Netting is changing the face of South African farming – not only as a shield against environmental threats, but as a strategic tool for boosting yield and profitability. 

This is the view of Arno Abeln, MD at Agrimark, a leading agricultural retailer and part of the JSE-listed KAL Group, who says that netting, once a defensive strategy for fruit and plant farmers, has now become a proactive business decision. 

“With volatile weather conditions, including more intense rainfall, flooding, windstorms, and spells of extreme heat, crop protection with netting structures is becoming increasingly important,” says Abeln. “Farmers investing in netting are reporting yield increases of by 10 to 15% on certain crops. Netting also increases the pack-out percentages.” 

Agrimark reports that, in its most recent financial year, it quoted on 1000 hectares of netting projects and was involved in installations across 1500 hectares — a figure that’s growing exponentially as farmers invest more in their farm’s infrastructure following successive challenging periods. 

“Since COVID-19, many wine farmers were stuck in survival mode and unable to reinvest in their operations. Last year also brought difficult agricultural conditions. But this year, improved conditions suggest that grape yields will increase by 11% compared to the previous season. And when there’s optimism in the sector and producers begin seeing returns, they tend to start spending again on capital improvements like netting,” says Abeln.  

He cautions that netting infrastructure is capital intensive, making financing and long-term planning critical – especially for commercial export farmers. “Many producers are already planning three years in advance for new hectares to be covered by netting.” 

Farmers are also making more strategic decisions around cultivar selection and market alignment.

“It’s not just about maximising yields,” Abeln explains. “It’s also about reducing input costs and planting cultivars that meet consumer demand. If you’ve got the right cultivar, it makes sense to protect that investment. For premium-grade production, netting is becoming non-negotiable.”

Once the investment is made, maintenance becomes critical. 

“Without regular – ideally quarterly – inspections, the structure can quickly deteriorate. Wind damage is a particular concern. Proactive maintenance saves labour and costs down the line,” says Abeln. 

Despite the capital costs, few producers turn back once they experience the benefits. 

But how can farmers go about the installation process? 

Abeln explains that historically, many farmers managed netting installations themselves – sourcing poles, getting quotes, and hiring contractors – often without oversight or standardisation. But successful netting projects involve complex planning that may include environmental impact assessments, soil preparation, plant materials, trellis systems, irrigation, fertigation, chemigation, and the netting system itself.

“There were no engineering standards in place. One farmer’s system could look completely different from another’s, even when growing the same crop,” says Abeln. 

In response, Agrimark addressed a long-standing gap in the market by delivering a complete solution – in consultation with engineers – through its professional services offering. 

“We’re fortunate to have engineers on our team with deep experience in irrigation who helped develop standards for the netting industry in conjunction with Hortgro and CRI. These principles are now being applied to the construction side to ensure consistency and performance,” he explains. 

This technical expertise is offered as a turnkey solution: Agrimark works directly with the farmer to design, cost, project manage and deliver the infrastructure. Structural designs are tested through software modelling to ensure they meet performance expectations if built and maintained according to the standards. 

“Farmers don’t want to be passed from one supplier to the next. They want a single partner who understands their farm, their market, and their long-term goals.”

Abeln adds that Agrimark’s team will visit the farm – no need for the farmer to travel to a store – and manage the full process. 

“It’s about recognising that a farmer’s core business is farming – not netting. The younger farming generation coming up through the ranks doesn’t want multiple different quotes and suppliers. They want a professional to handle it as a complete service, and that is what we provide,” concludes Abeln.