic.
Cutworm and thrips – common onion pests
The infamous cutworm occurs in all vegetable crops, including onions, yet still seems to catch farmers by surprise.
Are market agents relevant?
Those who believe that market agents are no longer relevant remind us that more than 50 years ago, when supermarkets started buying directly from farmers, markets and market agents did nothing...
Marketing options for small-scale onion growers
For the small-scale onion grower, it pays to stay in production as long as possible in order to satisfy a local rural market.
Excelling at customer services
Four years ago, the Imasa introduced an award for a market, market agency or fresh produce-related business that had excelled in customer services.
How to correctly fertilise onions
Fertilising vegetables is not like baking a cake, where we get a consistent result as long as we follow the recipe. With vegetables, we have to deal with different soils...
Quality skills at the markets
In days gone by, it was common practice for a youngster to work alongside his father or uncle in a market agency and learn the trade in that way.
Is ‘ugly produce’ a new trend?
‘Ugly produce’, it seems, is finding its way onto retail shelves around the world.
The cavity seedling option
An alternative to the traditional seedbed method for transplants is to use seedling trays. One advantage of this is that you can place the trays in a warmer environment if...
Value vs price
To many farmers and market agents, price is all that matters. Of course price is important, but these days there’s a lot more to the equation.
Understanding plant breeders rights
I’ve met a few senior people in the fresh-produce sector who don’t know what plant breeders’ rights (PBRs) are.
Enabling good value between farmer and agent
At a recent conference, Tommie van Zyl, CEO of the ZZ2 group, talked about the agency system being a good ‘enabler’, and his remarks got me thinking.
Choose the right onion variety
Choosing the right type of onion can be difficult, as the variety has to suit both the area and the planting seasons.
Fresh produce markets and politics
Regular readers of this column will know that I am strongly opposed to political interference in markets.
Planting dates for onions
One of the challenges of growing onions is getting the planting date right. Farmers unfamiliar with this crop would expect to plant it earlier in cool areas and later in...
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