Risk of FS crop failure ‘high’

Free State dry land wheat farmers will probably not hasten to start ­planting this season due to the dry rainy season that has just passed. Most farms in this area only received 30% or less rain than usual according to Johan van den Berg, manager of Agri Risk Specialists. He said dryland ­farmers who did not have at least 120mm to 150mm of water available on their land, should rather not plant this season. “The risk for crop failure is too high.” South Africa’s main areas of wheat production are in the Western Cape and in and around the Free State. As the Western Cape is a winter rainfall area, these crops, as well as irrigated Free State crops, were not under the same strain as dryland crops in the Free State. This is because the Free State is a summer rainfall area and thus the chances of more rain do not look bright. Van den Berg said farmers could still choose to plant wheat and hold thumbs for winter rainfall, but he would not advise them to do this. He said it would be ­better to rather hold out and plant either sunflower or maize early next season. Currently it will cost around R2 000 to R2 500 to plant one hectare of wheat. This is a direct cost, which might yield small or no returns. With the relatively low wheat price and yields, “it would most likely be best to let the land lie bare at the moment”, Van den Berg said. – Susan Botes