Phindile Nkosi

Name: Phindile Nkosi

Area: Steyndorp, Gert Sibande District, Mpumalanga

Produce: Cabbage, spinach, tomatoes.

2005

Background:

The business started operating in 2005 and is classified under the primary Agricultural Sector. Phindile currently has 18 years of farming experience in vegetable production and her main focus is cabbage, spinach and tomatoes.

All produce are sold for fresh consumption to various consumers and buyers, as well as to Simply Salads, a pack-house that packages products for Spar, Pick n Pay and other retailers.

Phindile has five hectares of land available for farming, of which two hectares are currently under production. The tomatoes are at the end of the production cycle, and the cabbage and spinach are in the process of being harvested.

The challenges experienced:

• PRODUCTION: The main challenge is the lack of equipment required for soil preparations in the area. Additional technical support and assistance is also required to increase the current knowledge and experience in vegetable production.

• MARKET ACCESS: Phindile currently has access to the informal markets, but requires access to the formal market. Due to a lack of financial assistance, the quality of Phindile’s crop was not always up to standard, influencing her overall sales.

• FINANCIAL SUPPORT: Phindile was struggling to keep record of her production, as well as to set sales targets and monitor them accordingly.

Intervention / Solution:

• PRODUCTION: Timbali has allocated Phindile with well experienced field technicians called PSF Officers. They make frequent visits to the farm to ensure maximum production and provide daily recommendations/solutions to all issues observed in the field at a production level. Timbali assisted Phindile to identify three tractors around the Elukwatini area to assist with land preparation.
Timbali also provided OPS manuals to ensure production happens accordingly, and have conducted at least two farm visits a week during the production period for additional assistance.

• MARKET ACCESS: Timbali hosts a monthly Market Access Workshop, as well as one-on-one sessions to assist Phindile. This has been a good eye-opener for Phindile to start focusing on supplying the formal market. To date, over R50 000 worth of produce has been supplied to Simply Salad.

• FINANCIAL SUPPORT: With Timbali’s assistance, Phindile has received a financial loan of R88 189 to assist with the increase of her production. So far this has resulted in great returns.

Outcome:

For the last 5 years Phindile has only supplied the informal markets. Supplying quality produce to both the informal and formal markets has increased her sales this year.

In addition to supplying the informal markets, Phindile has also supplied Simply Salads.

Phindile has managed to repay her loan in full within two months.