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THE
GRAIN AND OILSEED INDUSTRY
OF SOUTH AFRICA – A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
ႆ
In July 1969
Die Landman
reported that about 2 000 producers had been present
at Hopefield over the two days in 1969. Transactions to the amount of R50 000 – a
substantial amount for those days – were settled over the two days. Dr AJA Roux,
Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Board, was the keynote speaker, and Mr Fanus
Rautenbach, well-known radio broadcaster, was the announcer.
As far as controlled implement demonstrations were concerned, the normal pro-
cedures were followed just like when a producer would cultivate his own crop.
Demonstrations included those of stationary threshers, after that self-driven and
drawn threshers, followed by the ploughing of the harvested fields. Planters in action
were added from 1970.
THE NAME ‘HARVEST DAY’ CAME FROM THE FOCUS ON
MECHANISATION OF HARVEST EQUIPMENT DURING
THE VERY FIRST HARVEST DAY IN 1967. IN THE YEARS
THAT FOLLOWED THE IMPLEMENTS THAT WERE
DEMONSTRATED ON A NON-COMPETITIVE BASIS
UNDER WORKING CONDITIONS WERE EXPANDED TO
INCLUDE ALL FACETS OF THE PRODUCTION CYCLE.
THE NAME OF HARVEST DAY STOOD THE TEST
OF TIME AND IS STILL USED TODAY.
In the early years a keynote speaker was part of the Harvest Day programme. Dr AJA Roux,
Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Board was 1968’s keynote speaker.
Practical demonstrations of agricultural
equipment on a non-competitive basis were
a core focus for approximately 40 years since
the inception of the Harvest Day.
An archive photo of the second SAMPI Harvest Day. It was taken on Haddad’s farm, Hopefield.