Business
Farmer's Weekly
Grapefruit: the basics
A subtropical citrus fruit, grapefruit requires relatively warm and well-watered conditions. In South Africa, it is grown mostly in Limpopo and Mpumalanga and the bulk of the fruit is exported.
2 min |
July 01, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
INDIGENOUS MEDICINE - Growing hoodia (ghaap)
In traditional medicine, this plant is used for the treatment of heart disease and diabetes, as a thirst quencher, a mood enhancer, a cure for severe abdominal cramps, stomach ache, indigestion and hypertension.
2 min |
July 01, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Sustainable farming plus technology win the day!
Mahela Group is a third-generation farming business in Limpopo. Eddie Vorster, director of the company's citrus division, spoke to Magda du Toit about the strategies and farming practices they follow to achieve their considerable success.
8 min |
July 01, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Great pork, good profits - thanks to top genetics
Growing demand for lean pork and a more muscled carcass, plus the need to run an efficient, productive operation, have put ever-greater pressure on pig farmers. Superior genetics remain the surest route to success. Lindi Botha reports on how the Benson piggery in KwaZulu-Natal has progressed in this respect.
8 min |
July 01, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
The fascinating history of the Drakensberger
The Drakensberger has a centuries-old history, and was initially bred for pulling wagons and ploughs. However, it has since evolved into an efficient meat-producing animal.
2 min |
July 01, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Pollination's bitter truth
With bees pollinating approximately one-third of the world's crops, commercial pollination services are a crucial and sought-after resource for many farmers. However, unscrupulous industry players are doing more harm than good, exacerbating the problem of dwindling bee populations.
7 min |
July 01, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
What is the role of financial institutions in sustainable agriculture?
Given the complexities facing the agriculture sector, it seems that the road ahead will be impossible to navigate without both the financial support and expertise of banking institutions and financiers
3 min |
July 01, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Keeping tomatoes off the ground
If a tomato plant's foliage or fruit make contact with moist soil, the plant will become diseased. That's why they are usually staked, says Bill Kerr.
2 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Growing wild rosemary
Wild rosemary is indigenous to South Africa. It's very pretty, generally easy to grow, and valued for its flavour and fragrance.
2 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Sisal: a truly local crop
The term 'sisal' may refer either to the plant's common name or the fibre produced, depending on the context.
4 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Brafords: the best of two breeds
The Braford was developed with improved efficiency and meat quality in mind. Today, the breed thrives on the veld and in feedlots. It is also renowned for its early maturity.
3 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Mauritius: paradise is better than ever!
Whether for adults only or families travelling together, Brian Berkman finds Mauritius the perfect holiday destination. It offers luxury hotels, great food and exciting activities, and is just a short flight from South Africa.
4 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
How the fiery Grietjie Badenhorst defeated an English general
Margaret Badenhorst of Colesberg in the Northern Cape was a tough lady. She wasn’t the least bit intimidated by John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, when he served as a British army general stationed in her town during the Anglo-Boer War. One of Badenhorst’s direct descendants, Pieter Badenhorst, told Annelie Coleman the tale of this formidable great-great-great-grandmother of his.
4 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
How to control powdery mildew in vineyards
When it comes to managing powdery mildew in grape orchards, prevention is better than cure, and the key lies in taking action early in the season. Glenneis Kriel reports.
5 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Monitor your dairy farm's emission rates online!
Milk producers face a multitude of challenges, with low profits and strict biosecurity demands high on the list. In addition, the industry is often lambasted for its perceived contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, despite efforts to mitigate these. Researcher Riana Reinecke now offers dairy farmers a tool to help them measure, and demonstrate, the effects of any regenerative conservation methods they introduce. Susan Marais reports.
6 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
The problem with inflation
Jannie Rossouw, visiting professor at Wits Business School at the University of the Witwatersrand, writes that sustained price increases erode consumers' spending power.
5 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Brafords breed abundance
What do you get when you cross a Brahman with a Hereford? You get the Braford: a fertile animal with amazing mothering abilities that has a long life expectancy and produces a carcass that can be compared with South Africa’s best. Susan Marais travelled to Bethal in Mpumalanga to learn more about this exceptional breed from Gert van der Merwe and Johan de Jager, owners of the Bonheur Brafords stud.
6 min |
June 17, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Farming Simulator game adds Kubota to its fleet
The popular virtual farming game Farming Simulator has added a range of realistically depicted Kubota machinery to its ever-expanding fleet of agricultural machinery.
2 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Transkei traders: glimpses of a bygone era
Being a trader in the verdant hills of the old Transkei had a romance, not to mention a fragrance, all of its own, recalls Graham Jooste.
5 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
WWF marks a decade of water conservation
Fifty per cent of the water in South African rivers and dams comes from only 10% of the surface area of South Africa.
1 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
UK to ask Norway for fish exports to help ailing fish and chip shops
The UK‘s National Federation of Fish Friers is appealing to Norway to send fish fillets to that country to moderate the rapidly increasing price of fried fish.
1 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Labour shortage persists amid high unemployment
South Africa’s current official unemployment rate is 34,5%, according to the latest data from Statistics South Africa.
1 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
It’s never too late to learn something new
You’re never too experienced to learn. Roelof Bezuidenhout explains why farmers’ days and other get-togethers are such a valuable resource.
4 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
A soil biocontrol agent, biofertiliser and plant growth promoter in one
Dr WJ Botha of the Biosystematics Division attached to the Agricultural Research Council’s Plant Health and Protection Research Institute explains why Streptomyces bacteria are an ideal alternative to chemical fertilisers and growth promoters.
5 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
Using micro-organisms to improve profitability
Increasing production, reducing mortality rates, and managing diseases and pests are the three pillars of success in chicken production. Studies show that a way of achieving this winning combination may lie in the use of effective micro-organisms, a unique mix of bacteria, fungi and yeast.
4 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
The cattle most at risk from lion attacks
In a recent study, researchers at the University of Pretoria attempt to explain why some types of cattle may be more likely to serve as prey for lions.
4 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
The spirit of enterprise will give rise to growth
The buck stops with government, whose policymakers should stop scapegoating and allow South Africa’s economy to flourish in a free market, writes Temba Nolutshungu of the Free Market Foundation.
4 min |
June 24, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
The rise and rise of Egypt's orange production
Egypt has become a global powerhouse in terms of orange production and exports, and its government is aiming to improve production even further.
4 min |
June 10, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
VEGETABLES Pumpkin and winter squash
Pumpkins and winter squashes should not be harvested until they are fully ripe and the skins are hard. This is about four months after planting.
5 min |
June 10, 2022
Farmer's Weekly
The financial implications of a family agribusiness transition
Handing a family agribusiness over to the next generation involves financial as well as personal decisions. And personal decisions with financial implications are the most difficult of all! Trevor Dickinson reports.
4 min |