A word from… Eric Wiggill

September 2024

IN THE EASTERN CAPE, THE FIRST RAINS SHOULD BE FALLING BY MID-SEPTEMBER, BUT AS EVERYBODY KNOWs, NOTHING IN FARMING IS WRITTEN IN STONE. SOIL PREPARATION AND PLANTING ARE SOME OF THE KEY ELEMENTS DURING THIS TIME.

The first rains should loosen the soil enough to be able to get a ripper into the lands to reduce the compaction layers created by cattle and machinery and reduce waterlogging. This will ensure that a farmer has better soil drainage and crop roots will be able to utilise the full soil depth.

Soil samples should be done to understand the soil’s pH and determine what is lacking in the soil. This shows what corrections must be done with lime and fertiliser. Crop stubble should be incorporated into the soil with lime. If compost or well-rotted manure is available, spread it evenly on the soil and disc immediately to avoid the leaching of valuable minerals and loss of nitrogen into the atmosphere (nitrification).

All inputs should have been ordered for the season and stored correctly. Equipment needed in the planting process should be serviced in the winter and must be in good working order. Remember to grease the bearing, not the nipple. The window for planting is basically 30 days, so planning is of utmost importance and a machine that is not working correctly will affect the yields, profitability and stress levels. 

Remember with the costs of inputs rising, the margin of error is very small. Planters, boom-sprayers and spreaders must be calibrated properly and tested twice to avoid expensive errors. Remember that too much or too little can have a devastating effect on production. The farmer should also check the contractor’s machinery – because if the job is not done properly, the expensive problem lies with the farmer.

Areas on the farm that were not productive due to waterlogging, shallow soils or marginal lands must be corrected or planted with a crop that will be productive. Therefore, lands must be utilised correctly, based on the performance and yields of the previous season.

Crop insurance is something that should be at the top of a farmer’s list. Most insurance companies will be able to ensure the crop before it is planted according the information that is supplied during the planning stage. Eliminate the risk by sending through the actual hectares planted and maps to the insurer to avoid discrepancies later.

– Eric Wiggill is the PGP regional development manager in the Eastern Cape.

Publication: September 2024

Section: Pula/Imvula