|
 DAVE RENNIE is the dynamic and dedicated owner of Rennie's Farms near Paarl, which excels as one of the top providers of fresh tomatoes in the country.
Since moving to Paarl in 1978, Rennie developed the land along the Wemmershoek road from a desolate stretch of disused vineyard to today's internationally renowned centre of tomato production.
Export has been the greatest growth point for the business in the past six years.
Not only does the farm provide 1 500 tons of tomatoes to Woolworths per annum, it also exports fifteen containers per week to Marks & Spencer in England.
Selling directly to Woolworths since 1980, the farm aims for very high quality.
"I regard the tomato consumer as our most important customer. Quality service to our customers is the defining feature that sets us apart from other producers in the country," says Rennie. Together with quality, the twenty-four-seven 365-days-a-year 100% commitment attitude that the business is run on, is its secret of success.
The tomato seed, imported from the Far East and Europe at approximately R1,50 each, are sown, cared for individually and eventually cultivated in tunnels, multispans and greenhouses as well as under nets.
Plastic tunnel farming with tomatoes has been taking place 28 for 28 years and is the oldest standard procedure used on the farm.
The multispans and greenhouses allow the humidity and day-night temperatures to be controlled, regulating growth.
Nets are in use from January to March, when the natural temperatures increase sufficiently and the plants only require irrigation and protection from the scorching sun.
The varying procedures ensure that production continues all year round, catering for the export as well as the national market.
For the last four years, Rennie has instituted organic farming, due to the growing demand for organic produce.
Organic farming encourages benevolent insects, such as ladybirds, to return to the farm, benefiting the organic as well as standard cultivation procedures and decreasing the amount of pesticides used. To encourage ladybirds, fennel is planted.
The tomato plants are also grafted onto parasite-resistant root stock.
Rennie reasons that it is beneficial to carry out standard as well as organic procedures on the farm as the methods support and benefit one another.
"Even though standard farming procedures are based on ever-developing technological progress, organic procedures are effectively a regression to older practices, such as those your grandmother used to cultivate tomatoes in her back garden".
According to Rennie commitment and a will to work are absolute necessities to run a successful business.
"Selling, and not growing, is the most difficult part of the process and requires a lot of concentration and attention".
A successful business needs a good, committed management and a well-trained labour force.
Rennie's Farms have a large number of carefully selected permanent workers ensuring trust and efficiency. Some of the workers have been employed there for more than twenty years.
"Motivation of the workforce is essential and everyone works together as a team, not as a hierarchy.
"We put emphasis on the importance of the personal development, growth and security as well as the safety of the employees."
Rennie, who studied Pomology at Stellenbosch University, is driven by the interesting, fast pace of the industry and the ever changing ideas. He is married to Felicity.
He hopes to continue in the business for as long as he can, when hopefully one of their three sons will be interested in taking the farm forward into the twenty-first century and even greater future successes. |
