Soybeans – a common cash crop that is proving to be a real farm favourite among Mzansi’s food producers. But what exactly goes into cultivating this versatile legume? And what should all new farmers know before diving headfirst into planting it?
These questions were answered by a panel of forward-thinking farmers during a recent episode of Food For Mzansi’s weekly Gather To Grow interactive discussion on Twitter.
Speakers included Nkosana Mtambo, soybeans, yellow maize and sugar beans farmer, vegetable farmer Shana Sithole, and soyabean farmers Nqobiziswe Ntuli and Tshidiso Masebe.
In the session, experts pointed out that soybeans is a versatile crop ideal for crop rotation. This is great because it allows farmers to save money on fertiliser expenses, they said.
According to Mtambo, when it comes to nitrogen for soil, it is very good to rotate crops on the field.
“At our farm we do a soil rotation every three years. [In 2020] we planted maize and the following year we had to plant soyabeans. We didn’t add any fertiliser and the yield was very good. Now that we’ve planted soybeans again, we added a bit of fertiliser just to get the pH levels of the soil good,” Mtambo said.
When it comes to farming with soybeans, the speakers pointed out that there are a few things that farmers need to take note of. “I’ve experienced everything from pests to weeds. It’s important to have your herbicide, pesticide and fungicide programme in place,” Sithole said.
In terms of cultivars and what options are available to farmers, Mtambo said farmers need to remember that the soybean cultivar they choose, will depend on their soil.
“It’s very important as a farmer to know your soil samples and the pH levels of your soil… It’s not always about the type of soil, but also the history of the soil,” he said.
Experts also unpacked:
- Planting and harvesting times;
- Tips for production; and
- Where the markets are and how to access them.
ALSO READ: Could soybeans be your next venture?
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