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N West farmers exceed their maize target

A farmer with maize crop
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North West farmers have produced more than 16 000 tons of maize this year. The production rate has exceeded the province’s set target by 14 000 tons.

Although farmers are satisfied with the yielded crop, they are still reeling from a four year drought.  The harvesting season has come and these farmers have exceeded their set target.

They should be rejoicing but instead they remain cautious.

We had a little bit of rain at a late stage, which wasn’t that much as compared to the other seasons before. Fortunately, what we are getting is four tons to five per hectare. Unfortunately the price is a little bit low,” says North West crop farmer Morapedi Molema.

“There is not great surpluses to recover from that drought. It’s a little bit. They’ll be paying off. It’s going to be a long road to recovery. That drought was very severe,” says Derek Mathews from Grain SA.

 But the provincial Department of Agriculture remains optimistic.

We have exceeded our target as a province. Annually we set a target of bringing back production on about 14 000 hectares of fallow land. We are standing at 16,5 hectares that we have got back to production, and we think as a province, we are doing well,” says North West Agriculture MEC, Manketsi Tlhape.

 Farmers hope for good.

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