Prøve GULL - Gratis

Make The Most Of The Free Market

Farmer's Weekly

|

January 24, 2020

Fresh produce growers often try to plan production to capitalise on high prices.

Make The Most Of The Free Market

It’s easy to see why; fresh produce prices fluctuate dramatically, so it can make a huge difference to your income if you can be in production when prices peak. An additional benefit is that when produce is scarce and prices rise, the market is less fussy about quality.

Farmers often reflect on the irony of getting high prices for hail-damaged produce whereas, under normal circumstance, they struggle to make a profit with top-quality produce.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Apart from such severe climatic events, there are the normal price cycles determined by supply and demand. Demand is relatively static for a great many staples, but is influenced to some extent by high prices.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Infrastructure, policy, and finance will be the African continent's growth drivers

Africa's agricultural potential is vast, but inefficiencies in infrastructure, trade policy, and finance limit growth. Investments in transport, cold storage, irrigation, and digital trade systems, among others, are key to unlocking faster, cheaper, and more efficient agricultural trade.

time to read

3 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

SAPPO Academy showcases skills development and small business success

The South African Pork Producers' Organisation (SAPPO) Academy, a training organisation that promotes animal, environmental, and public health in the pig industry through knowledge transfer, recently hosted a mini development symposium in Pretoria. The event included an afternoon of meaningful dialogue, strategic learning, and leadership exchange, effectively bridging academic insight with real-world industry innovation.

time to read

3 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Backing for SA Canegrowers as sugar imports soar

Coenie Snyman, winemaker and founder of Rock of Eye Wines, was named the 2025 Diners Club Winemaker of the Year for his Rock of Eye Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, while Marnich Aucamp, assistant winemaker at Stellenbosch Vineyards, won the Young Winemaker of the Year award for his Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo Chenin Blanc 2024 at a gala dinner near Kleinmond in the Western Cape.

time to read

1 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

New or used? A practical guide to second-hand farm equipment

Second-hand farm machinery can deliver excellent value, if you know what to look for. Western Cape equipment broker Debbie Smit gave Lindi Botha practical advice to help farmers decide when to buy new, when pre-owned is the smarter choice, and how to avoid the costly pitfalls that often catch buyers off-guard.

time to read

4 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

The story of the Drakensberger beef cattle breed's evolution in Africa

The Drakensberger cattle breed has been part of the South African landscape for ages. So-called black indigenous cattle existed in South Africa as early as the 15th and 16th centuries and formed the foundation of the current Drakensberger beef cattle breed.

time to read

4 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Man vs machine - which works best in SA's farming sector?

South African farmers have embraced both mechanisation and staffing solutions to improve farm level efficiency. Sabrina Dean investigated the pros and cons of both and filed this report.

time to read

9 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Farmer's Weekly

SA's poultry industry must be more inclusive and sustainable

In spite of great progress made over the past 30 years in South Africa's poultry value chain, setbacks such as avian influenza and trade restrictions are calling for official intervention

time to read

2 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

An introduction to forward contracts and commodity futures for South African farmers

The agriculture sector is notoriously volatile, but producers can find stability using financial derivative tools. This article clearly defines and differentiates between two key instruments: forward contracts and futures contracts.

time to read

3 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Farmer's Weekly

Less tillage, more life: the machines and techniques behind soil recovery

Soil health is the foundation of global food security, environmental quality, and agricultural sustainability. According to expert Dr Hendrik Smith, reversing the cycle of soil degradation requires the continuous application of regenerative conservation agriculture principles, with no-tillage cultivation being nonnegotiable.

time to read

4 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Five Joburg hotels that make business a pleasure

Even with its well-documented problems, Johannesburg remains the centre of business in South Africa. And unlike some cities with their mountains and oceans, you'll get value and quality for a fraction of the price at these hotels. There are also great views in the mix. By .

time to read

6 mins

January 2-9, 2026

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size