2023

A word from… Phumzile Ngcobo October 2023 As farmers look forward to the upcoming planting season, they cannot help but look back at the previous one and the lessons it presented.  Most important to farmers is obtaining good average yields. However, the shift towards the use of sound and good agricultural practices is increasingly

Chemical labels contain new requirements October 2023 ELRIZA THERON,CROPLIFE SA   Farmers and farmworkers should be aware that their crop protection product labels are changing and will continue to do so for a while. The reason for this is because of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), which affects chemical

14 top tips on planter maintenance October 2023 PIETMAN BOTHA, INDEPENDENT AGRI- CULTURAL CONSULTANT   Suboptimal planter performance results in irregular seed depth, seeds at the soil surface, open seed slots, compacted soil on top of the seeds, hair pinning and sidewall compaction. Other problems include skips, doubles and triples – and at the end

Effective nitrogen management in soybeans is crucial October 2023 In South Africa the soybean production area has grown considerably, with new areas being planted throughout the country. The growing conditions are very different from the east to the west of the country. Farmers have to consider each situation that could influence the treatments of the nitrogen-fixing

Control weeds to optimise sunflower yield October 2023 PIETMAN BOTHA, INDEPENDENT AGRICULTURAL CONSULTANT AND DR MARYKE CRAVEN, SENIOR RESEARCHER, ARC-SMALL GRAIN Weed control in sunflower must be done effectively and with precise timing because young sunflowers are very sensitive to weed competition. To keep sunflower fields clean, an integrated weed control programme needs to be

Overseas trends influence crop prices October 2023 CHRISTIAAN VERCUIEL, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIST, GRAIN SA   Each year when the United States of America (USA) begins its planting season, the international market moves into a weather market. This means that what happens to the USA crop has a big impact on the movement in the market. In

Why a bookkeeper comes in handy October 2023 JENNY MATHEWS, MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST AND EDUCATOR   Farm administration may take hours. Hiringa bookkeeper gives you more time to focus on your business. When you don’t have to worry about organising your own books, you can spend more time and effort on the core activities