Smart irrigation scheduling benefits producers
As climate variability increasingly affects producers across the Southeastern U.S., Wes Porter spends a lot of time thinking about water — specifically, crop irrigation — and how available tools can benefit farmers threefold. “In some years we have ample rainfall to produce very good yields, while in other years, dryland yields are near zero,” said Porter, associate…
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KZN farmer fined over R1.7m for illegal water use
Owner of Redlands Farm, Roy Clifford Braithwaite, in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, has been fined over R1.7m by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) for illegally abstracting water from Wagendrift Dam to irrigate his crops without a water use licence.
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Agri SA warns action needed to prevent locust outbreak in 2023
Agriculture business organisation Agri SA says it is extremely concerned that the 2022/23 summer season will lead to an even greater locust outbreak if no proactive measures are taken now.
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KZN couple cash in on growing demand for mushroom spawn
Interest in mushroom is on the rise, particularly among consumers wanting to cultivate their own supply. Capitalising on this market, MushRush in KwaZulu-Natal supplies mushroom spawn to clients across South Africa. Owner Sandra van Rij explained the multi-stage process of producing spawn to Lindi Botha.
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How an SA producer grows 70 000t of citrus a year
Mahela Group is a third-generation farming business in Limpopo. Eddie Vorster, director of the company’s citrus division, spoke to Magda du Toit about the strategies and farming practices they follow to achieve their considerable success.
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Rise in soya bean production expected to continue
The expected 1,33% increase in soya bean production announced in the Crop Estimates Committee’s (CEC) September crop forecast is testament to the growing awareness of soya bean’s value as a viable alternative for summer crop production.
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How to balance draining fields with holding onto nitrogen
Purdue University researchers conducted a three-decade-long experiment to find out how different farming practices and drainage strategies affect crop growth and nitrogen loss from fields.
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SA’s vineyards need climate-proofing
To combat the effects of climate change, South African wine farmers will have to plan the establishment of new vineyards more carefully, especially if they want them to achieve heritage status.
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Tech yields beneficial tools for farms
Software company Aerobotics is pioneering solutions, such as its Aeroview infield mobile application (app) and computer vision for the precision farming of perennial crops, as more growers look to agricultural technology to solve labour and input efficiency challenges.
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This community garden in Gauteng’s growing bigger, better veggies – thanks to dagga-powered soil
A Johannesburg-based medical cannabis cultivation company, MedCan, uses finely tuned growing systems to produce high-THC flower for the export market.
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