Whatshot
Lifelong dedication yields growth of KZN Farmer
Lifelong dedication yields growth of KZN Farmer
Stanger-born Jack Muruven Govender, owner of thriving KwaZulu-Natal based Clifton Farm, has been involved in farming for most of his 46 years of life, having worked the cane fields alongside his family as a child.
"From a very young age I worked in the cane fields as a general farm worker during my school holidays," he says. "I had to work so I could help my parents by purchasing my own uniforms for school. My dad also worked on a farm and didn't earn enough to cater for all our needs, so my mom and my siblings worked in the cane fields as well to help with income. I also took additional work in clothing stores in Stanger over the weekends to make some extra cash," he says.
After completing high school, he was offered a trainee manager position on the same farm his dad worked on, and because his family couldn't afford to fund his further studies, he gladly accepted the offer.
In 1991, his farming career took off and he has never looked back, as he found working with the soil was exactly what he was always called for.
For over a decade he spent each day mastering every aspect of commercial farming, then from hard work and good fortune, he grabbed the opportunity to buy Clifton Farm from Tongaat Hulett Sugar (THS) through the Government's Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) Scheme in 2004.
"This was life-changing for me as I had only ever dreamt of owning a farm and never thought I could do so, being just another employee," he says. The 94.9-hectare farm he acquired is located in the Amatikulu area, 1.5 km from the Amatikulu Sugar Mill.
Jack soon had to search for new income sources, as the farm was too small to remain profitable. After exploring several options, he decided to start a small harvesting business, starting by harvesting 5000 tonnes(t) of cane for neighbouring farmers.
In the early years of operation, he struggled with ageing equipment, but he was not in a position to replace or maintain any of it properly due to cash flow problems. Clifton Farms was hit with a further blow in 2010, when the KZN experienced its worst drought in 200 years, bringing his crop down to 37% of normal production.
In recent years, Clifton Farm's fortunes turned around when Govender was soon offered 90ha of land to lease by Tongaat Hulett for an indefinite period.
"Although I was under a lot of pressure, those tough seasons have made me a better businessman," he says. "I fought hard to survive and learnt a lot on that treacherous road. I know that in the future I will have to experience these tough times again, but I am prepared for that.
"My advice to other growers and to anyone would be that unflinching honesty and respect in life will always keep you happier than having a big bank balance. Always treat everyone with respect and care for people around you," he says.