Nestled deep in the green hills of Limpopo in Vondo Village, Matika Khathutshelo has a diverse range of agricultural pursuits that make his way of farming truly fascinating.
On 10 hectares of land, the owner of Matika Subrop Farming produces macadamia nuts, avocado, and litchis. These crops, Khathutshelo says require careful nurturing and particular expertise.
“I decided to choose farming as a profession because I grew up witnessing my father farm, and I helped him with some of the work. That made me fall in love with farming during the early years of my life, and I officially started farming in 2012.
“I farm with fruits because I grew up watching and helping my father farm with this commodity. I gained more knowledge when I worked with Subtrop and the South African Macadamia Growers’ Association (SAMAC), as they offered me lots of courses related to fruit production,” Khathutshelo says.
Research, research, research
While Khathutshelo earns money from all his crops, he focuses on avocados. This choice stems from a consistent market and positive feedback on the quality, driving his preference for this particular produce.
“I market my products at local and formal markets, but I am also strategic about the places where I make a profit. I take my products to commercial packing houses and market them with their products to gain profit.”
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To stay ahead and in the know, Khathutshelo actively pursues short courses in fruit production and business. He also researches farming and market demand, recognising the evolving nature of farming technology and science.
Moving with the times
“If you use old technology, you can’t produce like the first day you started with farming. [Farming] needs someone always willing to learn.”
Moreover, he emphasises that he views farming not just as a job but as a way of life, attributing this perspective to the patience it demands.
“I work with two other people, but during harvest time, I hire a maximum of 15 people, and I remain responsible for all farm management and activities that happen day by day.”
Expanding production
With challenges ranging from land, climate change, and funding, he further underlines that one cannot invest in farming today and expect income tomorrow.
“There are many challenges I face that prove patience and learning are vital in farming. Firstly, land issues: I plant in a new space, you can plant lots of population trees in a small area, but it takes money to buy the right cultivator that can allow you to do so and prepare the land in the right way,” he explains.
Then, there is climate change. Khathutshelo says he tries, by all means, to know what is going to happen in the months ahead and how he can prevent it from destroying his crops. “Funds are also a big challenge, but I manage to fund myself by selling my products and improving my farm.”
While it is not easy and challenges are many, Khathutshelo looks at the bright side.
Maintaining a high quality
“My avocado products and others are not many, but because of the quality, I’ve made a lot of achievements by entering big retailers, and I’ve also won many competitions as a farmer.”
He intends to expand his fruit production on a larger scale, simultaneously growing his market while retaining his existing customer base.
“My products are currently needed, but the challenge is that they may not be in the future, so I need to add more fruits for production and agro-processing of other fruits.”
Khathutshelo’s deep connection with the land excites him to explore a range of possibilities in agricultural production in the times ahead. He is currently focusing on increasing his avocado orchards because of a good demand.
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