“Every single farm worker in this province is a fire-fighter. That means training on how to fight a fire and the supply of proper personal protection equipment is vital on all of our farms, particularly sugarcane farms.” Terry Tedder KZN FPA OPCO Chairman
With vast tracts of land under sugarcane, macadamia and timber, a runaway fire in KwaZulu-Natal can become a thing of nightmares.
As a result, agriculture insurance companies such as the region’s Patula Risk Agri, the Safire Insurance Company and the sugar industry’s Grocane, have all made it compulsory for insured farmers to take up membership of Fire Protection Associations (FPA) to assist in risk mitigation.
In the Grocane rules and procedures, insured sugarcane growers are given clear instructions on how to burn firebreaks, and a detailed inventory of on-farm fire-fighting equipment, in line with FPA recommendations.
Charles Duminy from Patula Risk Agri and Gareth Smallbones from the Safire Insurance Company also confirmed that any farmers on their books who were insured for fire were required to become members of their local FPA and had to abide by the association’s rules.
Also, according to the country’s National Veld and Forest Act 101 of 1998, provincial governments and district and local municipalities are required by law to belong to an FPA.
Crop sprayers filled with water are primed and ready for take-off – just one of the strategies adopted by the Richmond Fire Protection Association to control fire outbreaks, which can quickly become uncontrollable in the sugarcane fields and timber plantations.
Terry Tedder, Chairman of the KZN FPA Operational Committee, said in the forestry sector, which spans vast tracts of land in KwaZulu-Natal, trained and dedicated teams numbering at least 100 people per corporate member e.g. Sappi or Mondi, took care of fire prevention. “In the sugarcane and macadamia industries every single farm labourer is a fire-fighter. And that is an issue from a safety aspect. Proper training on what to do and how to behave around a fire is critically important,” he said.
Tedder agreed that the on-farm requirements by the FPAs were vital for improved fire prevention. “Agriculture insurance is a partnership between the farmer and the insurer. It’s there for that freak, once-in-lifetime event. I think the outlay for fire protection can be viewed as an investment rather than a cost by farmers.”
To this end, the FPAs in KwaZulu-Natal have employed artificial intelligence to assist with fire prevention.
In a control room high in the timber-clad hills near Richmond, about 678 000ha of rural districts and agricultural land under sugarcane and timber plantations are monitored 24/7 for 365 days a year for fire.
The Lions River FPA in the central Midlands has a similar operation, with 19 cameras covering 300 000ha, which include the Greytown region.
Siyabonga Phoswa keeps an eye on a bank of monitors displaying real-time information relayed to the control room by 14 cameras monitoring fire outbreaks in the Richmond area.
Similarly in Zululand, the regional FPA has 19 cameras covering around 400 000ha.
“In the Richmond area we have about 80% of the area covered with 14 cameras. The artificial intelligence aspect reacts as soon as there is a change in the picture, in other words when the cameras detect smoke during the day and the colour orange at night. As soon as the fire is picked up an alarm goes off in our control room and the picture of the fire is displayed on the screens in front of the controllers,” Tedder said.
During a visit to the Richmond control room where four staff were monitoring at least three banks of computer screens each, the alarm was continuous. “We have about 48 fires burning right now,” Tedder said.
The 39 cameras, which cost about R850 000, and more than R21 000 each to run every month, are mounted on steel towers between 30m and 75m high, and rotate at 360°, completing a full circle in two and a half minutes. The cameras take images which they send back to the control room, and if the camera detects smoke, an alarm is triggered. “The cameras pinpoint the location and send the coordinates in real time. Once the alarm is triggered our controllers will contact the teams on the ground who will physically check on the blaze.”
Tedder said the system also supplied real-time weather and lightning forecasts. “Statistics show that while we have yet to reduce the number of fires annually, we have cut the reaction time significantly. This means we bring the fires under control more quickly than in the past.”
And although this year’s fire season was not the worst on record, it had been “rough”. “We have about 572 fires between May and October in the Richmond area a year. Usually by May 15 we have had our first frost. This year it was mid-July. The earlier the frost, the earlier we can burn firebreaks. The cut-off time for firebreak preparation is the end of July. That puts a lot of pressure on farmers to get their breaks sorted in time. That kind of pressure can lead to mistakes, so we had to be very alert during that time,” Tedder said.
FPA KZN OPCO Chair Terry Tedder in the control centre high in the hills behind Richmond in KwaZulu-Natal.
He also warned farmers to confirm they had the correct permissions before starting any controlled burn. “Usually farmers phone in and let us know that they are going to be burning firebreaks or sugarcane and we will give them a reference number.”
- Despite the fire season ending in KwaZulu-Natal (November 1) farmers are urged to remain vigilant and be aware of any fire outbreaks with the following management tips provided by the Lions River FPA in a weekly newsletter.
- Comply with the rules and regulations of regional FPAs.
- All burning is undertaken entirely at the landowner’s risk.
- Keep a check on all on-farm firefighting equipment to make sure it is in working order and is maintained.
- Be sure there is enough personal protective equipment for firefighters and that it is worn during fire burning operations.
- Carry out regular radio check and make sure the radio is on the applicable network.
- No burning over weekends and after sunset unless authorised by the FPA.
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Scorched macadamia trees after a fire that ripped through a Lowveld orchard as a result of a runaway blaze from a neighbouring farm.
Pictured Above: Lehanna Louw, who is in charge of media and marketing at The Nut Machine Company shop in the centre of Oudtshoorn, with some of the delicious macadamia goodies on sale.
“I am a go-getter. My aim is to be on top of everything and one step ahead.” – Antonn Cloete Owner/Director – The Nut Machine Company
In 2013, business owner Antonn Cloete was asked by a Tzaneen-based macadamia processor to build a “maintenance-free” nut-cracking machine. His immediate thought was, “are they joking?”
It turned out the joke was on him, Cloete quips.
As a hugely successful entrepreneur, his business trajectory could be described as rocket-fuelled, but behind the scenes, the 61-year-old has achieved his success in the face of extraordinary personal challenges.
In 1997, at the age of 34, Cloete started his first company, Elecmec Transmissions, followed in 2010 by the establishment of Elecmec Engineering & Power. Both businesses are in Polokwane, Limpopo province.
But in 2014 and at the very height of his career, Cloete was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition which only recently has been named as Eye Muscle Dystrophy. The condition causes the muscles in the eyelids to decline, resulting in drooped eyelids and deterioration in the movement of the eyes.
Cloete says it is very difficult for him to visit clients or go out in public as his eyes water profusely, and the numerous operations – to connect his eyelid muscles to his eyebrows to enable movement – have lost their effect.
“I tell clients the reason I’m crying so much is because they are not giving me their business,” he laughs, making light of the diagnosis.
The Nut Machine Company’s shop front in the Karoo town of Oudtshoorn where Antonn Cloete and his wife Yolanda now live.
But the condition was instrumental in his and his wife’s recent move to Oudtshoorn. “There is a silicone mine quite close to Polokwane. The doctor believed the dust from the mine was a major irritant to my eyes. I think it’s fair to say that Oudtshoorn has some of the cleanest air in the country.”
The businesses, which employ 38 people, are now managed out of the remote Karoo town while the family’s state-of-the art manufacturing plant is based in Polokwane.
Despite his deteriorating health, Cloete says the conversation at the Tzaneen macadamia factory in 2013 was an irresistible challenge, and without an inkling of where it would lead, he set about getting it done.
“As a mechanical and transmissions retailer business, we worked regularly with macadamia farmers and processors. We would repair pumps, re-bore engines, fix gearboxes and supply spare parts. The sector wasn’t new to us. I was busy with a repair at one of the macadamia factories when the manager told me it was costing more than R300 000 a year to replace the blades on their nut-cracking machine. Also, instead of consistently cracking out whole kernel, it would often split the nuts or break them into bits. He challenged me to make something more cost effective, efficient and low maintenance.”
First, Cloete visited as many macadamia factories as possible. His aim was to gather as much information as he could before he set about designing his version of the cracker. Within eight weeks he and his team had produced what is known today as the MacMartin’s nut cracker.
Seven years on and the MacMartin’s, which is capable of cracking 1.2 to 1.5 tons of nuts per hour and described as “robust and cost effective”, is a household name in the Kenyan macadamia sector. It can be found in 12 additional countries worldwide and is in high demand
in South Africa.
“As fast as we build them, we sell them,” Cloete says.
Interestingly, the MacMartin’s is also being used in Papua New Guinea to crack the native Galip nut, which, according to Cloete, has a much harder shell than the macadamia.
He is now researching and developing a de-huller designed for South Africa’s growing pecan nut industry.
Following on the massive success of the cracking machine, Cloete formed The Nut Machine Company, which has innovated and manufactured some of the sector’s most sought-after processing machinery – from dryers to dehuskers and everything in between.
He says while R&D is expensive, it takes them just six to eight weeks from concept to the final product. And patents, he adds, are not worth it.
But it was the world macadamia price crash in 2022 which forced the couple to lift their game.
“That year, our business dried up. We realised that because the export market was flooded with product and prices were at rock bottom, farmers were seeking alternative ways to sell their crop. We responded by designing and building machines geared for value-add production, such as caramelizers, and drum roasters. We also built a smaller tabletop nut cracker – 100kg an hour – aimed at cottage industries, as well as a two-lane dehusker. Now we’re busy building an all-in-one caramelizer roaster.”
The company website has an extensive list of value-add machinery ideally suited to driving agri-processing in the domestic macadamia sector.
And to top it off, visitors to Oudtshoorn can stop at
The Nut Machine Company’s shop front at 223 High Street, where flavoured macadamia nuts, nougats, chocolates, fudge, oils and nut butters make up the list
of delicious goodies available for discerning shoppers.
For further information visit: www.nutmachine.co.za
The Nut Machine Company’s shop stocks anything from olive oil to processing machines for both factory and cottage industry use.
Article by Colleen Dardagan
Pictured Above: Discussing markets at the recent SAMAC industry day are, from left, Shane Hartman, CEO of Global Macadamias; Mike Benjamin, CEO of Golden Macadamias; PJ Venter, Director of Mayo Macs; Jillian Laing, CEO of the World Macadamia Organisation; Alex Whyte, Director of Green Farms Nut Company; Zac Bard, President of the World Avocado Organisation and Myles Osborne, SAMAC Vice Chairman.
“Don’t find customers for your product, find product for your customers.” Seth W. Godin
Industry experts at this year’s South African macadamia industry (SAMAC) day urged the more than 550 farmers and processors who attended to focus on marketing decisions geared for long-term prosperity rather than short-term gains.
The event was hosted at the Whispering Thorns Guest Farm in the north-eastern region of Mpumalanga.
Headline speaker Professor Ferdi Meyer – who is the director of South Africa’s Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy – said indicators over time had shown how economies in developed countries were stagnating compared with the growing popularity of the value-for-money products originating in developing nations.
“Emerging markets are still the big movers and shakers. But growth in China is slowing down, with most projections showing that India will overtake them as the biggest economy in the world,” he said.
While potential market growth was good news, Jillian Laing, CEO of the World Macadamia Organisation (WMO), cautioned the domestic sector to drive appropriate growth. “As macadamia prices start to increase again, it is important to pursue markets where consumers can afford the higher prices,” she said.
Director of Mayo Macs PJ Venter said demand from China was increasing for both kernel and inshell. “This means higher quality nuts are needed and they (younger consumers) are becoming far more discerning. It’s not the anything-goes-market it used to be a decade ago.”
Although demand for kernel was picking up in China, Venter said the Chinese were buying inshell and cracking it themselves, rather than sourcing kernel. “Higher demand is good news but beware – once the Chinese have secured sufficient supply, they will start competing with us in the kernel markets and pushing prices down.”
Sustainable growth
While kernel sales are traditionally directed to countries whose economies are described as stagnating, the potential to expand consumption in these markets was positive, delegates heard.
Alex Whyte, director of Green Farms Nut Company, said that the European Union (EU) had shown 22% growth in kernel sales since 2019. “EU consumers want affordable luxury, and macadamias represent that. Buying the nuts won’t break the household budget, but they still present a premium product.”
Whyte warned that it was important to maintain the premium status of the macadamia while providing both value to consumers and fair prices to growers.
And while macadamia nuts as an ingredient in a variety of products potentially offered an increase in consumption, the industry must take a long-term view on the opportunities on offer to sustain industry development.
Turning to trends in the United States, Shane Hartman, CEO of Global Macadamias, said the market had shown a 50% decrease in kernel sales between 2019 and 2023. He ascribed this to the “dire state” of the American economy.
And while there was promise and sales had increased this year, the competition from other nut products would potentially impact big price increases.
Hartman believes innovation will drive sales in the US market. “The Chinese have developed great snack products, coating macadamia nuts with a host of flavourings. There’s no reason this kind of product won’t work in the US and achieve a premium price,” he said.
Maintaining premium pricing in the Middle East, however, according to the CEO of Golden Macadamias, Mike Benjamin, was key to viable growth. “Kernel prices have increased by 43% since 2019. The Middle East presents the sweet spot for our macadamias, considering its proximity to South Africa in relation to other kernel suppliers, its economic growth, spending power, favourable tariffs and consumption patterns.”
On the avocado industry’s marking strategies in India, president of the World Avocado Organisation Zac Bard said the country was ready to buy into healthier products. “It’s a long-term push to introduce new produce and it takes huge effort and budget. Yet once it gains momentum, the growth is tremendous.”
Julian Mellentin, director of the French company New Nutrition, advised that driving messaging linked to the health benefits of macadamia nut consumption would create advantage. But he cautioned that the messaging should be consistently maintained over the long term rather than changing from year to year.
“Young consumers are losing their fear of fat. Research is increasingly showing that natural fats from whole food sources pose no negative implications for the diet, so we will start seeing changes in fat recommendations. For most consumers, fat is still feared, but for health-active consumers, it’s a virtue. Since macadamias are one of the best sources of good fats, this trend is to our benefit, especially since it is these consumers who are willing to pay a premium for health foods.”
Another angle was mood food. “Mood is a big issue for young consumers who are looking to their diets to improve mood and avoid mood swings. This goes together with blood sugar-friendly food trends, where certain products are sought out to stabilise blood sugar, leading to reduced cravings, improved sleep and a better mood.”
The WMO’s Laing said she had seen some resistance to macadamias in China, where health-conscious consumers considered the nut to be too high in fat. “The WMO is undertaking a project in China to clarify the difference in the oil make-up of the two products, and that macadamias are indeed a healthy choice,” she said.
The right approach
While Bard presented a positive report on the market growth in the avocado industry, he warned that maintaining good prices amid rising volumes could cost up to R40 million per year.
“In 2017, avocado consumption globally was relatively low and consumers didn’t know how to use them or eat them. Global volumes also steadily grew from 180 000 tons in 1995 to 900 000 tons in 2024. Yet prices have remained steady despite the global economic downturn. This year, grower returns shot up by 6% despite an increase in volume from last year. How did we do it? We grew the market.”
The avocado industry’s marketing campaigns focused on consumer education linked to the versatility of the fruit. Social media and influencers played a big role in convincing consumers to eat more avos. Today, they are the most prevalent fruit on social media, with the organisation reaching an average of 31 million people across its four channels.
On the importance of origin marketing, both Bard and Laing warned against it.
“Origin marketing can be very confusing for consumers. It’s important that the product first be established in their minds and consumption grown through generic marketing before moving on to origin,” said Bard.
In summary, while the industry is optimistic that prices will improve in 2025 and the prospects for market growth are good, experts warned that positioning in the market was critical for long-term stability.
Article by Lindi Botha
As 2024 draws to a close we reflect on what has been a difficult year.
The knock-on effect of the 2022 macadamia price crash on industry-wide spend forced The Macadamia to cut back on its usual four editions to just three for the year.
Regardless, these editions have continued the tradition of high-quality journalism aimed at promoting and informing the sector since the launch of the title in 2018.
The Macadamia is utterly dependent on its advertisers for survival. With that in mind, we would like to express our deep and grateful appreciation to all of those who have continued to support the magazine, believing it to be a worthy vehicle for product and support services awareness. We cannot say thank you enough!
In this edition we pick apart the agriculture insurance industry. We ask whether insurance is fit-for-purpose and whether the products on offer are designed with food security and optimum production in mind.
Other than in the sugarcane industry, where farmers are insured by the innovative not-for-profit Grocane, we found that investigating the subject was a lot like kicking over an ants’ nest.
Farmers generally begrudge insurers their premiums, saying products are too expensive and seemingly designed more for profit than securing the country’s food supply in a time of crisis.
On the other hand, insurers believe their products are well priced and ideally suited for the industry, describing their relationship with macadamia farmers as a “partnership” where risk is mitigated through shared responsibility.
The growing impact of the climate crisis, urbanisation and unsustainable population growth is a call on agricultural insurance companies to respond with innovative products able to assist in securing food supply. At the same time, these products must remain affordable for farmers, who are often in a price crunch. A tricky juggle indeed.
In September 2020, pictures of vandalised macadamia orchards in the Upper Tongaat region circulated like wildfire on WhatsApp groups across the industry. Thousands of mature macadamia trees were chopped down overnight on a couple of farms by a neighbouring community. They were allegedly hitting back at the farmers for curtailing their illegal poaching operations and a failed land claim.
The photos doing the rounds at that time showed rows and rows of trees with their stems split in two, the leaves of the canopy starting to wilt as the trees lay on their side on the ground.
Now, four years on, The Macadamia visited the orchards to see how farmers like Thinus Fourie not only restored their trees to full health, but are anticipating a bumper crop in 2025 – albeit it with a security fence encompassing the orchard and security guards on 24/7 patrol.
The spirit and fortitude of South African farmers is the stuff of legends.
May we take this opportunity to wish our readers and advertisers a peaceful and restful festive season, with high prices and an ideal growing season for all in the new year.
Agriculture holds a unique double opportunity to reverse adverse climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing carbon from the atmosphere. By adopting more sustainable farming practices, farmers can increase their profitability and significantly contribute to environmental goals. Rivulis is at the forefront of this transformation, providing farmers access to the carbon credit market, simplifying the process, and ensuring tangible benefits.
Voluntary Carbon Market
The Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM), valued at $2 billion in 2022, is projected to expand dramatically, potentially reaching $50 billion by 2030 according to Citi, driven by growing “net zero” corporate commitments. This market represents a largely untapped opportunity for farmers. Less than 1% of carbon credits originate from the agricultural sector, underpinning the relevance of the Rivulis Climate team.
Jon Baravir, Climate Director, Rivulis says farmers entering this market can create a new income stream without compromising their current operations.
“Rivulis makes it easier for farmers to participate in the VCM by handling all administrative and registration processes free of charge, in exchange for a small percentage of the carbon credit revenue. The estimated cost to register a carbon credit project over time is around $150,000, which Rivulis covers entirely,” Baravir says.
Transitioning to sustainable farming practices and obtaining carbon credits is a complex, long-term process that can take over 24 months. Rivulis supports farmers at every step, from advising on best practices to managing the registration process. Rivulis develops its scientific approaches to measure and model the carbon sequestration impact of such changes, especially in soils and trees, per the requirements of the VCM. Recommendations include switching to drip irrigation, reducing tillage, implementing cover crops, using fewer fertilizers, incorporating residues into the soil, and implementing agroforestry practices.
Rapid growth worldwide
The impact of Rivulis’ initiatives is evident in the rapid growth of their listed projects, covering over 4,000 hectares (doubling where it was just 6 months ago) globally. For example, a collective of row crop farms in Northern Italy that spans 3,000 hectares, and 150 hectares of farms in Israel, growing avocados more sustainably, have joined the program. Another farm in Portugal, that employs a broad set of sustainable farming practices, like using solar energy and enriching the organic matter in the soil, is replacing intensive corn cultivation with a native olive grove.
Rivulis is in advanced discussions with other growers globally, highlighting the growing awareness and adoption of carbon credits in agriculture.
“This achievement underscores our commitment to environmental stewardship and demonstrates our ability to advance complex agronomic solutions and climate-resilient models to drive meaningful environmental and economic benefits,” shares Baravir.
The European Union has begun placing conditions on sustainable farming for agricultural subsidies, and there is active discussion about similar measures in the U.S. Rivulis Climate gears farmers in anticipation of any changes that may happen.
Benefits for farmers include:
- New Income Source: Carbon credits provide additional revenue without disrupting operations.
- Sustainability: Adopting regenerative agriculture practices leads to healthier soil, increased biodiversity, and reduced chemical use.
- Recognition: Farmers are acknowledged for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and capturing carbon.
- Futureproofing: Stay ahead of regulatory and customer demands regarding environmental impact.
“We invite farmers, stakeholders, and the agricultural community to join in shaping the future of agriculture. Participating in the Rivulis Climate program means farmers benefit financially and contribute to global environmental efforts,” continues Baravir.
VCM offers increased profitability
The Voluntary Carbon Market offers a promising avenue for farmers to increase profitability while contributing to climate change mitigation. Rivulis is leading the charge by simplifying access to this market and supporting farmers in adopting sustainable practices. This partnership between farmers and Rivulis is not just talk—it’s a tangible and realistic path to a more profitable and sustainable future.
“By positioning your farm and customers at the forefront of sustainable agriculture, you can do good for both your business and the planet. Join Rivulis in pioneering a program that has the potential to revolutionise the agricultural sector and make a significant positive impact on our world,” says Baravir.
The Beaumont macadamia cultivar offers the advantage of high yields during “on” years. However, it does have some limitations, such as lower kernel recovery and generally lower prices compared to cultivars like 816 and A4. Additionally, in “off” years, the decline in global prices might not adequately cover the potential losses. Given that a large portion of South African macadamia orchards are planted to Beaumont, it’s crucial to find ways to manage this cultivar more effectively. Recent data suggests that cross-pollination could be a viable solution to this challenge.
Cross-pollination for macadamia refers to the transfer of pollen from the raceme of one cultivar to that of another cultivar. This evolutionary mechanism enhances genetic diversity and reduces the risks associated with inbreeding. While some plant species are self-compatible, meaning they can bear fruit through self-pollination, macadamias are largely self-sterile. The degree of self-compatibility varies between cultivars.
This article examines the role of cross-pollination in macadamia production and addresses the question: Can implementing cross-pollination practices enhance yields and decrease yield variability in Beaumont orchards?
Australian research
The potential benefits of cross-pollination on yield was investigated in Australia, where researchers found compelling evidence supporting its advantages.
- Trueman et al. (2019) conducted paternity testing on “816,” “Daddow,” and “A4” orchards. It was discovered that at least 80% of the 816 nuts, 90% of A4, and 88% of Daddow nuts resulted from cross-pollination, not self-pollination. This finding underscores the critical role of cross-pollination in successful nut set.
- Trueman and Wallace (2020) evaluated the yield in rows located at the centre of an 816 block and compared it to the yield in rows along the perimeter, adjacent to a bordering Daddow block. The yield in the centre of the 816 block was less than half that of the perimeter rows, suggesting that closer proximity to different cultivars significantly enhances yield potential.
- Additionally, hand-pollinated trees in the middle of a 816 block, lead to a 97% increase in yield. This study emphasized that cross-pollination was the key limiting factor in the mono-cultivar 816 block (Trueman & Wallace 2020).
South-African research
South African research also supports the significant benefits of cross-pollination for the local industry:
- Allsopp (2020) demonstrated that the number of nuts that set per raceme can significantly be increased by hand-pollinating Beaumont racemes with other cultivars. When pollinated by the A4 cultivar, Beaumont racemes produced six times more nuts compared to self-pollinated racemes. Figure 1 illustrates the increase in nut set for Beaumont flowers hand-pollinated by various cultivars.
Figure 1. Number of nuts per racemes after Beaumont racemes were hand pollinated by five different cultivars including Beaumont (self-pollination).
- In 2022, Bernhard Jordaan conducted a study similar to Allsopp’s, comparing Beaumont racemes hand-pollinated with A4 and Nelmak 2 cultivars to self-pollinated Beaumont racemes. The results showed that cross-pollinated racemes produced significantly more nuts than those that were self-pollinated (figure 2,3).
Figure 2. Number of nuts per racemes after Beaumont racemes were pollinated by A4, Nelmak 2 and Beaumont (self-pollinated).
Figure 3. Nut growth of a Beaumont raceme hand pollinated by a A4 raceme. A- 09/09/2022, B-19/10/2022, C-09/11/2022, D-16/01/2022.
Recommendations
- Incorporate pollinating cultivars at establishment: When establishing a new orchard, include cultivars that serve as pollinators. Some cultivars, like Beaumont, respond particularly well to cross-pollination and require pollen from other cultivars for optimal nut set.
- Introduce cross-pollinators in single-cultivar orchards: Consider introducing cross-pollinators into orchards planted with a single cultivar. This can be done by topworking existing trees. It is recommended that one third (33%) of the orchard be converted to a pollinator.
- Ensure adequate bee colonies: Introduce a sufficient number of bee colonies to flowering orchards to facilitate effective pollen transfer between trees. While the minimum is 2 colonies per hectare, it is recommended to place at least 4 colonies per hectare to ensure optimal pollination.
Conclusion
The research and data presented in this article highlight the critical role that cross-pollination can play in enhancing the performance of macadamia orchards. While Beaumont is widely planted in South Africa and capable of high yields during “on” years, its lower kernel recovery, inconsistent production, and susceptibility to global price fluctuations present significant challenges. To address these issues, it is essential to adopt practices that leverage the benefits of cross-pollination. By integrating pollinating cultivars, utilizing top working to introduce cross-pollinators, and ensuring adequate bee populations for effective pollen transfer, growers can potentially improve yield consistency, and make Beaumont orchards more resilient and economically viable.
Written by:
Bernhard Jordaan
TopNut: Technical manager
067 2141 800/ bernhardj@topnutgroup.com
