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A Technical Guide for Wine Producers
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RECENT ARTICLES | WYNBOER HOME
Eksteenskuil farmers receive training and technology from the ARC and the wine and drying grape industries
Danie van Schalkwyk, ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch
Key words: Eksteenskuil, technology transfer, vine, farmers’ days and workshops.
Since 2003 Danie van Schalkwyk of ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij has been involved in an empowerment project aimed at the previously disadvantaged farmers of the Eksteenskuil community in the Northern Cape near Keimoes. These producers receive training related to viticultural management practices as well as technology transfer with regard to the latest research results. Each year training and technology transfer are addressed by a series of workshops and farmers’ days. Experts from other organisations such as VinPro, SAD, SAWIT, Stellenbosch University, Oranjerivier Wine Cellars (OWC), private viticultural consultants, chemical spray companies such as Terason, Wenkem, etc., fertiliser companies and commercial financial institutions such as ABSA, are co-opted to participate in the transfer of new technology. The objective of this project is to empower these farmers with the necessary viticultural and financial know-how, as well as management skills so that they may become self-sustaining, and to improve their yields and grape quality through the application of this technology, to help them farm profitably. The project also aims to put the producers in touch with organisations that are able to assist them with the expansion of their plantings, thereby creating new job opportunities for the community.
To achieve this objective a number of workshops and farmers’ days were again held at Eksteenskuil and in Upington in the course of 2006 and 2007, under the aegis of ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij.
One of the important aspects of a profitable farming concern is the application of sound business management practices. In order to equip the Eksteenskuil farmers with the necessary know-how and skills, Odette Beukes presented a course in basic business skills at Sandeiland in May 2006. This course was attended by 13 people from the farming community over a period of two weeks. Delegates received diplomas for modules that were successfully completed. The course is extremely practical and delegates are already applying their new know-how with great success on the farms. Twenty people, mostly students from the community, have completed the course in the past. Due to the practical applicability of the course, the community requested that another be presented in 2008.
In a survey about the establishment of new vineyards 66 farmers indicated that they were planning to expand. On 20 June 2006 a workshop was presented at Sandeiland, Eksteenskuil, where the entire value chain was discussed, from establishment of the vineyard to marketing of the wine on both the domestic and international markets. The Eksteenskuil Farmers’ Association had drawn up several business plans for the expansion of their vineyard plantings, in particular wine grapes, and the purpose of this workshop was to familiarise then with the cost aspects of the establishment of new vineyards and an own cellar. It was also pointed out that there were other options besides an own cellar whereby they would be able to market their wine under their own brand until sufficient wine grapes had been planted to justify an own cellar. The workshop was attended by 62 farmers from the community. Herman Cruywagen, executive manager of OWC, used this opportunity to introduce his cellar’s programme in support of previously disadvantaged wine farmers in the Northern Cape. The cellar has several systems in place with regard to training of students and producers from the community. The cellar also made shares available to emerging farmers and undertook to support the establishment of new vineyards.
Louis Barkhuysen was co-opted by the South African Wine Industry Trust (SAWIT) to become involved in drawing up a business plan for the establishment of wine grapes at Eksteenskuil and gave feedback about the progress of the business plan. He also confirmed that an own cellar for Eksteenskuil would not be a viable proposition at this stage. This recommendation was supported by Gert van Wyk of VinPro in the course of his detailed presentation on the entire economical value chain of vineyard establishment. He also discussed the cost implications of erecting an own cellar. Dirk Malan (independent viticulturist) then explained the current position of South Africa in the international wine industry.
Elleunorah Allsopp of ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij discussed and demonstrated the necessity of accurate record keeping of chemical sprays and the completion of the IPW forms, based on the spraying records of a few Eksteenskuil producers. It is important for the Eksteenskuil farmers to understand the importance of proper record keeping and the completion of the IPW forms seeing that they deliver grapes to both OWC and SAD and compete with commercial producers.
Fertilisation is a major viticultural expense and the Eksteenskuil farmers do not always have the necessary funds to follow the recommended fertilisation programmes. To address this problem a brainstorming session, directed by the project leader, Danie van Schalkwyk (ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij), was held with fertiliser experts in June 2006. A more affordable fertilisation programme was drawn up based on soil analyses of all the vineyard blocks and Leon Laubscher of SAD discussed this programme with the grapevine producers during small workshops on each of the five main islands in August 2006.
The biggest percentage of the drying grapes cultivated at Eksteenskuil is still established on scion roots and many of the vineyards’ yields are not up to scratch. ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij has been engaged in several trials on Upington Experiment Farm in which the influence of rootstocks on the yields of Merbein Seedless and Sultana was evaluated. To demonstrate the results of these and other trials first hand, a farmers’ day was held at the Upington Experiment Farm on 23 November 2006 and attended by 32 Eksteenskuil farmers. Three researchers from ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Eddie le Grange, Danie van Schalkwyk and Neels Volschenk presented and discussed research results in the actual trial sites.
Mr Le Grange discussed the importance of rootstocks and their effect on the yield of Merbein Seedless and Sultana (Photo 2). The farmers were given the opportunity to observe the difference in bearing as well as the trunk thickness of the various rootstocks. Most of these farmers’ vines are established on the same type of soil and also tend to salinity with high water tables. These trials indicated that 143B MGT was the most suitable rootstock for both Merbein Seedless and Sultana and also well adjusted to the given soil conditions. Producers are advised to use 143B MGT as rootstock for their soil conditions.
Relatively high yields are important to the Eksteenskuil farmers seeing that they farm on relatively small units. Mr Van Schalkwyk presented the results of a trellis trial for wine and raisin grapes on the experiment farm and demonstrated their construction as well as vine development on the various trellis systems. Although some of the systems such as the Factory and Gable are expensive, considerably bigger yields may be realised because these systems are able to accommodate larger cordons than the T-system, which is used predominantly in the Lower Orange River.
Mr Volschenk also demonstrated at the farmers’ day that alternative and "cheaper" cultivation methods are being investigated and presented and demonstrated the results of his trial on the experiment farm (Photo 3). Scion plant shoots were established to reduce the establishment cost and the vines were established in narrow rows, 100 cm by various plant widths in the rows. It has already been proven that yields of up to 12 t/ha were realised in the second and 39 t/ha in the third year with Villard blanc. However, several adjustments had to be made to the usual management procedure of a vineyard.
The farmers’ day on the experiment farm was followed by a visit to the SAD factory to familiarise them with the processing and packaging of their raisins once they had delivered them to SAD (Photo 4). This was most instructive and the quality of the raisins and the hygiene involved in handling the raisins during drying and processing were emphasised.
Next followed a visit to OWC’s cellar in Upington to familiarise the farmers with the procedures during the handling of their grapes following delivery to the cellar (Photo 5). For most of the farmers it was their first ever visit to a cellar. A short explanation was given of the kind of wines vinified at the cellar and how the grapes are graded in the various classes according to grape quality. The bottling plant of the cellar was also visited and the farmers could see for themselves how the wines are bottled and packaged.
The farmers’ day on the experiment farm and the visits to SAD and OWC gave the Eksteenskuil farmers the opportunity to look at research, vineyard management and the processing of their product from a broader perspective and gain more insight into why the correct cultivation practices are extremely important.
During 2007 additional workshops and farmers’ days were held to convey important viticultural technology and research results to the Eksteenskuil farming community. In June 2007 yet another farmers’ day was held at Sandeiland in Eksteenskuil which was attended by 59 people, including representatives from the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, as well as representatives from Riemvasmaak and Blocuso Trust. The Eksteenskuil farmers have indicated that they would like to expand their vineyard plantings considerably and therefore it is important for them to establish only certified vines, consequently Nico van Rensburg of the Vine Improvement Association (VIA) was requested to explain the plant improvement scheme and the importance of correct record keeping procedures to the farmers (Photo 5).
Salinity occurs on soils in the flood plain along the Orange River and is a major cause of concern for some Eksteenskuil farmers. Theresa Volschenk of ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij is an expert on salinity and has studied its occurrence along the Lower Orange River. During the workshop she discussed the results of her investigation as well as the management of salinity (Photo 6). Jan Avenant of ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij presented the results of his rootstock trials for drying grapes on the soils inside and outside the Upington irrigation scheme and indicated which rootstocks were saline resistant. He also discussed the effect of rootstocks on the yield and sugar content of drying grapes. Sugar content is extremely important in the quality and grading of raisins, which is why Leon Laubscher of SAD discussed and emphasised its importance.
Increased production through the use of trellis systems bigger than the traditional T-system, that is predominantly used in the area, was discussed by Mr Van Schalkwyk of ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij. He discussed the vine development methods for the various trellis systems which was followed by a practical demonstration about the erection of a Gable system by André Schmidt (ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij), Leon Laubscher (SAD) and Dirk Malan (independent viticulturist). Mr Schmidt created a demonstration model and the farmers had to help assemble it (Photo 7). Practical alternatives to the erection of a Gable were also demonstrated. Although the Gable is considerably more expensive than a T-system, it has the option of producing much higher yields if the system is managed correctly, especially seeing that some of the vineyard blocks in the community are fairly small. It is also suitable for wine grapes, with a view to mass production for rebate or distilling wine.
These farmers’ days and workshops empower the Eksteenskuil farmers with the necessary know-how and expertise that will enable them to manage their vineyards effectively and profitably. Continued efforts will be made to address this community’s needs through similar events.
For more information contact Danie van Schalkwyk on (021) 809-3156 or email vschalkwykd@arc.agric.za.
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