21st Century Masstock?

[Andrew_Ni]

I was just wondering are there many companies currently operating globally which are an equivalent to what masstock did in the past. Build up farms and seek uk and irish staff? I know almaria is still operating in saudi, there is velcourt but just wondering about others in eastern europe, south america and even Africa. etc?

 

[Sheep]

@Lowland1

 

[uztrac]

I lived in Libya in the early 70's and I remember Masstock setting up a small dairy unit for the Libyan Government on the Jebal Akhdar.I remember them getting the project established and then handing it over to the indigenous to operate on a day to day basis.

 

[Lowland1]

I think the answer is no most of the companies operating in Egypt/Sudan/Saudi area are Arab companies and whilst they may hire a western manager all the other staff will be from Sudan,the Phillipines, Pakistan etc. . There is no need these days to have a white tractor driver there are lots of cheaper options. Almarai was run by an Irishman and his son but generally everyone else would be from the subcontinent. The farm we set up in Sudan is now managed totally by the Sudanese however it isn’t going too well.

 

[Andrew_Ni]

I think the answer is no most of the companies operating in Egypt/Sudan/Saudi area are Arab companies and whilst they may hire a western manager all the other staff will be from Sudan,the Phillipines, Pakistan etc. . There is no need these days to have a white tractor driver there are lots of cheaper options. Almarai was run by an Irishman and his son but generally everyone else would be from the subcontinent. The farm we set up in Sudan is now managed totally by the Sudanese however it isn’t going too well.

what are the realities of commercial farming in Africa? are there currently opportunities or is it more investment funds own with a western manager? I seen a YouTube video of what looked like a recently established farm in Zimbabwe, didn’t think they were too keen on comercial operations. Is corruption a major issue ? What have been your experiences?

 

[Al R]

I think the answer is no most of the companies operating in Egypt/Sudan/Saudi area are Arab companies and whilst they may hire a western manager all the other staff will be from Sudan,the Phillipines, Pakistan etc. . There is no need these days to have a white tractor driver there are lots of cheaper options. Almarai was run by an Irishman and his son but generally everyone else would be from the subcontinent. The farm we set up in Sudan is now managed totally by the Sudanese however it isn’t going too well.

Pertwood Organic near Shaftesbury had another farm in South Africa if I remember right? I remember seeing picture’s of trains in the fields taking corn away

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Haygrove grows fruit in several countries.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Total produce have joint ventures around the world

 

[SteveHants]

what are the realities of commercial farming in Africa? are there currently opportunities or is it more investment funds own with a western manager? I seen a YouTube video of what looked like a recently established farm in Zimbabwe, didn’t think they were too keen on comercial operations. Is corruption a major issue ? What have been your experiences?

I've got quite a few students from Zim as well as Zambians and South Africans and they seem broadly optimistic

 

[Andrew_Ni]

I've got quite a few students from Zim as well as Zambians and South Africans and they seem broadly optimistic

As in they hope to return home and farm at some point?

 

[SteveHants]

As in they hope to return home and farm at some point?

Yes, there's a significant proportion who have vast holdings but want to get a qualification in Ag to fall back on, whilst being drawn in by the lure of Hartpury's Rugby programme

 

[Lowland1]

what are the realities of commercial farming in Africa? are there currently opportunities or is it more investment funds own with a western manager? I seen a YouTube video of what looked like a recently established farm in Zimbabwe, didn’t think they were too keen on comercial operations. Is corruption a major issue ? What have been your experiences?

Pertwood Organic near Shaftesbury had another farm in South Africa if I remember right? I remember seeing picture’s of trains in the fields taking corn away

Total produce have joint ventures around the world

I've got quite a few students from Zim as well as Zambians and South Africans and they seem broadly optimistic

Commercial farming here in Kenya is quite hard as the land keeps getting cut up into smaller bits. Places like Tanzania and the Congo look interesting but you'd need a lot of money behind you and starting something new in Africa always leaves you open to the corruption factor as it looks like you have money and everyone wants a bit of it. We are of to look at Zimbabwe next month some farmers have gone back and are renting land off the new owners and getting on OK so we will see how the potential is.
Pertwood Organics? Is that the one owned by Jody Scheckter? I think it is the Sandstone Estate in South Africa that has the trains I am not sure if he owns that. I know the Limestone Farming Co in Lincolnshire ( Nicholson) have land in South Africa as when I bought a sprayer from Househams I was given a contact which I lost.
Finally Total Fruit market fruit and supply rootstock for my friends raspberries.

 

[Lowland1]

I just looked it up Jody Scheckter owns Laverstock Park

 

[Wolds Beef]

Laverstock Park, the largest Biodynamic organic estate in this country! I have the second largest next door owned by the guy that owns Aura-Soma.
WB

 

[Lowland1]

Laverstock Park, the largest Biodynamic organic estate in this country! I have the second largest next door owned by the guy that owns Aura-Soma.
WB

I had never heard of him , the company or the farm . I do now. I am sure he doesn’t have the biggest sprayer in the district.

 

[Lazy Sod]

Commercial farming here in Kenya is quite hard as the land keeps getting cut up into smaller bits. Places like Tanzania and the Congo look interesting but you'd need a lot of money behind you and starting something new in Africa always leaves you open to the corruption factor as it looks like you have money and everyone wants a bit of it. We are of to look at Zimbabwe next month some farmers have gone back and are renting land off the new owners and getting on OK so we will see how the potential is.
Pertwood Organics? Is that the one owned by Jody Scheckter? I think it is the Sandstone Estate in South Africa that has the trains I am not sure if he owns that. I know the Limestone Farming Co in Lincolnshire ( Nicholson) have land in South Africa as when I bought a sprayer from Househams I was given a contact which I lost.
Finally Total Fruit market fruit and supply rootstock for my friends raspberries.

Lower Pertwood Farm and Pertwood Organics is is just up the road from me. It was converted to organic by the previous owner, Mark Houghton-Brown, who sold up and went to new Zealand in 2006. It was bought by South African Wilfred Mole who owns Sandstone Estates and has his own railway there. He's bought up several blocks of nearby land since buying here. I understand that he is giving up the organic status on some of the land at Pertwood. Wilfred mole is worth a Google,

 

[Lowland1]

Pertwood Farm and Pertwood Organics is is just up the road from me. It was converted to organic by the previous owner, Mark Houghton-Brown, who sold up and went to new Zealand in 2006. It was bought by South African Wilfred Mole who owns Sandstone Estates and has his own railway there. He's bought up several blocks of nearby land since buying here. I understand that he is giving up the organic status on some of the land at Pertwood. Wilfred mole is worth a Google,

Thank you i will do. I get the South African farmers weekly and there’s often bits about Sandstone Estates which looks very smart with or without the railway.

 

[toquark]

I have two friends from Zimbabwe who came back after they lost their farms. They both say that Africa is great but you have to be prepared to potentially lose everything at any moment, a name on a title can be fairly meaningless.

That said, one has gone back to Zim and another to Zambia both to farm in some capacity so they obviously see a future there.

 

[Lowland1]

I have two friends from Zimbabwe who came back after they lost their farms. They both say that Africa is great but you have to be prepared to potentially lose everything at any moment, a name on a title can be fairly meaningless.

That said, one has gone back to Zim and another to Zambia both to farm in some capacity so they obviously see a future there.

That’s always beem my philosophy if you can rent why buy and if things get bad walk away however I only came here in the ‘90’s my wife’s family came here in 1896 so it’s home to her . In Zimbabwe people were there longer and in South Africa much longer so they will have a different point of view.

 

[toquark]

That’s always beem my philosophy if you can rent why buy and if things get bad walk away however I only came here in the ‘90’s my wife’s family came here in 1896 so it’s home to her . In Zimbabwe people were there longer and in South Africa much longer so they will have a different point of view.

I think if what had happened to them had happened to me here, I'd be off never to return but there's something about Africa that seems to get under the skin. Both families had been there 100+years before Mugabe gave them the boot, and one particularly was lucky to get out alive, his white farm manager was murdered.