Business
Farmer's Weekly
The basics of growing cabbages
Getting to know and properly understanding the requirements to effectively produce cabbages will always give the producer the competitive edge, writes Shane Brody.
3 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Subsistence to commercial change 'not happening'
The goal of transforming subsistence farmers into commercial farmers across Africa has largely failed, leaving food security continually in the balance.
2 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Fishing in the shadows: the real cost of unlawful activity at sea
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is a global issue with far-reaching consequences, endangering marine ecosystems, destabilising fisheries, and putting economies and food security at risk, writes Linda Piegl.
7 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Nutrient sweet spot for optimal potato yields
To increase potato yield and quality, nutrients need to be carefully managed, taking into account what the plant requires and how applied elements interact with each other. Charles le Roux of Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System spoke to Lindi Botha about optimising nutrition for maximum synergy.
7 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Potato profit margins hindered by municipal fresh produce markets
The insidious decay of municipal fresh produce markets over the past few decades has had far-reaching consequences for the fresh produce industry. As the largest traded commodity, potatoes have been especially hard hit. Willie Jacobs, CEO of Potatoes SA, spoke to Lindi Botha about the impact and the way forward.
7 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Youth farmers celebrate a soya bean windfall
Jay Jay Farming, a rural youth-led farming business in the Eastern Cape, recently achieved its first-ever soya bean harvest, yielding between 1,5t/ha and 2t/ha.
1 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Employees who sleep on the job
Fatigue can impair an employee's concentration, coordination, and reaction speed, which in turn can reduce their productivity. Employees who sleep on duty also put themselves, their colleagues, and their employer at risk, writes James Pretorius.
2 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Accommodation for rural workers
Dear Jonno, There are often workers in our area who require accommodation while fulfilling shortor medium-term contracts.
1 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
From cow dung to cellulose fibres and more
Researchers from University College London in England and Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland have developed a technique to recover cellulose - a natural fibre found in plant cell walls - from cow dung and turn it into useful manufacturing materials.
1 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Rediscovered: the elusive Boosmansbos long-tailed forest shrew has been recorded for the first time in 46 years
One of the Western Cape's most mysterious mammals, the Boosmansbos long-tailed forest shrew (Myosorex longicaudatus boosmani), has reappeared, 46 years after it was last documented.
2 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
UCT professor wins prestigious research award
Dr Katye Altieri has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) New Frontiers Research Award.
1 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Sweet potato production
Sweet potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, but be aware of certain pests, and also retain adequate soil moisture, writes Bill Kerr.
2 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Upward momentum in meat complex as SA heads into winter
This week, Absa AgriBusiness considers the dynamics in the South African livestock industry to explore what prices could look like over the coming weeks.
2 min |
June 06, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
A home with a view of Table Mountain
We want to build a house on the West Coast, not too far from Cape Town, and we want it to be reminiscent of the Cape Dutch style.
1 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Tips for buying a horse trailer
What should you consider when buying a horse box or trailer? It all depends on how many horses you'll be transporting and how often you'll be doing so, as well as how much you're willing to pay, writes Dr Mac.
3 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Leopard numbers plummet as their habitat shrinks
Global animal welfare organisations, including FOUR PAWS and Wild Africa, highlighted the exploitation of leopards in the global big cat trade on International Leopard Day on 3 May.
1 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Horse hoof care in wet weather
High rainfall can benefit crops, but without proper grooming and timely treatments, muddy fields can lead to various ailments in horses, including lameness, mud fever, and foot rot, writes Dr Mac.
2 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
From banking to birding and the bushveld
As winter starts to bite, Patricia McCracken recommends books that will keep you intrigued while you're curled up in front of the fireplace or taking shelter on a sunny veranda.
2 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Over 100 rhinos poached in three months in SA
The loss of 103 rhinos to poaching in the first three months of 2025 is a stark reminder of the relentless threat to South Africa’s wildlife.
1 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Angora project brings mohair training to students
The Mohair Empowerment Trust (MET), in collaboration with Mohair South Africa, recently launched the Fort Cox Angora Goat Pilot Project to provide students at Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute in the Eastern Cape (FCAFTI) with hands-on training in mohair production.
1 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Chianinas: big cattle, bigger benefits
Looking for a breed to maximise returns on animals and land? Garren Coetzee, who runs a Chianina stud near Uniondale in the Western Cape, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about why this breed is the answer.
5 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Establishing a sweet potato crop
Bill Kerr discusses the simple yet effective steps needed for planting sweet potatoes, as well as irrigation, fertilisation, and weed control.
2 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
The impact of US trade policy
The increase in US import tariffs has already prompted other countries to raise their own. This could lead to a trade war that wouldn't benefit anyone, writes Dr Koos Coetzee.
3 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Treating pasteurellosis in sheep
After the heavy rains in Gauteng, my Dorper sheep have snotty noses and are coughing a lot.
2 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Concern about the use of dogs for illegal hunting
TLU SA has expressed serious concern about the increasing incidence of illegal hunting with dogs in agricultural areas, especially in the Free State.
1 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
'Indigenous breeds better at surviving heat stress'
Prof Giel Scholtz, specialist researcher at the Agricultural Research Council, has cautioned South African livestock producers about the challenges posed by heat stress.
2 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Getting to grips with groundnut production
Groundnuts are a high-value, versatile, and sustainable crop cultivated and consumed worldwide. Requiring less water and fertiliser than many other crops, they are ideal for crop rotation, writes Linda Piegl.
5 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Breeding top racehorses
The world reflected through the eye of a horse is at the centre of the ethos of a boutique racehorse stud set in the Breede Valley in the Western Cape. Sabrina Dean spoke to John Köster to find out how Klawervlei Stud has added value to the Thoroughbred studbook over the years.
10 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
What's hindering SA's groundnut industry?
While global demand for groundnuts is increasing, the South African industry is struggling to remain profitable amid cheap imports. Efforts to increase import tariffs are ongoing and, should they succeed, will secure a brighter future for the local groundnut industry. Lindi Botha reports.
4 min |
May 23, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
From factory floor to furniture must-haves
Pallet furniture is an affordable, eco-friendly décor trend popular around the world. It offers rustic charm and creative solutions for every space, writes Linda Piegl.
2 min |