msa_spr18_web_spreads-compressed

ORIBI
FARMER
GROWS
PEOPLE
FIRST
CULTIVAR
DIVERSITY
A MUST
FOR SA
NUT FUDGE
ROLLS IN THE
“ DOUGH ”
Spring 2018

Contents
PRODUCERS OF GUARANTEED HIGH QUALITY MACADAMIA TREES
GLOBALGAP - SAMAC
4 12
Editor
Gareth Wright
072 223 3498
gareth@blockmedia.co.za
Advertising
Laura Myers
083 271 5243
laura@macadamiasa.co.za
Design & Layout
Elizabeth-Ann Bradley
hello.elizabethann@gmail.com
www.macadamiasa.co.za
Cover Image
Andiswa Maketa enjoys the
Beaumont flowers in the orchards
at Fairview Farms where she is
the Administration Supervisor.
Image Colleen Dardagan
16
CONTACT MOUNTAINVIEW NURSERY
orders@mountainviewnursery.co.za
Stefan (M) 071 608 9151 (Facsimile) 086 623 2590
5-STAR ACCREDITED
NURSERY
WWW.MOUNTAINVIEWNURSERY.CO.ZA
This publication is
protected by copyright law.
No part of this publication
may be reproduced in any way
without the permission and
acknowledgement of Macadamia
South Africa. Opinions expressed
do not necessarily represent the
views of Macadamia South Africa
or the publishers.
Published By
Block Media
Po Box 1501
Simbithi, Ballito
4390
Printed By
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Holdings
Company
2 From the Editor
Gareth Wright
4 Oribi Mac Farmers
Grow People First
12 Beaumont
A Tough Nut
To Crack
16 Lowveld Farm
Diversifies
In Mozambique
22 Nut Fudge
Rolls In The ‘Dough’
26 Cultivar Diversity
A Must For
South Africa
30 New App
Makes
Harvesting
A Breeze
34 Beware
The Felted Coccid
38 Industry
Nuts & Bolts

From the
Editor
The shops are filled with Christmas
decorations, festive season celebrations
are under way and Macadamia SA
is celebrating its fourth and final
edition for 2018.
While gathering the stories and doing the research for the
inaugural edition in the first quarter of this year we began
to get an idea of what was in store for us. We have met the
most interesting people, including technical experts, farmers,
processors, workers in the fields and so many more who have
helped us to pack each edition with colour, valuable industry
information and the most inspiring stories of individuals
committed to growing South Africa’s agriculture industry for
the good of all. The macadamia industry is probably one of
the most exciting in South Africa at the moment and this
edition is packed full of the stories of those who make it the
success it is.
We visit Karen and Robert Carlton-Shields who gave up
their high-flying corporate lives in Gauteng to start farming
macadamias in 2011. The couple have brought their extensive
knowledge in staff development to their farming enterprise
which has seen the growth of individuals who previously
could only have dreamed of what they are achieving and the
opportunities that lie ahead for them.
And, as the government works out the complex issue of land
ownership in the country, growers wanting to spread their
risk have branched out into neighbouring countries such
as Mozambique to start growing the crop, but not without
demanding challenges. Some of these include a tangle of red
tape and getting to know the dynamics of a different country
and its people, its climate and growing conditions.
Then there’s our story on Eugene “Dog” Kalafatis, a KwaZulu-
Natal macadamia farmer and one of South Africa’s most
experienced helicopter pilots who is using his expertise to
improve the application of pesticides in orchards by bringing
the very best in technical innovation and development to the
crop spraying sector.
This late in the year, most of the macadamia cultivars in the
country’s orchards have already dropped their nuts, except
of course for the Beaumont variety which is the very last to
deliver on its harvest.
Mayo Macs technical expert Rohan Orford reminds us of the
unique qualities of this original cultivar and why it is still in
demand as a variety in commercial orchards.
From the Macadamia SA team, we wish all our readers,
contributors and advertisers a peace-filled Festive Season and
a prosperous 2019.
Gareth Wright
Colleen Dardagan
Contributing Author
Lindi Botha
Contributing Author
Laura Myers
Advertising
2

Oribi Mac
Farmers
Grow People First
Oribi Flats macadamia farmers believe
transformation is about understanding
the community in which they live,
identifying leaders and then giving them
opportunities for learning while at the
same time creating space where people
are incentivised, respected and promoted.
Article & Images
Colleen Dardagan
Andiswa Maketa was a domestic worker in Johannesburg
before she made the decision in 2011 to move to the
KwaZulu-Natal south coast with her employers Karen
and Robert Carlton-Shields. Maketa knew nothing about
farming and her main reason for making the change was to
live and work closer to her mother who lives in Mthata in
the Eastern Cape. Never in her wildest dreams did she think
she would become a supervisor on her employers’ macadamia
farm. Now her responsibilities include staff management and
the computerised administration of the business. She has also
passed her driver’s and forklift licence tests and bought her
own car. Maketa is central to the day-to-day administration
of the farm, which says Karen, frees her up to focus on other
farm priorities.
Similarly, Pinky Ngcobo, who not so long ago was a picker
in the orchards, has her Professional Driving Permit and was
promoted to Operations Supervisor earlier this year. “When
Karen and Robert first came here, I was a general farm worker,
slashing the grass and spraying the weeds,” said Ngcobo.
“In 2013 I was the first woman to use a brush cutter and
when the new irrigation system was installed, I learned how
to lay the pipes and start the pump. That’s when I learned to
drive, and I now run the entire irrigation system. In 2016 I
was the picker of the year, in 2017, I was the worker of the
year and in January this year I was promoted to Operations
Supervisor,” she said.
Above Karen and Robert Carlton-Shields who say creating
opportunities for others to develop to their full potential gives them
the greatest joy in the new life they have chosen for themselves.
And Zama Mbele - the newly promoted Maintenance Leader
- says from picking the nuts to where he is today has given
him motivation to keep on learning and to see himself
growing and shining both at work and in his community.
All three, the Carlton-Shields say, are integral to the successful
running of the 101ha macadamia orchards on the Oribi Flats
inland from Port Shepstone. “We see our staff as the backbone
of our business - the very centre of its success - we are only
as successful as the people who work for us. Because of our
corporate background, and the training and development we
received there we bring a very different mindset as to how we
want to develop our people here,” they said.
The farm is over 200ha with the portions not under
macadamias left as natural grassland, which the couple say is
important for the promotion and protection of the natural
environment. Karen and Robert have a very remarkable
story to tell but they pointedly keep diverting attention
away from their decision to leave the corporate sector in
Johannesburg and become macadamia farmers. They say this
is because the achievements of their staff are what they want
highlighted. To them those are the stories of true courage
and determination. “Karen and I were in high level corporate
jobs in Johannesburg,” said Robert. “My area of expertise
is the management of hazardous and toxic chemicals, while
Karen is a qualified health and safety professional.
Karen saw her dad work his whole life in the corporate
sector. She just knew she didn’t want to live her whole life
in the same way. Her dream was to farm coffee in Kenya,”
Robert said. He told her they could farm, but just not coffee
in Kenya!
Above Bongi Ngcobo and Phelile Zulu take a break from their task of
4 knocking the ripe macadamia nuts from the late-harvesting Beaumont trees. MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
5

Above Winnie Mzotho holds up the macadamia nuts ready for sorting and processing at Fairview Farms.
Below Administrative supervisor, Andiswa Maketa takes a break from her office work to sort the newly picked nuts.
Top Pinky Ngcobo, the Operations Supervisor at Fairview Farms
returns from checking the irrigation systems in the orchards.
Above Newly promoted maintenance supervisor, Zama Mbele
cleans air filters in the farm workshop.
Left Sibonelo Mbutho harvests the late bearing Beaumont
macadamia variety. She says the work is important to her
and her family who live in a neighbouring community.
6
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
7

Right Sibongiseni
Shazi, left and
Mlamuli Mbutho
sort the newly
harvested nuts
as they arrive
onto the conveyor
belt in the farm’s
sorting facility.
Above Nokwanda Gumede gives the macadamia trees a good
shaking to encourage the nuts to drop for easier harvesting.
Above Learning the ropes, new to macadamia
picking, Phelile Zulu in the Fairview orchard.
Right Manelise Cele who is the dehusker supervisor is
one of the up and coming leaders at Fairview Farm.
It took four years and a tremendous
amount of research and “homework”
before the couple finally bought
Fairview Farm. Robert is in charge
of the farm’s strategic planning while
Karen runs the day-to-day operations.
which include staff management. “We
arrived here on June 1, 2011. And we
hit the ground running. Yes, we had
done our homework, but the reality
of the farm was way different from
the theory. We didn’t have time to
think, we just had to get on and do it,”
he said.
Fairview Farm has about 26 000
macadamia trees, some of which are
irrigated and some dryland. Most of
the trees on the farm are Beaumont
cultivars. “The climate is very different
from that on the coastline so we
typically have multiple flowerings and
our harvesting is late. This presents
challenges for us as well as for the
local nut processors we supply. Our
pickers who have such an arduous
task are amazing, even after months of
harvesting they are still cheerful and
committed. Fortunately, our processors
are understanding of the challenges as
well and they have been very supportive
over the years,” the couple said.
Once settled on the farm and as soon as they managed to
catch their breath both Robert and Karen started identifying
the people who they believed could be leaders, or as they say:
“to step up and take over from us”.
“For us transformation is about the small steps rather than
the big tokens which come to nothing,” said Karen. “The
first step though was to change our mindset. We had been
used to working with people who had degrees with serious
corporate responsibilities. Here we found ourselves working
with people who had experienced tremendous challenges
such as little or no education which had resulted in limited
cognitive and lateral thinking skills.”
The couple engaged the services of an industrial psychologist
to assess the potential of their staff before putting together
a practical plan on how to change thinking and learned
behaviour. Those who were identified as leaders were then
sent on a formal training session which was hosted at a hotel
in Margate. “This in itself took most of the group out of their
comfort zones,” they said. “None of them had ever stayed in
a hotel or had sat through formal training sessions before.
We made sure the sessions were very visual and interactive
as a result. They included training on personal development,
conflict management, how to motivate people and work as a
team. Our staff are beginning to realise their value and their
role in the business. They have grown in confidence as they
are seeing how their input is valuable and how important
their contributions are to the decision-making processes on
the farm. For us to see their yearning for knowledge and a
Above Administrative supervisor, Andiswa Maketa teaches Elizabeth Duvenage
to work the farm computer as she prepares to take maternity leave in December.
burning desire to learn more and more has been a humbling
experience.” But it is listening to the hopes and dreams of the
three staff members that the full impact of the journey thus
far becomes clear.
Maketa, who is about to go off on maternity leave, has had to
train her replacement on how to manage the administration
of the farm. For Ngcobo each day is about learning more
new things, while for Mbele it’s constantly growing his
skills as a leader. “What I have learned here is that it is not
a disgrace to say you don’t know something and then to
ask questions on how to do that task right,” Ngcobo said.
“There have been challenges in my new role, but the training
we received gave me tools to use to be able to cope with
them. As supervisors on the farm, we also work together to
solve our problems before we go to Karen and Robert,” the
three said. And for Robert and Karen, their unique incentive
scheme and staff management model is aimed at continuing
the development and growth already started in their people.
“We work in an environment of mutual trust and respect.
And if one of them gets a better opportunity or head-hunted
in the industry we support that because then they can grow
themselves elsewhere. Through our succession plan we
will be able to find someone to step up into their place,”
Robert said.
“Our whole aim is to see people elevated and to
see them achieve the very best of their potential.”
- Robert Carlton-Shields
8
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
9

A 3-part series on the history of Beaumont in South Africa.
ADVERTORIAL
Part
3
Above & Left: Amorentia Beaumont trees ranging
from 3 to 4.5 years old in the Letsitele Valley, Limpopo.
The 4 year olds produced 2.6 tons per Ha WIS.
It is true that not all cultivars root well on their own
rootstocks in which case either a seedling or a clonal
rootstock is required for grafting.
Amorentia customers give consistent feedback confirming
what is already known at Amorentia – their Beaumont
VPs are of excellent quality and show evidence of high
yield early because they are well rooted and because their
genetic material is superior.
Macadamia growers (especially those who are new to
Macadamia farming) often question the differences
between the root systems of vegetative clonal rootedcuttings
(VPs) versus seedling rootstocks. The answer
is simple; VPs will produce a more even orchard due to
the consistency of genetics and they offer a superior
root-system when propagated by superior nurseries
with experience.
High yielding nursery trees come from excellent mothermaterial.
Through its Plant-Improvement Scheme, the
Amorentia Macadamia Nursery Beaumont mother-trees,
(as well as all other cultivars) were monitored for high
performance over a 15 year period. This exercise ensured
that only high yielding trees remain in the mother-blocks.
This was achieved by weighing the nuts from each mothertree
and removing all poor performing trees. It means
that the genetic material used for all propagation at
Amorentia offers growers a high-yield potential from day 1.
It also means that the Nursery has 100% control over their
propagation procedures.
For more information on Amorentia Estate and Nurseries,
visit their website www.amorentia.co.za or contact them
directly: admin@amorentia.co.za
Proving the science behind our Beaumont cultivar yield success.
www.amorentia.co.za

Beaumont
A Tough Nut To Crack
Beaumonts, affectionately known as
‘695’, are currently and historically the
most popular cultivar in South Africa,
which we estimate to represent at least
35 % of the total trees in the ground.
Article Rohan Orford
Images Colleen Dardagan
It is a hybrid of M. integrifolia and M. Tetraphyla and
characterised by its iconic crimson flush, prolific rich
smelling pink bloom and slightly knobbly husk. The leaves
are also notoriously spiky, making picking and pruning an
uncomfortable affair.
Its primary popularity stems from its precociousness and
hardy reputation which is especially attractive to farmers in
South Africa who seek the blend of a high yielding tree that is
tough at the same time. Further, they can with care produce
their first crop in the third year after planting which is earlier
than later maturing varieties such as the ‘816’ which tend to
produce in year 4-5. This is very attractive to new farmers
where early cash-flow is hugely appreciated.
Lastly Beaumont are the foundation cultivar for root-stocks
in the macadamia nursery industry. Other characteristics
include it being late (Aug-Sept) flowering variety, with its
harvest ready in September to October. This is an advantage
in that the kernel develops when the season has warmed up
allowing for better kernel growth but also has its risks in
that the winds in KZN and heat in Nelspruit can wreck the
flowering and early nut set. It requires heavy pruning due to
its vigorous growth and dense canopy. Canopy density and
flowering in a more humid time of the year also makes it
susceptible to blossom blight, which is a fungal disease that
also destroys the flowers.
In management terms it has the unfavourable nature of
not dropping its nuts, but tolerates the use of ethylene to
drop the nuts making it a more popular variety as spraying
ethylene speeds up harvest and helps reboot the trees for the
next season.
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MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
13

With the higher altitudes of Mpumalanga being the original
hub of Macadamia farming, Beaumonts also fared rather
well from a kernel recovery and style of kernel characteristics
relative to other historically popular varieties such as the
‘788’ and ‘344’.
With the advent of the macadamia farming boom in KZN,
it became abundantly clear that the Beaumont quality was
far poorer than the other cultivars. Mayo Macs carried out
some further analysis on all the elements that dictate price
such as kernel recovery, style spread and yield and related
this to altitude of our mapped farms and interestingly the
Beaumonts do not seem to tolerate the conditions within
100 meters above sea level which we assume is due to the sea
aerosols. What is also becoming clear is that Beaumont only
performs well when irrigated but tends to suffer severe yield
declines of up to 50% with drought.
However, with all things considered the Beaumont is
considered one of the best earning varieties available. This is
probably one of those rare cases where in hindsight the older
“mac” farmers were right! They planted a variety that, despite
all the new cultivars and new information on hand today,
still turns out to be a really great nut bearing tree.
Above & Below Left Beaumont macadamia trees, or 695 in full flower on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast.
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14
Above Rohan Orford, Senior Technical Advisor, Mayo Macs.
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
Everything you need from A - Z

The uncertainty of farm tenure in Zimbabwe in the early 2000s and the unfolding land reform process in
South Africa prompted a group of South Africans to spread their risk by investing in a macadamia farm in
Northern Mozambique. And the challenge, they say, has proven that persistence and innovation does pay off,
although tackling the unknown in a foreign country meant management had to be hands on from the start.
Above The farm has micro irrigation, but often the trees do not get adequate water in the dry months due to a lack of power.
Lowveld Farm
Diversifies
in Mozambique
Establishing a macadamia farm in Mozambique has proved a steep
learning curve for a group of South African farmers. But higher
efficiencies and vast supplies of land and water have resulted in a
profitable operation that offers a favourable option for diversification.
Article & Images
Lindi Botha
Duncan Macgregor (above) who is one of the six
shareholders in the business named Tenga Limitada said
there were always surprises popping up that the group could
never have bargained on. The business is made up of 250ha
of macadamia orchards in Niassa province which is 120km
east of Lichinga and about 200km south of Tanzania in the
upper lefthand corner of the East African country.
VIRGIN TERRITORY
After identifying a suitable piece of land, the administrative
process to secure a land lease or duat as it is known in
Mozambique, was set in motion, says Macgregor. Initially
the Mozambican government granted the South African’s a
two-year lease. “This allows time for lessees to do community
consultations and prove that you are actually going to do
something with the land. After that you can apply to have
it converted to a definitive duat of 49 years and then after
that for another 49 years, bringing it to the maximum 99-
year lease that is allowed in Mozambique,” he said. But the
process can be drawn-out which meant it came with its own
challenges, for example, to get through all the bureaucracy
and to find the right channels of communication was not
only challenging, but time consuming. Further, Macgregor
said, the system there is based on Portuguese law, not British
or Roman law as they were accustomed to in South Africa.
“There are very different interpretations and the language
barrier is problematic. For example, a farmer might get the
land at a nominal rental, but what they end up paying for in
compliance, is far more than their investment in the land.”
“The idea of cheap land in Mozambique
does not exist as the cost of doing business in
Mozambique is high,” - Duncan Macgregor
The South Africans established the farm from scratch on
virgin land. First, they planted 10ha to various cultivars to
see which ones did well. The farm is still without electricity
and a mix of solar panels, generators and gasifiers are used to
power the operation which creates its own challenges. Since
the farm is in an isolated area the shareholders wanted to
develop the surrounding community and create an enabling
environment for economic activity. At the time Mozambique
was receiving foreign aid from NGO’s and several were
approached by Tenga to assist with putting up infrastructure
in the nearby town. “One NGO required us to rapidly expand
our hectares so that they could see we were there to stay. We
ended up taking many short cuts to get the orchards going to
meet the NGO’s requirements. But then the funding never
materialised and we had orchards where the land preparation
was not done thoroughly. “That was one of our biggest errors
as it has affected yields and pushed us further away from the
break-even point as we are constantly trying to rectify the
soils. Now we rip the soil and do proper lime and phosphate
applications before planting, as would be standard practice
in South Africa,” said Macgregor.
With continuous expansion the farm will eventually have
350ha planted to macadamias in a few years. The 816
and Beaumont varieties in particular have done well with
crackouts around 38% sound kernel recovery.
16
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
17

Above The layout of the farm is such that the straight rows can extend up to 3km.
Above New trees are constantly being added to the farm to expand the orchards.
Once harvested the nuts are dried on the farm and shipped
as nut-in-shell to China. Those nuts that don’t fit the grade
are sent to South Africa to be cracked. Macgregor said there
were no problems transporting the nuts across the border
and as far as possible they tried to share loads with other
inputs coming to the farm on the return trip. Macgregor
said unfortunately yields were not optimal and didn’t always
reach the industry average of 4 tons/ha. He said this was
largely as a result of the ongoing irrigation problems caused
by power supply challenges. “The climate in Mozambique
is favourable for macadamia production, however the very
definitive rainy and dry season causes problems if there is not
adequate irrigation. Just before the rains start in December,
it’s extremely hot and dry and affects nut development.
The gasifiers we use to power the irrigation system often
breakdown, which means we can only irrigate a few blocks
at a time. In those hot months the demand for water is high
and if the trees don’t get what they need, it reduces the yield
and crackouts,” he said.
Macgregor said the water supply was abundant with various
large rivers in the area and they were about to build a dam
on a small stream, which would allow most of the orchards
to be gravity fed. There is also the possibility of setting up a
hydro power plant on one of the bigger rivers. Such projects
which had benefits for the neighbouring communities were
key when doing business in Africa, he said.
“As South African farmers we have to have a different mindset.
It can’t be ‘us and them’. The growth must be inclusive
in those areas and you can’t fence yourself off and progress
on your own without any benefit to the community. If the
hydro power gets off the ground, we will be able to assist the
local village with some electricity for their school and clinic.
There is a possibility of assisting the local community with a
drip irrigation scheme from the dam that supplies the farm
with water. They will be able to plant vegetable gardens or
whatever other crops they choose to plant.”
He said during the expansion phase having the budget to
help surrounding communities was not always possible.
“It is important to balance the cash flow for the business with
the requirements from the community. If our business fails
the whole community is affected. We supply employment to
around 130 people and we need to ensure they can keep their
jobs,” he said.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Farming at a distance with at least 1 700km between the
farm and the nearest shareholder required a certain degree of
micro management to make sure the operation remained on
track. Macgregor said a large part of the farm’s success was
attributable to the six shareholders having taken ownership of
their specific portfolios. They were each actively involved in
the day to day running of the farm and each was committed
to making the trip to the farm twice a year. Management,
he said was a serious challenge because the farm was so
isolated. While middle management positions were taken
up by locals, senior managers were sourced from elsewhere.
“It takes a special kind of person to work there; it is isolated
with little social interaction and there are no schools for the
children. We have had some hits and misses, but currently
have a good manager in place. There is a weekly reporting
system on a very detailed level that I don’t even get on my
own farm in South Africa,” he said.
Despite being far from any other macadamia farms, insects
from other crops have made their way into the orchards.
“We have picked up insects that we have never seen in South
Africa. There is a mosquito bug that emerged a few weeks
ago that originates in tea and cashew plantations. There is
no registered pesticide against it but we have found that
chemicals used for stinkbug control works for the mosquito
bug as well,” Macgregor said. The challenges created by the
lack of power on the farm were vastly underestimated and
much of the cash flow was used to get these basics right.
“You are suddenly faced with things that would never be
an issue in South Africa. Even buying a tractor becomes a
problem beyond just getting it from Maputo to the farm. If
it breaks there are no mechanics around so you have to risk
fixing it yourself and losing the warranty,” he said. Planning
was also extremely important to make sure inputs reached
the farm in a timely manner. “The cost of inputs is only
slightly more expensive due to the distance the loads must
travel, but labour is significantly cheaper. We run an efficient
operation and benefit from economies of scale. The land is
flat and vast so we plant 9ha blocks at a time. The farm layout
allows rows to reach up to 3km long. We have adequate water
and a great climate.
Challenges aside - it is well worth the
investment,” - Duncan Macgregor
18
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
19

ADVERTORIAL
SELECTING
VARIETIES
For Commercial
Macadamia Orchards
Because there are so many cultivars to choose from and their yield performance differs from region to
region, selecting macadamia varieties to plant in commercial orchards is complex. Managing Director of
Red Sun Hortitech, Mark Hassenkamp says often comparisons between varieties are based on nut in shell
(NIS) yields per tree, but this was in general a poor measure of tree performance. “A variety may have a
high yield per tree, but if trees have a low spacing and are excessively large they may still perform poorly
when assessed on a per hectare basis. Equally, small trees planted on a wide spacing will also not achieve
acceptable yields per hectare,” Hassenkamp said.
HASSENKAMP SUGGESTS THE FOLLOWING WHEN CHOOSING CULTIVARS FOR AN ORCHARD:
THINK IN TERMS OF FIRST
GRADE KERNEL PER HECTARE
When making decisions about new orchards,
all factors must be considered such as yield,
benchmarks, climate, management capacity,
equipment, and then most importantly; yield,
income, cost and profit.
DECIDE ON PLANTING DENSITY
Hassenkamp said the planting density of a new
orchard was the deciding factor on the selection
of varieties to plant. “It is unlikely that a semidwarfing,
small, compact, upright tree such as
A16 will fill the orchard at low densities, leaving
a large area of the orchard unproductive with
lower returns per hectare. By the same token,
planting a larger precocious variety such as
695, 842 and 849 at high densities would mean
intensive management would be required to
keep the orchard under control in later years.”
IMPORTANCE OF VARIOUS TRAITS
Hassenkamp advised growers to take all the different traits of each variety into account, rather than
concentrating on one or two, although he agreed the ultimate decision was subjective and would
depend on various external factors such as climate. Many growers, he said, considered it desirable
to have all varieties ready for harvest at the same time, to achieve a short harvest window. Other
growers prefer to spread the harvest out to reduce stress risk and minimised the need for large capital
equipment to handle the harvest. “Another important aspect to consider is to select varieties that are
more less the same tree size across the orchards,” he said. There are some debates at the moment on
the preferred size of the kernels, but processors generally prefer large kernels, because they are less
costly to handle,” he said.
DESIGN AND PLANT THE ORCHARD ACCORDING TO POLLENISER COMPATIBILITY
While Hassenkamp advises growers to select at least three varieties to reduce risk, flowering periods
should also remain top of mind. “We recommend that farmers plant solid blocks of selected varieties
rather than mixing the varieties in the row. This might slightly effect pollination, but it makes the
orchards easier to manage,” he said. Red Sun currently has two experimental varieties on controlled
release namely A203 which has a medium to large uneven sized nut with white kernels which drop
mid-season. The variety is hardy and may suit more marginal areas and A268, a medium to large tree
with an open spreading canopy, a mid-season nut drop and very large, good quality nuts which have
creamy, white kernels.
Red Sun Hortitech is approved by CitroGold to propagate and distribute Australian Hidden Valley macadamia varieties to southern
African growers in addition to having dedicated clonal mother blocks for propagation of all commercial South African varieties.

Nut Fudge
Rolls In The ‘Dough’
A beautiful view and a love for all things sweet has
turned the growing domestic consumer demand for
macadamia nuts into a profitable agri-processing business
for Nelspruit farmer, Jaco van der Merwe.
Article & Images
Lindi Botha
Above Jaco van der Merwe
plans on using the five
hectares of land he has
planted to macadamia nut
orchards to build an agriprocessing
business able to
create a thriving domestic
market for the nuts in
the Lowveld.
Left Husband and wife
team Lizl and Jaco
van der Merwe.
Making delicious fudge from macadamia nuts was the last
thing on Jaco van der Merwe’s mind when he set out to build
his dream home in the magnificent countryside of South
Africa’s Lowveld in the Mpumalanga Province.
Instead of buying just one hectare to build his home in
Nelspruit, van der Merwe landed up buying a farm and
planting an orchard of macadamia trees. “I went from
wanting a one hectare stand to building a home to eventually
buying a 16ha farm,” he laughed. “I had the land and the
water so planting macadamia trees was the next obvious step.
I figured it would eventually help me pay for the cost of the
property and the house.” But, it was his sweet tooth that
saw the farmer starting to play around with various fudge
recipes until he found the one he liked the best. And while
the enterprise was never meant to go commercial, when
toying around with a plan to add value to his crop, the idea
of producing fudge for sale was born. In fact, van der Merwe
admits to originally not having a particular liking for the
taste of the macadamia nuts until he tasted those destined
for export to markets around the world. “The quality of nuts
available to the public in South Africa is not up to standard
because all the good stuff is sent abroad. This creates a
negative perception of macadamia nuts and consequently
limits the market growth here.”
Van der Merwe said he wanted to see the macadamia nut
market developed in the Lowveld. “We are the biggest
producing region globally but there are no products for
the public to buy here. In Australia they have massively
developed the market to nut milks, nut butters, and huge
ranges of nut flavours from honey to wasabi.
In South Africa we are lucky if we can find anything other
than salted nuts, and even then, the quality is poor. We have
to start developing our own market with quality products,”
he said.
After giving up some space used by his beer brewery in the
garage for the fudge, van der Merwe started on his “Toxic
Fudge” project, which he said, was way more rewarding than
making beer. “My wife gave me a beer brewing kit as a gift.
I spent all my time brewing beer only to end up with too
much to consume and no market. It was a natural choice to
give that space up for something that actually had a market,”
he laughed.
First, he sourced cream for the fudge from a nearby dairy and
used a portion to make the butter for the fudge. “The price
of the cream is more consistent at the dairy (than the price of
butter) and the added bonus is that we are supporting a local
business. We also get more consistency in the colour of the
fudge because we make the butter ourselves,” he said.
The family produce about 50kg to 60kg of fudge a week
and the variety of flavours is growing with the addition of
salted caramel and dark and white chocolate. Van der Merwe
said the recipe hadn’t been adapted for mass production and
would never be. “The whole idea is to make small batches
and to keep it as artisanal fudge. That means it is more of a
gourmet or adult fudge, not something aimed at children. A
big batch for us is 10kg. If we were ever to put up a factory I
would rather do a few smaller production lines than one big
line so that we can maintain the integrity of our product,”
he said.
22 MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
23

ADVERTORIAL
FENCING SOLUTIONS FOR A SECURE CROP
In November of 2005, husband and wife team,
Colin and Hesté Outram, started Drakensberg
Gate & Fence along with Jors McDonald.
Drakensberg Gate & Fence currently have
about twenty-five permanent employees. An
office manager, technicians, welders, fencers
and drivers make up our enthusiastic team.
While farmer’s markets never featured high on van der
Merwe’s priority list as an avenue for sales, much to his
surprise, they have proven to be the most lucrative for the
marketing of the product. “You really have to be a super
extrovert to spend your weekends selling fudge and interacting
with so many people,” he said. But, with the demand for the
fudge increasing and its high visibility at the markets, various
other lucrative opportunities have opened up.
Toxic Fudge now features each evening on the crisp turneddown
sheets in the guest bedrooms of many upmarket
accommodation lodges in the Lowveld, according to van
der Merwe. “At this stage the farmer’s markets are our prime
marketing tool. While we sell quite a bit on the day of the
market, we pick up so many connections to supply to other
outlets.”
The versatility of the fudge has also meant the family has the
scope to explore further partnerships with other farmers in
the area to create products unique to the Lowveld.
Toxic Fudge now comes as an orange fudge thanks to a
partnership with citrus producers, Joubert & Seuns that is
sold at a farm stall in the Schoemanskloof. A coffee fudge
Above Gallan van der Merwe helps his parents on the farm and with running the market stalls.
using espresso beans is under development for Sabie Valley
Coffee with the next on the menu, a fudge made with local
rum produced in Malelane. All the products are co-branded
with the Toxic Fudge logo and that of the collaborating
company to give profile to both businesses. “I don’t just want
to sell fudge, I want to build a brand,” said van der Merwe.
Collaboration had played a significant role in their marketing
strategy. “Some of this has come about through happy coincidences.
For example, at the markets when we realised
how well our salted caramel fudge paired with champagne
or gin. There is just so much scope for expansion and further
collaboration here in the Lowveld,” he said.
The van der Merwe family has also launched the Farm Nut
Roastery which they say will produce a wide range of good
quality macadamia nut products such as nut milk, nut
butter and flavoured nuts. While small in size, the value-add
projects are making the small macadamia business a worthy
investment.
“I can’t take five hectares of nuts to the processor and then
sit back and wait for my money. I believe in adding value,
whether I have 5ha or 100ha. There is always a niche to tap
into,” he added.
Drakensberg Gate & Fence provide security
fencing solutions across a wide range of areas
including industrial and residential estates,
agriculture premises, education institutions,
game farms and other associated facilities.
We specialise in electrified fencing but
are equally competent in the supply and
erection of all types of wire mesh fencing,
steel palisade fencing, razor security fencing,
concrete fencing and steel gates. All gates are
custom made to suit all orders.
As Drakensberg Gate & Fence is a family
owned business, we pay attention to every
detail and especially in building a lasting
relationship with our clients, we endeavour to
erect a fence that suits each client’s individual
needs. By word of mouth, we have reached a
wide client basis throughout South Africa. We
stay up to date with all the latest developments
in the security and fencing industry.
We have our own pecan nut orchard and are
aware of theft involved in the industry. We are
ready to assist in providing you with a quote
on all your fencing requirements and would
especially like to assist nut, flowers, vegetable
and fruit growers in finding a practical fencing
solution for your specific needs.
”Since their inception, Drakensberg Gate &
Fence have been retailers and installers of
the Stafix and JVA Ranges of electric fencing
systems. During this period of association,
we have seen them provide outstanding
service and quality workmanship to their
customer base. Although based in Winterton,
Drakensberg Gate & Fence have successfully
erected fences and serviced customers
within the Free State, KZN and Mpumalanga.
Their friendly and helpful staff has been a
pleasure to be associated with and we take
pleasure in confidently recommending their
service and workmanship.”
- Maurice Williamson
(C.E.O. Stafix Electric Fence and Security Centres)
24
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA

Cultivar
Diversity
A Must For South Africa
To meet the change in demand for
macadamias across the globe and
the expected downward pressure on
exports of nut-in-shell to China, South
Africa’s growers are urged to plant a
variety of cultivars for a crop able to
cater for consumer diversity.
Article & Images
Lindi Botha
Right Alex Whyte, General Manager
of Green Farms Nut Company.
While South Africa’s macadamia industry is hard at work
growing international markets to create increased demand
for the domestic supply, farmers are warned to keep an eye
on changing consumer demand when deciding on what
varieties to plant in the orchards.
Industry expert and general manager at the Mpumalangabased
Green Farms Nut Company, Alex Whyte says consumer
demand for the style and grade of the nuts they wanted to
buy was changing fast which meant farmers must stay abreast
of these shifts to make sure they were well placed to serve a
broad spectrum of markets. Whyte said what had worked
in the past would probably not work in the future and with
different cultivars suited to the nut-in-shell (NIS) market
and others to kernel, choosing the right variety to plant was
now crucial to make sure the country’s industry remained
sustainable into the future. “It would be remiss of us as an
industry to assume that what got us here today is going to
get us to where we need to be in 10 or even 20 years. Market
demand has fundamentally shifted and there are significant
changes in what customers, from the United States, Europe
and China want on the horizon.” He said it was good news
that different markets wanted different cultivars and styles
of nuts, but it required a fine balancing act between what
was planted and how the nuts were ultimately processed and
marketed.
Of concern though, is that at present 50% of South Africa’s
trees are the Beaumont cultivar, which is more suited to
the nut-in-shell market demanded by China. Around 56%
of South Africa’s crop is exported to the east but the region
represented just 27% of global tree nut consumption.
Whyte said while the macadamia industry was in a unique
and prosperous position with both supply and demand on
the up, he cautioned that more work was needed to secure
long term kernel contracts in the west to diversify export
markets. “This is largely attributable to growing populations
and momentous changes in healthy and ethical eating.”
Additionally, for a variety of reasons, Asia is increasingly
demanding larger nuts and the requirement within the
ingredient sector for diced product is on the rise globally.
Macadamia tree cultivars each yield different nut sizes, sound
kernel recovery (SKR) and volumes depending on a number
of factors from region to region. This becomes significant
through the lens of South Africa’s current export market
mapped to meet global consumption.
Mark Hassenkamp, director of the Red Sun Hortitech
nursery said since global tree nut consumption had increased
by 24% over the last ten years, this, alongside the astonishing
473% increase in their value over the same period of time
made it understandable focus had been on the here and
now. “However, as the market continues to mature and crop
volumes grow, specific demands for quality and nut grade
is going to have a consequential impact,” Hassenkamp said.
He said an estimated 50% of macadamia trees planted in
South Africa were the Beaumont variety. “They are popular
because they are relatively easy to cultivate, are fast growing
with typically large yields, tend to produce a smaller nut and
are more difficult to crack due to their lower sound kernel
ratios (SKR). Around 20% of trees going into the ground
(now) are the A4 variety, which usually deliver good SKR
and larger nuts. Another 20% are the 816 variety and the
remaining 10% a mix of 849, 814, 842 and others,” he said.
What is concerning, however, is reports out of China show
their domestic crop is set to grow exponentially over the
next few years which means they will serve a large portion
of domestic demand from their own crop. However, Whyte
said he believed the Chinese market would stabilise in the
future due to aggressive demand. “And as part of this process
2018 has again faced some uncertainty in that region.
Chinese buyers have not been as proactive as in the past
in procuring product and have little interest in small NIS
nuts. Increasingly this market is becoming more discerning
resulting in demand shifts,” he said.
26
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
27

OPPORTUNITIES
FOR MACADAMIA
PRODUCT
EXPANSION
WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN
THE RESEARCH AS FOLLOWS:
Both Whyte and Hassenkamp say in percentage terms the
spread of global nut consumption is unlikely to change.
However actual consumption is projected to remain on the
rise. “From a marketing perspective, we would be wise to
cultivate relationships, market access and scope in the US and
Europe,” said Whyte. His advice to farmers is to plant a wellbalanced
spread of cultivars based on careful benchmarking
of the region in which they farm and then on farm specific
analysis to ensure they’re well hedged for future demand.
“It’s not just about what’s profitable now - it is about what
is sustainable and expected from markets in 10 years from
now. A combination of volume and value is paramount, as
is a spread of varieties delivering good crackout and SKR
percentages,” he said.
MARKET HOTSPOTS
Research out of Australia is showing how macadamia nuts
are ideal to meet global snacking trends and points to the
importance of developing value-add products. These products
should be aimed at increasing the demand for the nuts by
consumers, and especially to counter the expected slowdown
in demand for nut-in-shell from China. The respondents in
the research project were consumers and food “influencers”
in China, Japan, South Korea, America and Australia. The
results highlighted “innovation hotspots” for macadamia
nuts converted into snacks.
Lynne Ziehlke, market development manager for Australian
Macadamias, said the research revealed a number of drivers
and ways that today’s consumers snack. “Snacking can be a
proactive, functional and mindful choice to manage hunger
during a busy day. It can also be a mindless activity, driven
by boredom or the need to feel better,” Ziehlke said. Further,
regardless of the way consumers snacked, she said, they were
essentially pursuing a common outcome: to regulate their
mood and the rhythm of their day. “This is fertile ground
for new product development. As a premium, great tasting
and nutritious ingredient, macadamias are an ideal fit for
this increasingly important snacking space,” Ziehlke said.
The research showed that time and energy management was
as relevant as ever in the demand for snacks, this Ziehlke
said was driven largely by the busy and transient nature of
modern life particularly in Asian and western markets.
-
-
-
Indulgence and size: As an inherently indulgent
and nutrient-dense ingredient, even a small
quantity of macadamias can deliver a big impact
on taste, quality and premium quality.
Health additions: While all nuts are known for
their broad health benefits, there is an untapped
opportunity in the snack category to build greater
awareness around the specific health benefits
of macadamias. Research aimed at providing
evidence to support the role of macadamias in a
healthy diet is now underway and aimed at laying
the foundations for macadamias to take a more
assertive place in this space in the years ahead.
Taste: Macadamias’ versatile taste and unique
texture give them broad appeal. As a good flavour
carrier, they offer substantial opportunity for
flavour innovation in snack products.
For marketers and product innovators, this offers up a list
of possibilities, which include the development of sweet
flavoured macadamias (vanilla or caramel), macadamia white
hot chocolate, powders for smoothies and energy bars for
the Asian market. Products such as macadamia raw bars and
balls, granola, protein bars, indulgent nut and trail mixes,
and macadamia crunch popcorn were also ideal for the
western market. Ziehlke said when making snack purchase
decisions, consumers felt the burden of balancing a series of
opposing needs. “They desire satiety, without being weighed
down. They want high nutritional quality as well as great
taste, and they’re looking for small portions that deliver a big
payoff. Macadamias in a snack can resolve all these tensions,
paving the way for a more effortless purchase decision,”
she said.
Top International trends
in consumer demand for
macadamias has resulted
in a call for farmers to
plant a variety of cultivars
to meet the evolving
marketing strategies.
Left Flavoured macadamia
nuts will play a big role in
increasing demand for the nut
in the coming years according
to research findings.
Why do the biggest avocado, macadamia and
citrus growers and exporters, among others, use
Heli-Tractor?
Visit our website
or contact
Eugene for
more information
Ask yourself ...
The answer is simple: Using
precision laser-guided applications,
chemicals are blasted like a mist blower into highdensity
crops from above (vertically downwards), providing
unsurpassed crop penetration. Better chemical coverage and
efficacy means increased yields for sales and export.
Heli-Tractor is now the ONLY operator in Africa to use the latest
South American electrostatic spraying system technology in our
helicopter.
Heli-Tractor
guarantees better droplet deposition
TRACTOR ELECTROSTATIC SPRAYING
Convert your mist blower to an electrostatic sprayer with our bolt-on
kits. No need to purchase a complete stand alone electrostatic mist
blower and more powerful tractor, when our kit uses what you have
and gives you the most powerful electrostatic charge
so you get the best droplet deposition and coverage
at lower costs. We have multiple kits to fit axial
and cannon mist blowers, as well as high boys and
boom sprayers. Visit our website and see why the top
farmers in the mac, avo and citrus industries have
changed to our electrostatic spraying systems.
28
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
Cell
082 652 6705
E-Mail
helitractor@vodamail.co.za
Website
www.helitractor.co.za
The only operator in
Africa to use laser
guidance technologies

While the macadamia harvesting season is over, farmers are being encouraged to download the app and get acquainted
with it before next season and report any glitches or problems with the system so that they may be ironed out.
New App
Makes Harvesting A Breeze
A new smartphone application
has been developed to help farmers
better manage and keep track of
their macadamia harvesting season.
Article & Images
Lindi Botha
The Harvest App aims to assist growers with yield data and
optimise workers’ performance by efficiently measuring
worker productivity, tracking the foremen on the farm,
recording information and data, and displaying the necessary
information on the farmer’s smartphone or desktop. In
short, it replaces the old-fashioned clipboard with a real
time monitoring and data collection system that farmers can
manage from afar.
The app was developed by a group of students at the University
of Pretoria, in collaboration with the macadamia industry
and is available on both Android and iOS platforms. It can
also be downloaded onto your desktop for easier viewing and
management. The app is simple to use and any staff member
with a smartphone will be able to enter data into the app
as the nuts are being harvested. This includes the amounts
of nuts brought in by each worker and the total harvest
for each block.
THE APP IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE ON THE PLAY STORE OR AT THESE LINKS:
iOS Application - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/harvest-app/id1434929167?ls=1&mt=8
Android Application - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=za.org.samac.harvest
Go to www.harvestapp.co.za to download the programme onto your desktop.
HARVEST GIVES FARMERS ALL THE
INFORMATION THEY WOULD GET
FROM MONITORING EACH WORKER’S
YIELD COLLECTION ON A CLIPBOARD.
THESE INCLUDE:
-
-
-
-
-
Graphs of worker performance throughout the day
or for any given time period;
Real-time location tracking of the person (typically
a foreman) using the app;
Historic locations of where the phone or tablet
travelled and where data points were captured
while using the app;
Heat maps to show differences in yield within
an orchard, farm or area, which can also be used
to semi-quantitatively measure theft or other
problems in specific areas on the farm. The heat
maps also assist in viewing the hot spots of where
work is being done. Farmers will be able to see the
critical areas of where workers, foremen, orchards
or farms are best or underperforming;
Comparisons in yield between orchards. Compare
and contrast the performance of workers, orchards,
foremen and farms over periods of time. This is
done through predictive graphs that are shown
using prior performance history to give an estimate
of what might be expected in the future.
“It all starts in the nursery”
Any plant’s success starts in the nursery, propagating high
quality trees ensures a good start to a new orchard.
Our nursery consists of 2 lath-houses and 1 seedbed all
amounting to 2 500m². We Produce 50 000 trees per annum.
Established in 2014, Brondal Kwekery have grown to a
reputable supplier and grower of Macadamia trees. Situated just
9km outside White River, with easy access from main routes, it
allows the nursery quick collection and delivery ways. Co-owned
and managed by Arve Grindstad & Ziaan Barnard, the nursery is
run with a team of well trained and enthusiastic Ground Staff.
Contact Us
30
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
Ziaan Barnard 083 555 4988
brondalkwekery@gmail.com / www.brondalkwekery.co.za

Introducing helicopter crop spraying
in South Africa was in itself a bold and
dynamic move but compared with his
latest innovation that was just “small
change” for one of South Africa’s most
respected helicopter pilots.
ADVERTORIAL
Eugene Kalafatis - better known as “Dog”
to his friends - was the first to start
flying a helicopter for commercial aerial
crop spraying and sugarcane ripening
in the country. That was back in the
late 1990s when he and an old South
African Airforce friend converted a spray
rig destined to spray mosquitoes in
Ghana for an Enstrom F28C helicopter.
“That’s how Heli-Tractor – my business -
started,” Kalafatis said. Now the Midlands
macadamia farmer of Greek heritage
has upped the ante with dramatic effect
for South Africa’s crop farmers. “I also
have crop spraying businesses in South
America. I tell you the Brazilians know
about technology in agriculture! That’s
where I first saw the use of electrostatic
spraying for pest control. I decided to
introduce it in South Africa. It’s a game
changer,” he said. In September 2017,
Kalafatis took his Bell Jet Ranger to the
air for the first time fitted with
electrostatic spray gear and from the
video evidence the efficacy of the system
is beyond dispute.
SPECTACULAR RESULTS
At about the same time Kalafatis also
fitted the electrostatic system (ES) onto a
Jacto tractor mist blower for macadamia
tree spraying. The results are spectacular.
There are now 11 Jacto ES-fitted systems
operating in Levubu, Tzaneen and in
KwaZulu-Natal, with more in the pipeline.
Previously these farmers used about
2000l to 3000l of product per hectare,
since the ES systems were fitted to the
blowers, that has reduced to just 600l
a hectare. “We have also reduced the
carbon footprint of the orchard threefold.
And the diesel costs for the tractors
have come down by 30%,” Kalafatis said.
The ES system was first used in the
automotive industry for spraying cars in
the 1970s. The spray paint is atomised in
a static field which is formed at the end of
a electrostatic spray gun. Just before the
fog of paint leaves the nozzle, it is given
a positive charge. The negatively charged
and earthed metal of the car then
attracts the positively charged liquid to
its surface very much like a magnet. For
crop spraying the same principle applies.
And because the trees are “earthed” into
the soil they become a magnet for the
“positively charged” pesticide.
SUPERCHARGED
“SKY TRACTOR”
UPS THE ANTE
ON AERIAL PEST
CONTROL
Flying low and slow over the fields of
South Africa’s crop farms, a helicopter
pilot is busy changing the country’s
aerial crop spraying landscape with
technology and innovation geared for
efficacy and precision.
Eugene “Dog” Kalafatis shows the arm of
nozzles on the Bell Jet Ranger spray gear
all “wired” for electrostatic crop spraying.
He describes this methodology of aerial
pest control as a “game changer” for
environmental best practice and crop
cost efficacies in the country.
PULLED EARTHWARDS
PRECISELY ON TARGET
Turning to his laptop screen, Kalafatis
shows a video of his helicopter in action
over an avocado orchard in the Limpopo
province. The first clip is of conventional
spraying and the product is mixed as
the chemical manufacturers prescribe.
The bird flies low over the rows of trees,
releases its load of pesticide and despite
the evidence of very little breeze, most
of the white fog drifts away from the
orchard and into a neighbouring timber
plantation. The second clip is the same
orchard, the same conditions and on the
same day. But this time the helicopter is
fitted with the electrostatic gear. Again,
the Bell Jet Ranger comes in low and slow,
as it reaches the tree line the chemical is
released from the polymer spray nozzles.
The white fog is visibly pulled earthwards,
within the blink of an eye it disappears
into the orchard canopy precisely on
target and without any drift.
Kalafatis is visibly pleased. “Did you see
that? Same conditions, same helicopter,
same orchards, completely different
effect!” He said the efficacy of the system
was being measured using computerised
data downloaded from the helicopter’s
on-board systems. “We also include a
fluorescent dye in the products we spray.
Then we use an ultra-violet light at night
to measure the droplet distribution on
the trees. The electrostatic method has
seen an increase of droplet deposition
on the leaves and fruit from 30 to 40
250-micron droplets per cm³ to 80 to100
100-micron droplets per cm³.
Previously you were lucky if product
coverage on the trees was at 75%
maximum, now it’s more like 95%. We
have also reduced the need for farmers
to overspray. Over spraying can result in
the toxification of the soil as the pesticide
drips off the leaves on to the ground. We
have also reduced the chemical load per
hectare by up to 30%,” he said. Once
applied the efficacy of the pesticides
was also now extended because of the
precision of the droplet distribution and
the more effective cover of the product
on the trees. “Previously we were lucky
if the product gave four weeks cover, we
are still measuring this, but initial results
are showing it is working past six weeks,”
he said.
WORLD FIRSTS
Now waiting for the delivery of a spanking
new Bell Huey UH1H, Kalafatis is visibly
proud of his company’s achievements.
“The Heli-tractor spray system we still use
to this day was a first on the continent.
The Bell Huey Uh-1H spray system and
fire attack all-in-one system was a world
first. We were the first to use the New
Zealand designed Trac-Mac GPS systems
on our helicopters. We were also the
first to use an aerial fertilising bucket
for sugarcane, maize and in the forestry
sector. We were also the first in the
world to use a laser guided system in a
helicopter,” he said.
Pulling at the collar of his crisp cotton
shirt, Kalafatis who says all his life he has
preferred a toolbox to a pencil box, is
emphatic about his business ethics.
Contact Heli-Tractor on 082 652 6705 or Email helitractor@vodamail.co.za
Website: www.helitractor.co.za
“WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN DOING EVERYTHING WE DO WITH PRECISION
AND TO THE VERY BEST AND HIGHEST STANDARDS.” - KALAFATIS

Beware
The Felted Coccid
A new pest has made its way from
Australia to macadamia orchards
in Mpumalanga, causing tree dieback
and reduced yields.
Article & Images
Lindi Botha
Known as the Macadamia Felted Coccid, the pest has had a major detrimental
effect on orchards in Australia where it originated, and on macadamia plantations
in Hawaii. Dense infestations cause leaf die-back and flower drop, with subsequent
reductions in nut set. In extreme cases trees will die-off completely.
Now for the first time the coccid has been found and identified on several farms in
the Lowveld here in South Africa. Although it was initially thought the infestation
was contained in Barberton where the pest was first found, it spread within a
month to White River, presumably through infested plant material.
Dr Schalk Schoeman (above), a senior researcher at the Agricultural Research
Council, said little was known as to how the coccid reached South Africa and
how it was being spread. “My suspicion is it was somehow brought over in plant
material from Australia. I would advise anyone that has recently bought trees from
the Barberton area to carefully inspect the tree for the coccid,” Schoeman said.
The coccids can be identified by their elongated shape. They are covered with a
felted like sac and are whitish in colour and form thick encrustations in leaves,
twigs and even the main stem. The adult female is about 1.5 mm long, dirty white
or pale yellow in colour, with a raised circular opening at the posterior end. The
scale cover of the male is white and is smaller, about 1 mm long. In some instances
infested trees can be detected by a dull bronze colour in the foliage. “According
to the research once the coccids are in the orchard, spread is relatively slow and
they tend to stay in the same tree. But observations in White River contradict this
as there was considerable spread to adjoining trees. These trees were young and
although the planting density was high, the trees were not touching which leads
me to believe that they are probably dispersed by wind,” said Schoeman. He said
the main focus now should be on awareness so that everyone became informed
about the presence of the pest in the country. “Following on from that, we should
focus on containment. I have noticed branch die back in White River and from
photos in Hawaii this can get quite bad and it will affect nearly the entire tree, with
obvious detrimental effects on yields. On bearing trees, nut yields are reduced and
a delay is caused in the fall of mature nuts,” Schoeman said.
Currently there are no registered
chemicals to combat the coccid. A
sprayable oil mixed with Movento as
well as an insect growth regulator such
as Buprofezin can be used. The method
of treating the coccid is somewhat
different from that of stinkbugs. The
oil and Movento is directed at adults
and the Buprofezin is directed as a
second spray against the crawlers.
Schoeman said stink bug spraying
should offer some form of protection
but would not give adequate control
and could increase the development of
resistance by the coccid in the future.
Further, Schoeman said, there seemed
to be an increase in the prevalence of
insects attacking macadamias in the
last two years. “We have picked up that
bark borers have become an issue. Our
initial thoughts were that they were
secondary (pests) but I no longer think
that is the case. Thrips and mites have
also increased during the last few years.
There is a possible link with the change
in climate, but it is difficult to prove
at this stage. Farmers need to remain
vigilant and report any unusual insect
activity in their orchards,” he said.
Above These nuts have been infested with the coccid.
Farmers are asked to contact Dr Schalk Schoeman at schalk@arc.agric.za
should they suspect the Macadamia Felted Coccid was present in their orchards.
Above Infestation in trees can be identified by the thick crust that forms on tree branches.
34
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
35

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eciencies of % from a meter height.
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ue to low operating pressure and water saving,
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The system has N moving or wearing parts and
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ith this solid set system, irrigation can be
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The key to a successful Full overage Irrigation
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The Floppy Sprinkler does not use a splash plate
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In contrast to Part overage Irrigation or other
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throughout their entire life span.

Industry
nuts
&bolts
Record Year For Coastals
Despite a turbulent year for politics and the
economy in South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal’s
Coastal Farmers’ Co-Operative has reported
a record year with trade up by 9.9% as
at April 30, compared with the previous
year. At the recent annual general meeting,
outgoing Chairman Mark Gallagher said the
member-based co-operative had seen excellent
performance from its fertiliser, fuel and general
divisions with the branch merchandising
division exceeding expectations.
Above Coastals member, Malcolm Naidoo, Financial Manager for Coastals,
Devan Naidoo; Nathan Govender, Head of Commercial Banking at
Standard Bank; Account Executive at Standard Bank, Dean Shepard.
Above Coastals senior staff, left back,
Regional Manager - north, Christopher
Reddy, Regional Manager - south, Barry
Lloyd; seated Administration Manager,
Dan Dayaram and Internal Auditor,
Nirasha Naidoo.
Below Coastals Board member, Jono Chennells,
Coastals members, BJ Mansfield and Bruce Galloway.
Agro-chemical sales had also showed a good
set of results over the period, with steady
and continued growth in member support.
Capital projects during the year included
the completion of the new Eston branch, and
construction of the new flagship branch at
Port Shepstone was well underway.
Above Jeremy and Nic Goble from Mvuma CC farms receive a
certificate celebrating their 50-year Coastals membership from
outgoing chairman, Mark Gallagher.
Below Coastals staff enjoying their lunch following the annual
general meeting were, Yuveka Moonsamy and Heather Botha.
Above Seen at the recent Coastals Annual General meeting are
from left, Krish Moodley, Naren Harikrishna, Freddy Govender
and Thiroshan Moodley all members of the co-operative.
Below Coastals Regional Manager- south, Barry Lloyd and
Coastals Director, Vere Hein in discussion following the meeting
at the Mount Edgecombe Country Club.
Top Newly appointed Chairman of the Coastals
Farmers’ Co-operative, Bernard Rouillard.
Above Coastals Board member, Jono Chennells; Head
of Stakeholder Affairs SAFDA, Thandokwakhe Sibiya;
Communications, Marketing and Social Responsibility
Manager SAFDA, Ronda Naidu; Coastals Board
member, Khumbulane Mthethwa and Eshowe
sugarcane grower and Coastals member, Enos Nene.
Left Coastals members, left, Guy Emberton and Mark
Taylor; Coastals General Manager, Lindsay Smith;
Coastals outgoing Chairman, Mark Gallagher and
Coastals member, Kim Hagemann.
38
MACADAMIA SOUTH AFRICA
SPRING 2018
39

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