September 2026
Articles in this Issue
Focus brings excellence and success
A rapidly changing world holds challenges and opportunities for the deciduous-fruit industry. By Engela Duvenage. Grit, application, action, and belief…
Dealing with the reality of internal migration
Louder voices and better planning are needed to address the reshaping of rural towns driven by internal migration. By Engela…
Growing the agricultural pie is key
Meaningful agricultural transformation requires more than just unlocking land. By Engela Duvenage. Small-scale farms need to become commercially successful within…
Sustainability matters for land restitution
Supporting communities involved in land claims plays a major part in their success. By Engela Duvenage. On 25 October 2024,…
Navigating troubled waters
How the European Union is attempting to achieve food security without losing sight of its sustainability goals. By Anna Mouton…
Disruption brings opportunities
What is South Africa doing to take advantage of upheavals in the global trade landscape? By Anna Mouton. President Donald…
What consumers want
Understanding how shoppers in the United States buy apples holds valuable lessons for the South African industry. By Anna Mouton…
A fact of doing business
Compliance with local and international regulations is non-negotiable for the deciduous-fruit industry to continue operating. By Anna Mouton. “Regulation is…
Solve the right problems
How should countries think about border biosecurity when even the most stringent system in the world is fallible? By Anna…
Regulation of phytosanitary risk in South Africa
Quarantine, diagnostics, and laboratory networks support biosecurity within a global context of constrained resources. By Jenny Underhill. “Emerging or invasive…
Hot topics in crop protection
From regulations and research to integrated and regenerative practices. By Anna Mouton. “How will the deciduous-fruit industry transition to more…
Target-adapted dosing and spray application
How to optimise crop protection and reduce spray drift through canopy-adapted spray application. By Anna Mouton. “Where do pesticides go…
Spray-drift reduction in Europe
Fruit growers are subject to increasingly strict drift-reduction regulations. What are their options for compliance? By Anna Mouton. “We need…
Crop-sensing-assisted spraying
Do gap-detection systems make sense in the South African context? By Anna Mouton. Theoretically, deciduous-fruit growers should be enthusiastic adopters…
A new assessment tool for orchard sprayers
French researchers develop standardised methods for classifying spray deposition and drift-reduction potential. By Anna Mouton. “Over the past 10 years,…
Rethinking orchard diagnostics with advanced sequencing
Advances in virus detection are reshaping how the industry understands the hidden role of viruses in orchards. By Ilyaas Rhoda…
Planting for profitability
Key pointers for establishing and managing high-performing orchards. By Anna Mouton. “We need to chase profitability,” said Nic Finger. “Not…
Fit for purpose
South African apple growers are leveraging rootstock diversity to adapt and thrive in an increasingly complex industry. By Anna Mouton…
Perspectives on apple rootstocks
Industry experts share their take on M.9 versus G.778, where to plant what, and other factors influencing orchard success. By…
New technology options for deciduous-fruit farmers
Embracing technology can help growers farm more efficiently and sustainably. By Jenny Underhill. “Cigarette lighters are amazing, aren’t they? But…
Technology platforms in practice
How Dutoit Agri leverages technology to turn data into actionable information. By Anna Mouton. “Fruit cultivation is similar to a…
The economics of technology adoption
No new technology is fit for every situation. How can growers decide what to implement? By Anna Mouton. “I’m going…