Toyota/Agri SA Young Farmer of the Year 2022

With the slew of challenges currently facing the agriculture sector, taking on farming as a career is a daunting prospect. Hannes Wolvaardt, Toyota/Agri SA Young Farmer of the Year 2022, a first-generation farmer, shows what can be achieved by courage, discipline, hard work and attention to detail. He spoke to Magda du Toit.

- Magda du Toit

In 2011, Wolvaardt and his brother, Riaan, started farming peppers on 3ha of rented land near Letsitele in the La Cotte region of Limpopo, using borrowed implements and a small car.

Today, the Wolvaardt brothers farm peppers, tomatoes and citrus (lemons and Star Ruby grapefruit) on 102ha. Wolvaardt has twice been elected Limpopo Young Farmer of the Year, and in November last year was announced as the 2022 Toyota/Agri SA Young Farmer of the Year.

He recently spoke to Farmer's Weekly about his farming methods, his challenges, his plans for the future, and his advice for other farmers. 

How do you and Riaan plan your operation?

We work backwards from our goals, establishing what we need to achieve those goals. We focus on what the market requires and then go to the drawing board to determine how to produce a quality product. Budgeting is a crucial part of our business and we do our utmost to stay within our annual budget limits.

Are there any specific farming opportunities that you would like to pursue?

Over the past couple of years, we've focused on growth and expansion. We're now in a phase of consolidation and strengthening our base. We currently have a more vertical focus and are looking at effectiveness and efficiency. Having said that, we're entrepreneurs, so if an opportunity knocks, who knows?

Is there anything about your operation that you'd like to change?