Drought has hit the Cape farmlands and is hurting more than just farmers, writes Marianne Merten
Wheat farmers in the southern Cape are facing bleak crop prospects for a third season in five years, and the lack of rain across the Western Cape is also putting pressure on those growing fruit or vines. And once farmers start cutting costs, thousands of jobs could be on the line, provincial agricultural officials warn.
Alarm bells for the biggest income generator in the Western Cape sounded after the rainfall this July amounted to only a fifth of normal rains. According to the Cape Town weather bureau, not only has there been less rain this year, but temperatures have also been higher. The average long-term rainfall for May is 76,7mm, but only 34,8mm was recorded this year. While the June average long-term rainfall is 98,3mm, it was only 83,3mm this year. Only April recorded average temperatures and rainfall.
Western Cape chief director of Agriculture Dr Piet van Rooyen said the wheat harvest should have been standing between 10cm and 15cm high in the fields already. Instead, many areas between Riviersonderend and George look like “tennis courts” and farmers are putting animals on the fields to graze to cut their losses. He said it was the worst situation in the past 70 years in this area. Barley and canola crops are also affected.
Van Rooyen said the department is conducting surveys to determine exactly where the crisis spots are. But already there are warnings of a potential social disaster as unconfirmed reports from the region claim farmers are shedding jobs to cut costs – up to half the workforce on some farms.
“The social disaster is one that must be addressed very soon. Some of the squatter camps have doubled,” he said. “Labourers are being let go. Children are out of school as parents are looking for work.”
It is predicted that farm workers and little rural towns that rely on the buying power of the agricultural sector will be hard hit. Job losses are also likely as cash flow problems necessitate cost-cutting. Farmers will have difficulty planting crops for the next season because of lack of money. And debt will increase.
Investment agency Wesgro has predicted, in a short-term projection, that agricultural output in the Western Cape “will be dampened” because of the unusual weather. This comes amid current estimates that only a quarter of the wheat crop will be harvested.
Wesgro chief economist Wolfgang Thomas said drought is a real issue for the province, not only in the southern Cape, but also the fruit and vine-growing areas along the West Coast area. “To some extent it [the impact] is not quite felt yet, except in wheat production. Later in the year it is likely that fruit production could also be affected. It’s been too hot for too long. The dams are not full.”
Two weeks ago organised agriculture, co- operatives and banks met in Swellendam to discuss what needs to be done. A committee is now drawing up an emergency plan to help farmers cope with short-term difficulties. These include obtaining animal fodder, often at a transport cost of R200 per ton, cash flow shortages that could lead to retrenchment of workers because there is no money to pay them, and debt relief. Said Van Rooyen: “We are looking at schemes to subsidise farmers so they can at least keep their workers.”
Western Cape MEC for Agriculture Gerrit van Rensburg last week visited the drought- stricken areas. On Wednesday, the provincial cabinet discussed the situation.
Agriculture Western Cape general manager Carl Opperman said the industry is also looking at long-term measures as government hand-outs in crisis times are unlikely to continue and it was up to farmers and organised agriculture to set up safety nets for hard times. Among the proposals are creating a tax-free investment portfolio at, for example, the Land Bank during years when there is surplus cash so it can sustain farmers over lean periods. Another proposal is getting together with the insurance industry, the government and others to establish an insurance package to cover farmers in hard times.
The emergency plan must be approved by provincial and national authorities but, Opperman said, it is hoped to have everything in place by October when farmers must start repaying their debts to banks.
“It’s going to be a tough year especially as we are looking at the mild winter, which was actually a summer this year.”
ENDS
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