Sweet peppers are an important source of income for many farmers in the Western Bushveld region of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. The area has mild winters, which allows for winter production, a period when it is too cold to produce the crop in some other areas. In common with other crops, variety choice can have a major influence on success, and there are numerous options when choosing which to plant. To assist growers in making their choice, Starke Ayres presented an Information Day to demonstrate the range of varieties offered on May 18 2023. The day was held at York Boerdery with the assistance of owner Johan van der Linde and his son Johan Jnr. The farm is in the Lephalale (Ellisras) district, the heart of the production area.
Around 35 visitors attended, along with 7 members of the Starke Ayres marketing team. A formal presentation on the importance of Calcium in fruit quality was well-received by those present and gave rise to some interesting discussions on this and other growing practices. Such discussions are a very important part of such
days and is a very good source of information for technical personnel and breeders who are tasked with finding varieties to suit market requirements. Several segments exist in the pepper market, and most growers will find that a particular variety is best suited to their production practices and required specifications. Diseases can be devastating so a resistance package also plays a vital role in variety choice. With this in mind, a range of varieties was on show, each offering slightly different options. These were discussed in detail in the demonstration blocks, allowing informed decisions to be made. Popular varieties on show included Pfeiffer, Duke, Marx, Diva, Zia, Upbeat and STAR 6657. In addition to these, the trial varieties SP 2120, 2081 and 1948 were included to show what can be expected in the near future.
The day was a great success and thanks are due to the van der Lindes for hosting and to those who attended. For information on the varieties, please contact your local sales representative.
