According to Jeanne Boshoff of Agri Western Cape, the umbrella organisation of agriculture in the Western Cape, the rain was very localised and slight and won’t have much effect on dam levels or production. Two regions are still considered as disaster areas, the Central Karoo region (primarily sheep farming) and the West Coast.
On Hoekstra Fruit Farm, in the Paarl region, rain (measuring around 4mm) caused grape harvesting to be suspended for a few days to allow grapes to dry off, followed by precautionary spraying against botrytis. There the grape harvest is 64% completed, says Barend Mouton, technical director, because this has been an early season, due to hot conditions. Although farmers in the region have been advised by their irrigation authority to save 20% on water use, they are still able to drip irrigate unharvested vineyards daily.
Imraan Moerat of Bovlakte farm, where he farms with apples, pears and plums in the Overberg, received 60mm last week, while Haygrove Farm, a producer of raspberries and blueberries for the British market outside Hermanus, had to cease spraying and harvesting activities due to the rain.
However, in other fruit-producing areas of the Western Cape a mere smattering of rain has brought relief from high temperatures, but no difference to worrying dam levels. Deidré Eigelaar of Achtervlei Farm in the Swartland says that their dam levels can be described as “negative” after two consecutive dry winters and that they are still in an intense drought. They received between 8 and 12 mm last week.
In the Langkloof valley, one of the major apple and pear production areas, farmers rely on their own dams built up in the mountains. Some farmers have been without water for irrigation for a week or two, according to Andries Stander of Langfontein, where a mere 7mm fell. Hannes Stapelberg of farm Eve Brand, received 20mm on one side of the valley and very little on the other. He concurs that dam levels are very low in the valley. Pear harvesting is currently taking place and there has been no disruption due to the rain.
Langkloof apple producers need to irrigate until April, but Agri Western Cape regards the situation there as critical. Last year was the second driest year in 70 years. Some growers only have water left for household use.
In the region around Ceres, rains have been very sporadic and localised. Farmers are dependent on their own dams, some of which have satisfactory levels, some are very empty. Petrus Nel of the Bokkeveld Trust says that stonefruit harvesting is about 75% complete, with fruit of a smaller size than usual, because of the drought.
Author: Carolize Jansen
