Now, extreme protests and looting in parts of the country is also affecting the sector. Additionally, this week veldfires in the Free State caused extensive damage to affected farms. 

See PODCAST below

Dr Jack Armour from Free State Agriculture spoke to OFM News about the devastating economic, political, and social effects of recent looting and veldfires on the South African agriculture sector. 

"With the petrol refinery having shut down...  they cannot supply fuel to the country and planting season [is] coming up now. If we don't have fuel we can't plant," says Armour. 

He explains that citrus exports, amongst other exports from the Durban harbour, are being affected negatively by the unrest in the province. 

Armour further adds that "The N3, that is a critical link to Gauteng, is our hub where most of our citizens are living. So, if we don't have these formal value chains in place, the shopping malls and the roads that link them to the processes and the imports and exports, the harbours and everything - we are staring at food insecurity in our country. We are tremendously concerned as Free State Agriculture." 

 "We are incredibly grateful that nothing has spilt over into the Free State yet," remarks Armour. 

With regards to the recent veldfires in the Free State, he says that the weather and the season we are in, attributed largely to increased veldfires. 

However, these fires will have long-lasting effects on the affected farmers. "The farmer cannot afford to take out insurance for all his grazing, he cannot afford to take insurance for all his livestock, it's just unaffordable, it's uneconomical. So, unfortunately, when somebody loses all his land and has a hundred, or even up to 1 000 livestock burnt dead, It's a huge economic impact for a farmer like that to get back on his feet again and to rebuild his herds." 

Armour ends by cautioning people when making fires, braaing or throwing cigarette butts out of the window, to be cognisant of their surroundings as veld fires will spark faster than usual. He also says that assisting the farmers where we can, would be greatly appreciated. 

He thanks everyone, on behalf of the farmers, who have already helped and is grateful that no lives were lost.

OFM News/Lee Simmons