Agrimark Patensie: Pulling the wagon together through the drift

Through rain, hail, storms and floods — in both good times and bad — Agrimark Patensie remains a trusted friend of the Gamtoos Valley community, helping people rebuild time and again.

This supportive relationship between the store and its customers once again became clear when residents recently had to endure devastating floods. Producers suffered extensive damage as fields and orchards were literally washed away. Agrimark Patensie stood firmly behind the community, extending a helping hand for weeks. (See sidebar.)

Christiaan Immelman, branch manager since 2022, confirms the close bond they share with their customers.

A stop on the way to Baviaanskloof

Agrimark is conveniently located along the main road leading tourists to the entrance of the well-known Baviaanskloof. People regularly stop for a cold drink or anything else they may need for their journey. Most people stop by for a quick visit to the store, Expressmark or the tyre department.

Expressmark is ready early each morning with a warm greeting, hot coffee and delicious pies. The store sells takeaways and other treats — platters can even be ordered. Especially during season time, when the town becomes very busy, people quickly pop in for bread and milk to avoid the long queues elsewhere.

The friendly staff at the fuel forecourt make sure visitors and regular customers leave with full tanks. The clean restrooms are also a welcome stop for travellers on the long road.
 

Tyres, fuel and stoep stories

The tyre department has been providing excellent service for years. Whether it is a tyre that unexpectedly gave trouble or one that simply needs checking before tackling rough 4x4 routes, the team is ready to help. They repair tyres for passenger vehicles, bakkies, farm implements, trucks, orchard trailers and pivots.

Johan Kritzinger, better known as Johan Tyre, earned his nickname in this very department. He is something of a legend in the community with his sharp sense of humour. Although he will soon retire after decades of service, he will probably still pop in regularly to make sure the department he built alongside his staff continues its good work.
 

Everything for farm, home and the outdoors

The store is spacious and the various sections are neatly laid out so that visitors can easily find what they are looking for.

Christiaan says customers visit the store for everything from agricultural supplies to convenience items and DIY products.

The outdoor products section is a major attraction. Product ranges include Jonsson and Salty clothing, as well as chairs, tents, cooler boxes and braai equipment — everything you need for a trip into the Baviaanskloof. The store also stocks various sizes of gas bottles and cylinders, and customers can refill their own gas bottles there as well.

A unique service offered by the store is purified water. A filtration system, installed by the supplier, is inspected and tested monthly. Customers simply bring their own containers and fill their bottles on-site.
 

Diesel can be purchased directly, or orders can be arranged for delivery to farms. The usual agricultural products are naturally also available, including materials and equipment for net structures, with certain specialised items available on order.

The paint department is also popular, as standard colours are always available while other colours can quickly be mixed according to the customer’s preferences.
 

Agrimark Patensie also sells household appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, gas stoves, irons, heaters and coolers. Producers often use their accounts to buy these items for farm workers. One customer once purchased 24 freezers.

Derik Botes, financial manager at Agrimark Patensie, says they serve a massive area with a radius of nearly 700 km, including Cook-house, Addo, Kirkwood, the Gamtoos Valley, Hartenbos and Joubertina.

The branch mainly provides financing for crop inputs and manages monthly accounts according to customers’ needs.

Their financing is highly diversified — from strawberries, various berry types and citrus to dairy, livestock, vegetables and cash crops.

After the recent devastating floods, one thing remains clear: the people of the Gamtoos Valley are resilient, because here people pull together, work together and rebuild together.
 

Gamtoos Floods: Agrimark reaches out to the community

Agrimark Patensie immediately stepped in to assist people who were either trapped in their homes or had lost their homes completely by delivering food parcels where needed. At one stage, around 70 people were accommodated in the local church hall, Christiaan explains.

In partnership with the Gamtoos Agricultural Association, a fuel fund was also established. Agrimark Patensie became one of the collection points for diesel donations and also donated diesel itself. Operators spent weeks repairing roads and bridges. Fuel was also donated for generators that had to run continuously in areas without electricity.

Christiaan himself once had to travel hundreds of kilometres via alternative routes to assist stranded residents with gas and fuel.

The store was also opened after hours on several occasions to provide essential supplies for people and animals in need.
 

Agrimark Patensie

Fred Ferreira Street

Tel: 042 283 0305