Relief in Western Cape but distressing drought continues in Eastern Cape

In the Western Cape dam levels look better by the week and snow has helped the Koue Bokkeveld (Ceres and surrounds - photo, right, of the Matroosberg near Ceres at the beginning of July) in particular to accrue cold units, but in the western parts of the Eastern Cape the drought is still pressing heavily.

Starting this month, farmers in the Gamtoos Valley (Hankey and Patensie) have had their water allocation cut by 80%, leaving them 20% of their normal allocation for citrus, vegetable and dairy production. For the previous water year (1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018) they still had 40% of the allocation from the Kouga Dam, which stands at a distressingly low level of 7.2% where it has remained more or less stable for the past six months.

The Gamtoos Valley is the sixth largest citrus producing area in the country, estimated to produce a total of 8.8 million 15kg equivalent cartons this season, primarily soft citrus, navels and Valencias.

“Given the circumstances citrus has been performing better than expected,” says Pierre Joubert, CEO of the Gamtoos Irrigation Board, “but make no mistake, there are going to be losses, especially after the latest cuts. Something that’s very important to keep in mind are the job losses, not so much in the citrus industry yet but among the vegetable farmers of the area. The socio-economic problem touches the whole Valley because almost everyone is dependent on agriculture.”

He continues that the further reduction in water allocation can be expected to have a linear effect on the area’s vegetable production of staples like cabbage, carrots, lettuce, pumpkins, as well as cucumbers and berries. Citrus farmers customarily also plant vegetables to generate cash flow and to give employment throughout the year, not just at harvesting. Increasingly, farmers have added on-farm vegetable processing, creating many jobs in the process, but given the water shortage vegetables have had to take a back seat to citrus this season. 

There are vegetable lands lying fallow in the Gamtoos and the effect of the drought is felt downstream by carton manufacturers and agricultural equipment suppliers.

The Kouga Dam in the Gamtoos is fed from rain falling in the Langkloof, which straddles the Western and Eastern Cape, in the Tsitsikamma Mountains as well as in Baviaanskloof.

In the Langkloof, traditionally a year-round rainfall area, producers are anxiously waiting while it’s raining in the Western Cape. “We’re waiting for the fronts to turn,” says a technical manager for the topfruit industry, adding that it’s been a relatively warm year, quite similar to the 2016 season, but better than last year. There has been a light covering of snow on Mount Formosa.

Of much more pressing concern than winter cold, however, is water. Currently Langkloof farmers are operating at 40% of their normal allocation, but that could be halved, in line with Gamtoos farmers. “This is almost akin to land expropriation,” an exasperated apple farmer tells FreshPlaza. “What use is land without water, especially in fruit production?”

Generally, Langkloof producers have ended better than last year in terms of their water after rain in October and November last year (and despite hail in February this year). Orchards are increasingly covered by nets, showing a large improvement in water usage – up to a 20% reduction in irrigation in some cultivars. Drape nets, which remain over orchards during the period of fruit development, are increasingly used as well.