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Daar is groot verligting nadat die Noord-, Oos- en Wes-Kaap vandeesweek as droogterampgebiede verklaar is. Landbou-organisasies in dié provinsies het hierdie aankondiging met ope arms verwelkom. Nicol Jansen, president van Agri Noord-Kaap, verduidelik dat hierdie 'n nasionale rampverklaring is wat toegepas kan word op die genoemde provinsies. Jannie Strydom, hoof uitvoerende beampte van Agri Wes-Kaap, het intussen in 'n mediaverklaring gesê die organisasie vertrou dat droogte-geteisterde gebiede in die provinsie ondersteuning sal ontvang. Die soort hulp wat gelewer gaan word, is nog nie duidelik nie, maar hy sê droogtehulp in die vorm van veevoer en saad vir weiding, onder meer, sal verwelkom word.

The estimated structural damages due to fires that swept across parts of the Free State last week amounts to R2,7 million. This is according to preliminary data that Free State Agriculture has received after conducting an online survey among farmers affected by the fires. Adding to that, 67 000 hectares of veld has been burnt, 2 017 head of cattle, 1 953 sheep, and 415 head of game have died as a result of the fires. The organisation says in a statement that farmers' immediate needs are veterinary supplies, water supply, feed and feed supplements for the surviving animals until they can make alternative plans to see out the winter and until the new season’s grazing has regrown. Free State Agriculture can be contacted for contact details of the Farmer Association representatives and feed-help coordinators at various strategic drop-off points.  Furthermore, anyone wishing to assist the affected farmers, can do so by visiting the organisation's website.

Sentraal Suid-Afrika het van Dinsdagmiddag af weer baie lae temperature ervaar. Johan van den Berg, onafhanklike landbouweerkundige, sê hierdie koue toestande kan tot Vrydag voortduur en dat inwoners moet kennis neem dat sterk winde weer kan voorkom. Verwagte temperature kan tot onder minus vyf grade Celsius daal, met ‘n moontlikheid van sneeu oor die suidelike dele van die land. Wat reënval betref, het gebiede soos Springbok in die Noord-Kaap en selfs verder noord reën ontvang. Daar ontstaan ook nog ‘n moontlikheid dat reën in die suidelike dele van die provinsie kan voorkom. Van den Berg sluit af deur by te voeg dat hierdie reën goed is vir die blomme wat gewoonlik later in die jaar in die Namakwaland-streek bloei – iets waarna baie toeriste uitsien.

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The unrest that swept through KwaZulu-Natal last week has resulted in the import food industry losing significant volumes of raw material and 40 000 tons of cold storage capacity. Paul Matthew, CEO of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AIME), say they have made calls to government stakeholders to help accelerate the flow of meat products through the Durban port in a bid to prevent food shortages. Matthew tells OFM News that AIME has requested to have an urgent meeting with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, as well as the Department of Trade and Industry, since last week Thursday but had by yesterday not received any feedback. Costs incurred, as a result of the riots that made international headlines, have not been determined yet but Matthew predicts that the repercussions will be huge in terms of food security for South Africa. He also warns Government’s failure to assist the food industry to get the products out of Durban into cold storage facilities in Johannesburg might lead to a worse food crisis within a few weeks’ time.

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