A Word From…Liana Stroebel

July 2020

We are finding ourselves in the midst of interesting times with all that is going on in the world. It seems as if the world is finally realising the absolute importance of the agricultural sector and the crucial role that farmers play in their daily lives.

This Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on our economy however, we can be very thankful that it has (apart from an unfortunate rise in input costs), fortunately not disrupted the grain production sector as significantly as other commodities or businesses. We need to count our blessings, work even harder than before and think of those that are less fortunate than us.

As you know, July is a busy month with most maize farmers busy harvesting and marketing their crops, where winter grain farmers in the southern parts of the country have finished planting their crops and are busy with weed and pest control. As we go through the season, irrespective of which stage of production we are in, there are certain aspects that we always need to pay attention to throughout our busy schedules.

Some of the most important aspects (which are sometimes neglected) include cashflow management, taking care of our equipment and most importantly, taking care of the people who work with us on our farms. Always remember to ‘treat employees like they make a difference and they will’ – Jim Goodnight, CEO, SAS.

Publication: July 2020

Section: Pula/Imvula