Bee-Tech launches South Africa's first commercial bio-pesticide dispensers

Bee-Tech's Jaimee Harris spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about the first commercial rollout of bee-vectoring bio-pesticide dispensers at Limberlost, protecting strawberries from Botrytis while reducing chemical reliance.

- Octavia Avesca

South African strawberry growers are taking a bold step into the future of crop protection, with the first commercial rollout of bio-pesticide dispensers now under way at Limberlost in the Western Cape

The system, developed by Bee-Tech, harnesses honey bees as delivery agents for biological control, offering farmers a new tool to combat Botrytis, commonly known as grey mould, one of the most persistent and damaging threats to strawberry production.

Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Jaimee Harris, head of research at Bee-Tech, explained that the launch follows years of trials on commercial farms.

“Botrytis infections begin on the flower, long before symptoms show on the fruit. Tractor-based sprays can't always reach every bloom, and once the canopy thickens, Botrytis thrives. At the same time, export markets are tightening residue regulations, leaving farmers with fewer chemical options. Bee-vectoring isn't a silver bullet, but it gives growers another tool to protect fruit quality under stricter standards,” said Harris.

BEES AS CROP PROTECTORS