Robert Carlton-Shields bought Fairview Farm as a going concern in 2011, but it took about six years and approximately R700 000/ha in orchard re-establishment and management costs before he finally reaped a viable harvest from his 10ha of macadamia trees. Given this investment in money and time, he set about improving the cost-efficiency of his operation wherever he could.
According to Carlton-Shields, macadamia production is one of the fastest-expanding agriculture industries in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
This is confirmed by industry organisation Macadamias South Africa, which states that more than 2 000ha of macadamia orchards were established in the province in 2019 alone.
Carlton-Shields currently has 26 500 14-year- old trees, mostly of the Beaumont variety.
CONTAINING COSTS
Due to high input costs, he cannot afford any inefficiency in the harvesting process. In addition, the farm is situated in the Oribi Gorge area, where erratic local climatic conditions cause different parts of the orchards to flower and produce nuts at different times during the harvesting season, which runs from April to November. This means that each tree has to be visited three to four times in a season by pickers.
“Our 40 or so seasonal pickers use their pick sticks to knock ripe nuts from trees, which are about 6m tall,” he says. The pickers then collect the fallen nuts into 20kg bags in the 9m-wide rows between the trees. The average annual harvest is about 4,5t/ha of nut-in-shell.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 04, 2020-Ausgabe von Farmer's Weekly.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 04, 2020-Ausgabe von Farmer's Weekly.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
ARC names best dairy producers of the year
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) recently announced the winners of the 2024 National Master Dairyman Awards at an event hosted by AgriExpo in Stellenbosch, Western Cape.
Lion breeders to give up bone stockpiles?
The Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment issued an official notice in mid-November in which it called on lion breeders to voluntarily hand over their lion bone stockpiles to the state as soon as possible.
Thousands of British farmers march on parliament against inheritance tax
Thousands of UK farmers gathered in London, England, on 19 November to demand the government repeal a proposed inheritance tax on agricultural land, which they argued threatened the future of family-run farms (see page 4), Al Jazeera reported.
Avocado frittata with sundried tomatoes, feta and olives
This wholesome, vibrant frittata is perfect for brunch or a light supper. Recipe and photo: The South African Avocado Growers' Association.
Feed, hay, and other costs are up, so it's time to get creative
Breeders and riding schools need to explore innovative ways to generate income in order to ensure their survival, says Dr Mac.
How to make polystyrene seedling trays last longer
While thinking about how to prolong the lifespan of polystyrene seedling trays that are exposed to harsh sunlight, Bill Kerr began to wonder if a coat of paint might offer a solution.
Living the 'culture' in agriculture
Creation Wines has won numerous awards, was ranked fourth in the World’s Best Vineyards in 2023, and more recently won the V d’Or award for the Best Brand Experience. The owners, Carolyn and Jean-Claude Martin, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how their winery became a top tourism destination.
Time to take a deep breath on the slopes of the Magaliesberg
Around 100km from both Johannesburg and Pretoria in Gauteng and a tad over 40km from Rustenburg in North West, Farmer’s Weekly found a fine retreat on a working farm where couples may kindle their romance.
African penguins could be extinct by 2035 how to save them
Protecting the critically endangered African penguin is good for the environment, other animal species, and the economy, say Lorien Pichegru and Dr Alistair McInnes of Nelson Mandela University, Katrin Ludynia of the University of Cape Town, and Peter Barham of the University of Bristol in the UK.
An urgent need to confront Nassella in SA
South American grass species from the genus Nassella were unwittingly introduced to South Africa over 120 years ago and continue to invade montane veld. As Mike Burgess writes, research-based action is required.
