Goodwill Mbenyane has transformed family land into a flourishing 21-hectare vegetable farm in Mpumalanga, supplying thousands of cabbages weekly to local markets and schools. Hear his inspiring journey on our Farmer Mentor podcast series on Farmer’s Inside Track.
The stakes are high when managing a family business with family money. Which is why Goodwill Mbenyane, the owner and director of Malashe Agricultural Primary Cooperative puts his heart and soul into keeping his farming venture alive.
Mbenyane’s 21-hectare farm in Whiteriver, Mpumalanga, is exclusively dedicated to vegetable production. He grows green peppers, okra, and sweet potatoes. Cabbages and tomatoes are his primary crops.
“That’s where my money is,” Mbenyane says proudly. “We sell about 5 000 cabbages every weekend, and the price is good.”
Most of their markets include school nutrition programmes, local Spar stores, and a few butcheries.
With a background as a business development officer and experience in youth agricultural development, Mbenyane learnt the potential of his family’s unused land.
Determined to make a difference, he started developing the farm step by step, ultimately creating a family cooperative.
“It was not an easy journey until now, where things are coming together as we are working the land,” he says.
There is a reason why his main crops are cabbages and tomatoes, Mbenyane explains. He knows agriculture is a business and must grow what is in demand and profitable.
“Don’t plant something that people won’t buy,” cautions Mbenyane. “You are not planting for the fun of it. You need to plant so that your money can come back.”
“The reason we focus on cabbage is because it is one of the biggest crops around here. It’s a vegetable that can feed a whole family. People often opt for cabbage over meat because it is more affordable.”
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Slow and steady wins the race
To supply an average of 5 000 cabbages per week, means that Mbenyane needs to run a tight ship. While access to a lot of land with well-drained soil is crucial, he understands that it is only the tip of the iceberg.
“You need to look at your land, take care of your soil, and understand crop rotation. You need to understand the irrigation system that you are using.”
For instance, Mbenyane explains that cabbages benefit from overhead irrigation methods such as sprinklers or natural rainfall, as they are leafy crops that thrive with water applied from above. While drip irrigation is effective, cabbages prefer overhead water delivery.
A different irrigation strategy is applied to his green pepper field. “This crop won’t do well with sprinklers because it will rust. You need to apply drip irrigation for green peppers,” he explains.
A few years ago, Mbenyane made a number of mistakes, and it cost him dearly. For instance, he recalls that in 2010, the price of cabbages was around R10 each.
“I used to think that if I planted 100 000 cabbages, I would have R1 million after three months.
“I had to learn that you can’t plant 100 000 cabbages all at once. You need to plan carefully. To consistently supply your market, you need to stagger your plantings,” he says.
Want to know more? Listen to the full episode of Farmer’s Inside Track.
Mbenyane shares valuable insights on managing farming risks and seasonal challenges, like avoiding winter tomatoes to prevent frost damage, and offers advice on the dedication and commitment needed for success in agriculture.
Option 1: Click here to listen on Spotify (all mobile and other devices).
Option 2: Click here to listen on any Apple device.
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