By Elise-Marie Steenkamp Five years ago, there was a shortage of difficult-to-root rootstocks and a need to improve the quality and health status of trees in the pome and stone fruit industries. Tissue culture (TC) provided a solution to addressing…
As of January 2022, the Tissue Culture Facility (TCF) at Bernheim Farm, outside Paarl, has added a certified quarantine facility to its operations. This will enable TCF clients to have certified tissue culture material imported to South Africa. This novel…
There is more than one type of transformation in this world. The most important one for the father and two daughters team of Protea farm was to farm for themselves. But then getting new life into old orchards was the…
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) and the South African Deciduous Fruit Industry formed a joint venture to commercialise the ARC-bred plum cultivars discussed below. Over the past decade, Culdevco Pty Limited has established itself as a major player in the…
Ever heard of the Newton Apple, Northern Spy, Pomme de Neige, and Cox Orange Pippen? These are but a few of the near-lost apple varieties that are preserved in Tru-Cape’s Heritage Orchard on Oak Valley Estate in Grabouw, of which…
Over the past ten years, Hortgro’s pome and stone fruit growers have strategically invested in key export markets through continuous long-term market development campaigns. These efforts aim to put South African deciduous fruit firmly in the saddle as a world…
Omgewingsaktiviste is lief daarvoor om Landbou oor die gebruik van gifstowwe aan te vat, ’n sektor waarin besonders hoë veiligheidstandaarde geld. Die probleem lê veel eerder by onwettige ‘straatgifstowwe’. Veral in informele nedersettings is mense oningelig en onbewus van die…
“When we started, we had nothing. But we did have a good attitude and a willingness to work!” Liza Ambraal, representing Dwarsberg Farming, spoke about their transformation journey during the Fruit SA Transformation Showcase recently held in the Western Cape…
Introducing the four farming musketeers. And Plan B. Plan A at Doornkloof started in 2008 when a group of beneficiaries, Pepsico and Christof Cloete (the mentor) from Rietvlei Boerdery came together. The mission was to establish Doornkloof as a BEE transformation…
Remmoho Investments in Agriculture is a unique example of BEE that works. What should new entering BEE growers know about the challenges and opportunities in apple farming in the Free State? Gerrit Rautenbach recently joined Remmoho’s information day. “An aunt…
The Transnet strike might be over, but the fruit industry is not out of the woods yet and the aftermath will be felt by all in the value chain for many weeks to come, but mostly on ground level by…
The deciduous fruit industry calls on all agricultural stakeholders to ensure the dignity and safety of agri workers when people are being transported. Stakeholders need to inform themselves of legislation and follow good practice guidelines. This is a serious matter…