Fig production enables Fairfield farm to reduce market risks while adding value to soil that under other conditions would have been good enough only for grain production. Cobus du Toit of Fair Figs spoke to Glenneis Kriel about this diversification.
In 2009, Kobus Lourens, a banana producer from Mpumalanga, and Valerian van der Bijl, a grain, sheep and cattle farmer from the Overberg region of the Western Cape, decided to venture into fig production together. Trading under the name Fair Figs, Lourens and Van der Bijl now produce around 10t/ ha of figs on 58ha on the farm Fairfield in the Overberg.
OPTIMAL FIG VARIETIES
The pair soon discovered that South African varieties were in poor demand overseas. Cobus du Toit, production manager at Fair Figs, explains that the international market prefers purple, hairless, thin-skinned figs that can be eaten whole to the local thick-skinned, green varieties with their sticky, white sap.
Despite consulting Keith Wilson, known as South Africa’s ‘fig man’ because of his pioneering work in the commercialisation of fig production, Van der Bijl and Lourens had to learn many hard lessons along the way due to poor cultivar selection. Some varieties did not have a good shelf life, whereas others were in poor demand.
“We thought Ronde de Bordeaux would be an international hit, but the market simply doesn’t have a [big] appetite for these small figs. We had to replant 9ha of the 12ha under Ronde de Bordeaux,” recalls Du Toit.
Instead of removing entire trees, he and his team merely sawed the old trees off, leaving a stump on which they grafted new plant material.
“Trees planted in the soil take up to five years to reach full commercial production levels. Grafting the trees reduces this time by about two years,” he explains.
They also ran into problems with the Tangier variety. This has excellent shelf life and is in high demand, but the figs need to be pollinated by the fig wasp for fruit development.
Denne historien er fra March 22, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra March 22, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
