How often do we pause to consider the journey a tomato takes before it transforms into the tomato sauce on our plate? From the seed planted in rich soil to the vibrant red fruit ripening under the sun, each step is a testament to nature’s patience and the diligence of our farmers.
Tiger Brands recently hosted a heritage tour detailing the journey of a tomato from seedling to plate. Mary Jane Morifi, the chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer, provided insight on the company’s ethos and the opportunities that have been created for black small-scale farmers to become commercial in Limpopo.
Creating a market for Limpopo farmers
Morifi explained that farmers in Limpopo face significant barriers to entry. Despite having access to land, it is communal property association (CPA) land, meaning they lack title deeds and can’t prove ownership.
Without title deeds, Morifi added, they are unable to secure loans from banks. She said they lack the technical expertise required to meet the stringent standards and quality demands of large companies like Tiger Brands, making it difficult for them to break into the commercial market.
“So we set up this enterprise and supply development with the guarantee that every seed that goes into the ground, Tiger Brands will be an offtaker.
“With our enterprise and supply development, not a single seed goes into the ground until Tiger Brands has given the letters of intent to say that whatever you produce we will take,” she said.
Morifi expressed that the opportunities for growth in the agricultural sector are immense, but to fully harness them, strategic partnerships with the government are essential. She noted that government involvement can play a pivotal role by offering grants and technical support, addressing critical issues like land ownership and water access.
“I hate the term [small-scale]. That should just be an entry to say you come in, we work with you, we hold your hand. But as we work with your hand like a university graduate, you will graduate to hopefully become a commercial-scale farmer,” she said.
With these interventions, farmers can overcome existing challenges and scale their operations, enabling them to compete in larger markets and contribute more significantly to the agricultural economy, Morifi explained.
Tiger Brands has put its money where its mouth is and set up the R100-million Dipuno Enterprise and Supplier Development Fund to support farmers that are supplying to them.
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From seed to seedling
Every crop begins as a seed and in this case, the tomato seedlings are sourced from Riverside Nursery also located in Musina. Henno Breytenbach, the manager at Riverside Nursery, detailed their process of growing the tomato seedlings.
Breytenbach explained that once the seeds have germinated, 26 to 48 hours later the seedlings are transferred to an open nursery with an optimal environment until collection. He emphasised the importance of purchasing seedlings from nurseries to reduce the occurrence and spread of pathogens.
“Sourcing from a nursery is better for reduced contamination and disease mitigation,” he said.
Guests ended the day at Dr NJ Nesane Farm in Musina where the tomatoes for Tiger Brands’ All Gold products are produced. The farm spans over 450ha of government-owned land that is leased by the late Nesane’s sons, Ntuseni Jnr and Khathutshelo Nesane, who manage the business.
Sipho Modiba, agricultural procurement manager at Tiger Brands, explained that the tomato varieties grown at the farm are determinate tomatoes. These tomatoes, often referred to as “bush tomatoes”, have a unique growth habit that makes them ideal for certain uses, such as sauce production.
During the first month of the harvesting season, starting in May, activities in the Musina and Monedi regions kick into high gear. Each area follows different planting schedules. Musina typically begins its harvesting earlier, around July, while Monedi picks up afterwards. Last year, this strategic timing led to an impressive output of 25 000 tonnes of tomatoes.
“If somebody says there’s no more tomatoes in Musina being planted, then there’s something very wrong. Something went terribly wrong. Maybe because of climate change? Though I don’t see it,” said Kathutshelo.
Nesane’s sons shared the importance of continuing their father’s legacy as tomato producers. “We are not bosses here. We are not the boss of this farm. We are workers.
“The only boss that we still respect is our father. If you tell yourself [that you’re the boss] when you manage big work like this you are not going to [produce] anything,” said Ntuseni Jnr.
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