• News
  • Sport
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Education
  • TV Licences
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION
Home Business

Free State farmers facing challenges following persistent heavy rains

23 January 2022, 8:39 AM  |
Konelo Lekhafola Konelo Lekhafola |  @SABCNews
File image: Workers collect rooibos tea seedlings for replanting at a farm near Vanrhynsdorp, South Africa, June 30, 2021.

File image: Workers collect rooibos tea seedlings for replanting at a farm near Vanrhynsdorp, South Africa, June 30, 2021.

Image: Reuters

File image: Workers collect rooibos tea seedlings for replanting at a farm near Vanrhynsdorp, South Africa, June 30, 2021.

Farmers in parts of the Free State say they are facing a challenging period, with major losses of their wheat yield as a result of heavy rains.

Consistent rains since November have left the groundwater locked and washed away some of the crops.

Free State Agriculture says the northern, eastern and western parts of the province are affected.

KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Gauteng are also said to have been affected.

Maize, beans and sunflower planting has been delayed and the wheat harvest is impossible.

Free State Agriculture Manager, Jack Armour says some farmers may not get a return on investment.

“There’s a couple of farmers whose whole crop is dismantled and it’s too late now to get back in the land to plant again. So the crisis there is these farmers have spent a lot of money with input costs they are going to get nothing in investment in their input costs. But also they don’t have an income for the next season now. and they are going to struggle to get financing from the banks next season because their cash flow is looking very bad. And a lot of the stuff the farmers were not able to insure,” says Armour.

Farmers expect major losses of their wheat yield after experiencing heavy rains in the Free State

Presidential Employment Stimulus Initiative

Some beneficiaries of the Presidential Employment Stimulus Initiative, Pesi, in Limpopo say the vouchers they get through the programme do not have much value.

The scheme by the Department of Agriculture gives vouchers to emerging farmers to buy material they need for farming from identified suppliers.  The programme is aimed at increasing employment in the agricultural sector.

The department says it will investigate complaints from farmers.

Emerging farmers in Thabine, outside Tzaneen in Limpopo, are complaining about the initiative. One of the farmers says the suppliers that are listed as service providers for the Pesi do not have farming material required by farmers.  He says some suppliers also buy from other suppliers and increase the price to make a profit.

The farmer says sometimes farmers spend the vouchers on items they do not need as suppliers do not always have the required stock.

“Specific suppliers that we need to claim our products from, all the products that we need are not in the list of the suppliers that we have been given. So it ends up not serving a purpose because at the end of the day we don’t get the products that we need but then we have the amount of money that we have. It means that you will just take anything that is in the shop and that is not going to serve you and the process of farming. We kindly ask the Department of Agriculture to engage with us,” says one farmer.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announces the money allocated to the Presidential Employment Stimulus : 

The farmers are also complaining about the transportation of the material from service providers located far from their farms. Another farmer says after buying her material using the voucher, she struggled to transport the material back to her farm.

 

Share article
Previous Post

Biden meets with national security team on Russia-Ukraine crisis – White House

Next Post

Krejcikova dumps out injured Azarenka to reach quarter-finals

Related Posts

University students going about their day.

Higher education portfolio committee awaits solution on the missing middle

1 February 2023, 12:22 PM
A person works at ''The Faktory", a fashion design and clothing manufacturing company in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 4, 2021.

SA’s economic outlook looks bleak: Expert

1 February 2023, 11:27 AM
Security workers stand next to a security vehicle in Randburg, Johannesburg.

Numsa calls on security companies to provide benefits to workers

1 February 2023, 9:26 AM
A person opens a wallet with SA money inside

Black Business Council concerned over latest fuel price increase

1 February 2023, 9:00 AM
Locals walk past electricity pylons during frequent power outages from South African utility Eskom, caused by its aging coal-fired plants, in Soweto, South Africa April 4, 2022.

Eskom warns of further tariff hikes

1 February 2023, 6:35 AM
A man holds a fuel nozzle at a petrol station.

Cosatu criticises government amid rocketing cost of living

1 February 2023, 6:29 AM
Next Post
January 23, 2022 Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova celebrates winning her fourth round match against Belarus' Victoria Azarenka.

Krejcikova dumps out injured Azarenka to reach quarter-finals

Most Viewed

  • 24hrs
  • Week
  • Month
  • Gas leak shut, isolated in Pretoria North
  • King of Bacardi music ‘Vusi Ma R5’ killed in Soshanguve
  • Committee wants to halt planned demolition of North West hospital
  • Bapedi kingdom commemorates Kgosi Mampuru II, still hoping to find his remains
  • Limpopo man arrested after discovery of his wife’s body in water-filled pit toilet
  • Parts of the Northern Cape to be exempted from rolling blackouts
  • VIDEO | St Benedict College’s Matric learner gets 11 distinctions
  • Limpopo matriculant from child-headed household attains diploma pass
  • Female circumcision practice thriving in Eastern Cape
  • Premier denies claims that KZN government spent millions on Mampintsha’s funeral
  • Registration at Unisa closes on Friday, but management says no need to panic
  • EFF welcomes court ruling against Kenny Kunene on ‘hateful’ comments against Malema
  • Shock over proposed SA sponsorship of Tottenham Hotspur
  • Three suspects killed, two wounded in a shooting on R21 Highway in Ekurhuleni
  • Fuel prices set to increase by midnight

LATEST

Water flowing out of a tap
  • South Africa

Tshwane hopes to restore water to affected areas by end of Tuesday


Former Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela at an event
  • Politics

Madonsela questions relevance in appearing before Section 194 inquiry


  • Politics

VIDEO: Malema legal team considering bringing application for magistrate to recuse herself


A bucket is seen being filled with water.
  • South Africa

Citizens and consumers not to blame for country’s water woes: SAWC


Learners in a classroom.
  • South Africa

Free State education department slams pupil’s assault by bus driver


[FILE IMAGE] A truck transporting water tanks.
  • South Africa

Govt, Rand Water seeking solutions to water supply issues in Gauteng


Weather

  • About the SABC
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Site Map

SABC © 2023

No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION

© 2022

Previous Biden meets with national security team on Russia-Ukraine crisis – White House
Next Krejcikova dumps out injured Azarenka to reach quarter-finals