2021

A word from…Jurie Mentz July 2021 If there is one lesson I learned about agriculture (which can also be applied to life in general) is that when you only talk about something, you are heading in the wrong direction, but to actually do something means you are on the right track.  Successful farming means

Harvesting at the right time is vital July 2021 RICHARD MCPHERSON, AGRIBUSINESS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT   Timely harvesting will ensure that the potential maximum yield and income of the crops can be fully realised as soon as possible after the stage of physiological maturity has been reached. The harvesting of maize, sunflowers and soybeans

Maize stover is a valuable commodity July 2021 JENNY MATHEWS, MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST AND EDUCATOR   By optimising the stover, a farmer is essentially increasing the benefits and profitability of his maize production cycle. With profit margins under pressure, every maize farmer needs to decide on how best to capitalise on the stover left

Let’s look at local sunflower market trends July 2021 IKAGENG MALULEKE, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIST AT GRAIN SA   Over the years sunflower has gained the reputation of an ideal crop to grow under low-input and marginal cropping conditions, with consistent yields under adverse conditions. In certain production regions, sunflowers are, however, left as a last resort,

Improve your leadership skills July 2021 MARIUS GREYLING, INDEPENDENT AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT   The media has bombarded us with reports of poor performance of a number of different institutions in our country the past few months. A lack of leadership has been quoted as a reason for the poor performance. But what is leadership and

Good advice for choosing fertiliser July 2021 PIETMAN BOTHA, INDEPENDENT AGRI- CULTURAL CONSULTANT   The performance and yield of a maize crop is directly related to the climate soil and fertilisation. Soil test results are needed in order to determine the nutrient requirements and the correct application thereof. WHAT MAIZE NEEDS FOR EFFECTIVE GROWTH For

Ensure that Sclerotinia does not ruin the crop July 2021 ARTICLE COMPILED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN SCLEROTINIA RESEARCH NETWORK Sclerotinia stem rot causes a lot of damage to crops, particularly soybean and sunflower, and can result in significant yield losses. The Sclerotinia sclerotiorum fungus cause the disease. In South Africa, the most important crops affected