According to Statistics South Africa, the sector has contracted by 17,4% quarter-on-quarter, largely due to the impact of “the worst drought since 1992”.

Stats SA says decreases in the production of field crops, including maize, sunflower and sugar cane, as well as horticultural products such as citrus subtropical fruit, were the main contributors to the decline.

The Transvaal Agricultural Union of SA has meanwhile called on government to focus on the economy rather than on politics. TAU SA President Louis Meintjies said in a statement government’s highest priority should be to stabilize the economy and ward off the threat of a recession. 

He adds that Government should also heed warnings from weather forecasters that the El Nino system could provide for another dry year and make early provision for such a possibility.

Sabrina Dean/OFM News