Business
Farmer's Weekly
Managing macadamias: cutting back brings higher yields
Following rapid expansion between 2014 and 2019, most of South Africa's macadamia nut orchards have reached maturity. The larger trees and denser orchards require a different approach to management in order to get the full yield that mature orchards promise.
8 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Livestock sector in crisis (again)
Various foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks over the past few months have put the South African beef industry in a quandary. This will further escalate unless government starts governing
3 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Lizards: the unsung heroes of seed dispersal
Due to its prolonged isolation following its break-up with India around 88 million years ago, Madagascar is now home to some of the world's most diverse plant and animal species.
1 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
A comfortable semi-modern family home
I write to you to request the design of a three-bedroom cottage.
1 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Excelling when feeding on the veld for longer
To address the perception that Borans are unsuitable for commercial feedlots, Francois Smit developed an on-farm system that enables him to realise and retain the profit that would've gone to those feedlots.
5 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Naval hero of World War II became one of SA’s greatest military leaders
Hugo Biermann worked his way up from being a naval cadet to overseeing dangerous operations in the Mediterranean Sea during the war, and eventually led the South African Defence Force.
5 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Borans: hardy cattle with a strong herd mentality
When Anton Müller and his son were looking for a breed of cattle that could withstand ticks, mountainous terrain, and predators, they settled on Borans and never looked back
7 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Spekboom: SA's carbon warrior
A humble succulent with a powerful purpose, the spekboom is a master of carbon capture that's water-wise, easy to grow, and adaptable to various weather conditions
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Stellenbosch University animal abuse investigation
Stellenbosch University (SU) is facing an investigation by the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) after Farmer's Weekly was alerted to the alleged inhumane treatment of animals at the SU's experimental farm.
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
FDA approves virus-resistant gene-edited pig
UK-based animal genetics company Genus has bred a pig that is resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).
1 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Defender PHEV still fit for Camel Man
The combination of an electric system and petrol engine gives the plug-in hybrid Land Rover Defender 110 plenty of power. But the downside is that it gets thirsty once the battery runs out,
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
The unmatched hybrid vigour of the Boran
Known as the mother cow of Africa, the Boran has been developed over more than 1 000 years to provide modern farmers with a hardy, cost-effective animal. Sabrina Dean spoke to Gerrit Potgieter from Komga in the Eastern Cape, a council member of the Boran Cattle Breeders' Society of South Africa who oversees the society's marketing portfolio, to find out more about the breed.
7 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
African themes and the war on waste
Patricia McCracken’s exciting selection of books features a feast of culinary delights from a homesick ex-South African, the quest to find archaeological gems, an international racket, and the supernatural.
1 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Study backs port privatisation to boost South Africa's trade and efficiency
A new study by Link Supply Chain Management reveals that port privatisation across Africa has significantly boosted efficiency, investment, and trade competitiveness. The research urges South Africa to fast-track similar reforms at its ports.
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Foot-and-mouth outbreak is pushing meat prices up
In this week's column, Absa AgriBusiness considers the dynamics in the livestock industry to explore what price trends could look like in the months ahead.
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Boran adapted to handle tough mountain terrain
When crop farmer Riaan Celliers decided to run a cattle farming enterprise with Frik Oosthuizen, they had to think outside the box on numerous levels. The first decision they needed to make was which breed would suit their operation best. They spoke to Sabrina Dean about why they chose the Boran.
9 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Good chillies for making a fiery hot sauce
There is a distinct fruity aroma associated with the Capsicum frutescens species of chilli pepper, and it's also quite pungent
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
The Boran advantage
Quentin de Bruyn, who farms cattle in the eastern Free State, has spent over 15 years refining his beef production system around the Boran. He spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about how the Boran’s resilience, fertility, and low input needs are reshaping commercial beef production in South Africa.
5 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Tough decisions needed to sustain agricultural growth
In the face of severe budget contraints in the public sector and more pressing priorities on National Treasury's plate, policy practitioners may need some innovative financial models
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Agri-Expo shows go from strength to strength
While a few shows have disappeared since the 1990s, those that have remained have seen a major revival, Breyton Milford, general manager of Agri-Expo, told Farmer’s Weekly after the annual Agri-Expo Members’ Show meeting held near Grabouw in the Western Cape.
1 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Madikwe elephant neglect damned in Parliament
In a presentation to Parliament in June, Douglas Wolhuter, Wildlife Protection Unit manager at the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA), condemned the North West Parks and Tourism Board and provincial authorities for years of neglect and mismanagement in the province's Madikwe Game Reserve.
1 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
ARC urges zero-waste veg crops in marginal areas
The majority of South Africa’s land surface is not considered arable, with only about 16% of the 1,22 million km² of the country’s surface suitable for cultivation.
1 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Illegal sand mining is crippling sugar cane farmers
Armed illegal sand miners along the Komati River in Mpumalanga have become a law unto themselves, with farmers and authorities powerless to prevent rampant theft.
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
FMD biosecurity: a fundamental shift from reactive containment to proactive prevention
The red meat industry in South Africa faces considerable challenges, primarily due to recurrent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which critically threaten both domestic productivity and international trade relationships.
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Hard work pays off for small-scale farmer
The small-scale farmer featured in this article went through the mill before he turned things around.
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Fight fire with flow: step-by-step strategy
Unwanted wildfires across South and Southern Africa have surged in number and intensity over recent years, according to the International Association of Wildland Fire.
2 min |
July 4 - 11, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Pullman Cape Town City Centre adapts to modern travel demands
Brian Berkman visited the Accor Hotel Group’s first Pullman-branded hotel in South Africa, formerly a Radisson Blu, and found that subtle changes enhanced the guest experience.
3 min |
June 27, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Food quality and safety beyond what we see
Food and product testing are essential for safety, quality, and compliance in agriculture and food. Magda du Toit visited SciCorp Laboratories to learn more about its role in supporting the food value chain.
2 min |
June 27, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
DIY: biochar on a budget
Despite its potential benefits, biochar is generally too expensive for most farmers to buy. For this reason, Wihan Bekker, civil engineer at Ikhala Impact, explained to Glenneis Kriel how farmers can make their own.
6 min |
June 27, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Essential oils venture empowers Keiskammahoek farmers
Qobo Qobo Essential Oils Incubator, a rural enterprise in Keiskammahoek, Eastern Cape, is creating jobs through the cultivation and export of essential oils.
1 min |