AGRICULTURAL NEWS - New vineyards can make or break a producer. Warren Bam, the Western Cape Agricultural Writers’ 2017 New Entrant to Commercial Farming of the Year nominee, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he establishes new vineyards without risking his cash.
Producers often face a Catch 22 when it comes to the establishment of new vineyards. New vines are essential for sustainable production, but establishment costs can run to between R350 000/ ha and R450 000/ ha, while maintenance costs come to about R250 000/ha/year.
The situation is obviously far more challenging for producers with limited capital.
To alleviate the impact of new vineyards on his cash flow, Warren Bam, who farms table grapes on leased land near Saron in the Western Cape, works hard to ensure that his vines produce fruit the year after establishment.
“The vines are planted in winter. So, if they’re planted in 2016, the vines are pruned for fruit during the next winter to be harvest-ready from around January or February the year thereafter.
The aim of the pruning is to get the vines on the gable wires as soon as possible,” explains the Western Cape Agricultural Writers’ 2017 New Entrant to Commercial Farming of the Year nominee.
