Farming Basics

Thorn Park trading store began farming chickens 19 years ago after fortune walked through the door – literally. Now raising in excess of 10 000 chickens, the enterprise is proving to be the store’s proverbial golden egg. Grant Hollins visited the operation outside East London to find out more.

According to various climate change models, the average temperature in South Africa will increase by 2°C within the next 40 years and by as much as 6°C within the next 80 years.

Farmers keen to produce free-range meat now have the backing of a new association. Heather Dugmore speaks to GFSA chairperson Adrian Cloete.

The Land Bank’s acting CEO, Lindiwe Mdlalose, says the bank can assist emerging farmers wanting to enter the commercial arena, while continuing to support commercial farmers to ensure that they remain competitive.

The market for macadamias is growing. According to Martin van der Merwe of Sabie Valley Macadamias in Hazyview, Mpumalanga, the Chinese market alone has the capacity to absorb 100 000t of macadamias.

In the semi-arid region of the Kahalari, under the desert sun, the Berekisanang farming project is bustling with activity. Jaco Visser reports on this citrus and table grape farm.

The Namibian livestock health status is superior to the SA health status and poses no risk to the local livestock industry. This is according to Namibian Agricultural Union CEO Sakkie Coetzee. Annelie Coleman met with him at the NAU offices in Windhoek to find out more about the impact of the new import regulations implemented by the SA government in May this year.

The Mozambique government has committed itself to unlocking the enormous agricultural potential of the Beira corridor, but progress has been slow – and costly.

While South Africa is a semi-arid country, there is poor efficiency in water use, says Dr Jennifer Molwantwa of the Water Research Commission.

‘Don’t romanticise small-scale farming’ was the message at the recent Potatoes South Africa symposium held to discuss speeding up black economic empowerment through partnerships.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange offers the futures contract and the put option. Either can provide small-scale maize farmers with peace of mind. The JSE’s Raphael Karuaihe explains.

According to some, there is a viable alternative to Minister Gugile Nkwinti’s controversial 50:50 land reform proposal. With this option, the land holds its value and farmers can improve economies of scale. Piet Smit of the Bosveld Group and Dr Theo de Jager of Agri SA talk to Nan Smith.

Alan Winde, the Western Cape’s new MEC for agriculture, economic development and tourism, intends unblocking bureaucracy and creating an agri-friendly environment.

After several years of weak profits, beef producers are more optimistic. Tracy Davids of the Bureau for Food and Agriculture Policy explains why she is bullish on beef.

DA leader Helen Zille believes that agriculture has a critical role to play in addressing unemployment and poverty.

Newly appointed minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, says he wants to govern the sector on the basis of open dialogue between government and agriculture stakeholders.

Received wisdom says that for a fresh produce market to be successful, it must be located where the buyers are and not where the producers are. But a new market in Limpopo appears to be breaking the rules – successfully.

Azapak supplies packaging to the agriculture sector. Managing director Yagen Padayachee told Denene Erasmus about his company’s latest products.

A wool farmers are benefiting from high international wool prices and a weak rand. But it’s not just the exchange rate that’s in their favour, it’s the top quality of their clip and the fact that local wool is produced in an environmentally friendly manner. Annelie Coleman asked National Wool Growers’ Association chairperson, Harry Prinsloo, why SA wool was so sought-after.

Hailed as a success story by the Eastern Cape premier, Noxolo Kiviet, during her 2014 State of the Province address, Ncora Dairy shows how private-community partnerships can lead to genuine rural development. Grant Hollins reports.