A cut-off low has brought widespread showers across the country since Saturday. Jannie Strydom, CEO of Agri Western Cape, noted that heavy showers, particularly in the Winelands, Overberg, and Southern Cape, caused some infrastructure damage, although damage to farms overall was relatively isolated and minor.
“We’ve received reports of damage to trees and infrastructure, but often the infrastructure was temporarily repaired after last year’s floods,” he explained.
Strydom also highlighted that the rains had replenished dams, providing a boon to grain farmers who were commencing planting activities.
Jacques Jordaan, CEO of the Guava Growers’ Association of South Africa, anticipated that the heavy rains and wind would impact the guava harvest: “It’s hard to gauge the full effect on the season. The leaves have been torn, affecting fruit ripening and growth, and we estimate around 5% of the fruit has fallen off the trees.”
A preliminary assessment by Tru-Cape revealed that the Witzenberg, Elgin, Grabouw, Villiersdorp, and Vyeboom regions fared better than the Winelands and Overberg, which were hit harder by gale force winds and heavy rains.
Laastedrif Agri, situated in Ceres Valley, faced a challenging season. They were first hit by hail in February, and over the weekend, strong winds wreaked havoc in their orchards.
“We’re still evaluating the damage, but Pink Lady and Rosy Glow apples were blown off the trees in some areas. We also suffered infrastructure damage and lost lambs due to the cold and rain. However, as farmers under open skies, we must adapt to these challenges,” stated Rossouw Cillié, owner of Laastedrift Agri.
In the Witzenberg Valley, Hannes Hanekom from Welgemeen Farm estimated wind speeds of over 100km/h at times, but fortunately, the winds came from the east, and his orchards, planted north-south, helped mitigate damage. He expects minimal damage.
Chris Knoetze, managing director of Link Supply Chain Management, noted that the winds disrupted operations at Cape Town Port. “Operations are expected to be intermittent, depending on wind conditions.”
Bennie van Zyl, general manager of TLU SA, reported good rainfall across most of the country in recent days.
“There have been reports of damage, such as to low-water bridges, but most farmers are thankful for the rain, even though it’s too late for the summer crop,” said van Zyl.
Willem Symington, president of Agri Northern Cape, stated that the Northern Cape experienced widespread rains, with irrigation regions particularly affected by hail damage. However, some western areas and the Kalahari received below-average rainfall during the current heavy rains.
PJ Hassard, president of Kwanalu, mentioned that many farmers in KwaZulu-Natal welcomed the rains, mainly in coastal areas: “So far, there have been no reports of damage.”
He noted that the province had its driest January and February in years due to El Niño conditions, but the March cyclone brought sufficient rain to sustain soil moisture until the end of May.
The South African Weather Service explained that cut-off lows are most common during autumn and spring, with April having the highest frequency. They are notorious for causing widespread damage, as seen in the KwaZulu-Natal flooding in 2022 and the Laingsburg flood in 1981.
