Rain is urgently needed to enable farmers to plant summer crops in the eastern and western Free State, according to Francois Wilken, president of Free State Agriculture.
Wilken said farmers in the western Free State were entering their fifth consecutive drought as this area had received very little rain so far this season.
He added that the downpours that had been received were inconsistent, and their intensity varied considerably from district to district.
While the recent rainfall received in the eastern Free State had been good, it came too late, which meant that many farmers had been unable to plant maize.
He pointed out that as the planting window for maize was closing, a shift towards sunflower plantings could be expected if it did not rain soon.
Wilken told Farmer’s Weekly that if these regions received good general downpours (about 50mm to 60mm), however, farmers would still be able to plant. He said things were looking more positive in the central and northern parts of the Free State.
“These areas recently received good rain and the soil moisture is sufficient for planting.”
As a result of the recent rain, Wilken said he believed the general morale among farmers was slightly better than the previous years.
“Rainfall is forecast for mid-December, and further forecasts also indicate the possibility of good precipitation. We don’t want to be overly optimistic, but there is still hope,” said Wilken.
Despite the challenging climatic conditions, he also pointed out that rising farm debt posed another significant challenge for farmers this season.
According to Wilken, farmers’ biggest challenge came only after it rained. “Then farmers have to start planting and for that they need capital,” he explained.
He called on financial institutions to be well-disposed to farmers this season. “The agriculture sector needs all the support it can get in order to stay alive.”
