Attention To Detail Ensures High-quality Produce

While launching a new farming venture as a first-time farmer may seem daunting, Hannes Wolvaardt is proof that it can be done. He shared his tips on successful sweet pepper production in Limpopo with Lindi Botha.

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As a first-generation farmer, Hannes Wolvaardt has experienced his share of challenges. The first was financial; after obtaining his agricultural diploma, he was faced with the prospect of raising finance to start his farming venture: growing peppers.

“Banks are unwilling to finance vegetable farming because it’s high-risk and you’re not guaranteed prices on the market. Fortunately, my brother Riaan could assist with financing to lease a 3ha piece of land, which is how I started in 2012.”

Wolvaardt’s ambitious expansion plans, however, had to take a back seat.

“The lack of finance meant we had to grow slowly, which was a blessing in disguise. We grew at the right tempo and never bit off more than we could chew.”

The farm, near Letsitele in Limpopo, was gradually expanded and today comprises 20ha of green peppers in open lands and 11ha of red and yellow peppers under nets.

Wolvaardt explains that sweet peppers are all initially green, and turn yellow or red when they ripen, depending on the cultivar.

Because the red and yellow peppers are harvested later, they need protection from the sun to prevent sunburn, which is why they are cultivated under 40% grey nets, while the green peppers are planted in the open lands. The high cost of infrastructure and the difficulty in growing red and yellow peppers mean that they fetch a premium on the market.

Wolvaardt has a contract to supply Freshmark, and having such an agreement in place with a buyer has helped to ease the uncertainty of the market.

“It takes hard work to get noticed by the buyers. You need consistent quality and a packhouse that meets their stringent standards,” he says.

Wolvaardt has also learnt that skimping on fertiliser and seed does not pay off.