Power cuts threaten 22 000 farming jobs

Power cuts in the Western Cape are threatening 22 000 farming jobs. Harvesting has begun and at a meeting with Eskom today, the provincial Agriculture Department and unions suggested ways of minimising the effects of power outages.

The Western Cape produces nearly 30% of South Africa's total agricultural produce a year. Much of this is destined for the export markets but Eskom's power outages threaten to dent the quality of this year's harvest.

Harvesting is heavily dependent on cooling systems, and unscheduled power cuts have made it difficult to plan ahead. Government wants Eskom to commit to scheduled and unchanged two-hourly power cuts between 4pm and 6pm or 6ams and 8am when it's the coolest.

Farmers realise they will have to start importing generators in the R150 000 price-range to cope with their production demands.

Farmers also want reduced energy tariffs and if Eskom cannot meet this demand, they say government should talk to Treasury to have the 20% import duties on generators relaxed.

The stakeholders have also formed a committee that is trying to find solutions to the energy crisis.