Jacques de Villiers took over management of the Giba banana farm in Kiepersol, Mpumalanga, in 2023 after damage from a 2022 hurricane and inconsistent oversight left only 75 hectares replanted. Drawing on nearly 30 years of work in South Africa, Mozambique, India, and Costa Rica, he rebuilt the operation through strict scheduling, sucker management, and restoration of planting density rather than replanting older blocks. Giba's 12-year-old plantations now yield around 60 tonnes per hectare.
A core element of his system is weekly deflowering, with removed flowers counted to forecast harvest timing. In summer, harvest follows roughly 14 weeks after deflowering and up to 24 weeks in winter. Bunches for the following week are marked with colour-coded string and tracked in a spreadsheet to align expected and actual packhouse volumes. Deviations of more than five bunches trigger field checks.
Supply timing is adjusted to avoid peak regional competition from May to September. Sucker selection is used to slow or advance growth cycles. Density is maintained at 2,000 to 2,200 plants per hectare to ensure about 85% ground shade. Suckers are selected for strength and direction, and weaker first-generation suckers are removed. Older blocks with uneven growth can be synchronised by removing all suckers at once.
Some areas are being replanted with the Williams cultivar, with 10 hectares planned by January 2026 and 40 hectares later in the year.
Fertilisation is matched to block potential. Soil is sampled through accredited laboratories and assessed with independent consultants. Micro-lime is applied to adjust pH, and trials with NC32 carbon-integrated nitrogen reduced fertiliser use by 30% while improving nutrient retention, especially in sandy soils. Potassium and phosphates are applied by hand, with nitrogen through irrigation.
Biological pest control using Mos Blend and Bio Pest has reduced banana weevils, thrips, and snails. Glyphosate is used only to manage excessive weeds. Otherwise, weeds are kept as ground cover to reduce erosion and retain moisture, supported by about 800 millimetres of annual rainfall.
Labour is controlled through closely monitored productivity targets. The farm employs around 0.8 to 0.95 workers per hectare. Supervisors oversee plant-care and fruit-care teams. Output is benchmarked, and tasks are assigned individually to track quality. Bagging practices are monitored to prevent heat damage and improve first-grade packout.
De Villiers aims for a 90% first-grade packout and attributes improvements to disciplined timing, data tracking, and staff management.
Source: Farmer's Weekly
