I have since, with the assistance of Dormas designed and built the most modern Packhouse in Nkwaleni. The new PackHouse has an Autoline optical sizer imported from the U.S.A. Picking of fruit has been changed from traditional trailers to the apple bin system with great success. The cost saving as well as increased productivity from the picking crew has been phenomenal. Irrigation comprises of drip as well as micro. Fertigation is the main method of fertiliser application.
Irrigation is applied and monitored by use of a neutron probe.
Twelve month pruning in conjunction with the application of certain chemicals is used to improve fruit size development. Four overseers and myself manage the farm at present. Other crops include pecan nuts as well as some vegetables. The present position entails direct dealings with all export agents as well as buyers from Europe and Japan and recently Korea as well as Canada. The marketing of the export crop is of utmost importance and centre on supply issues, internal quality requirements, external quality as well as price.