Heavy thundershowers typical of the Eastern Cape’s summer rainfall pattern will fall on parched agricultural areas and towns in the north and east this weekend.Joe Gqabi acting municipal manager Fiona Sephton said the rain would be “most welcome” in many parts.
“It will positively impact on surface water but it will still take many months for the groundwater to recover,” she added.
The impact of the drought on agriculture and retail is starting to show.
Market conditions have been tough for farmers trying to offload out-of-condition livestock and retailers trying to find fresh produce for consumers.
Prices have been unfavourable all round, said farmers in Aliwal North last week, and top East London retailer Nigel Connelin yesterday said prices of most vegetables were already rising.
SA Weather Service (SAWS) spokesman Garth Sampson called the prediction of 50mm of rain north of Graaff-Reinet on Saturday and east of East London “possibly good news” but cautioned that the showers could follow a “localised path”.
The 26 municipalities advised by SAWS to expect thunderstorms this weekend are: Camdeboo, Mbashe, Mnquma, Great Kei, Amahlati, Inxuba Yethemba, Tsolwana, Inkwanca, Lukanji, Intsika Yethu, Emalahleni, Engcobo, Sakhisizwe, Elundini, Senqu, Maletswai, Gariep, Ngquza Hill, Port St Johns, Nyandeni, Mhlontlo, King Sabata Dalindyebo, Matatiele, Umzimvubu, Mbizana and Ntabankulu.
Yesterday Connelin – the MD of Western Gruppe’s collection of 13 Spars in East London and Gonubie – said not enough crops were coming onto the market and buyers were struggling.
The group runs its own distribution centre and buys directly from produce markets.
Grain SA last week said maize production had been halved by the drought and South Africa needed to import at least five tons to meet national demand.
Transnet National Port Authority’s East London port manager, Jacqueline Brown, confirmed this week that Transnet was “in discussions with traders and potential (maize) importers to import via the Port of East London and other ports”.
She said East London port’s grain terminal was operational and could handle a million tons a year.
“We continue to import grain,” she said.
In December the terminal handled 8905 tons of imported maize “in addition to the annual import of wheat parcels”.
However, in a written statement Border-Kei Chamber of Commerce director Les Holbrook disputed this saying the business sector knew the grain “terminal/elevator” had been decommissioned and scrapped in 2014-15.
He said East London lost “a great deal of business” when Transnet decided a number of years ago to transfer the bulk of maize imports and exports through the port of Durban and use East London as a secondary facility.
While the drought follows a SAWS warning about the looming El Ninõ weather phenomenon, Buffalo City chief of marine services Siani Tinley spoke of the unprecedented run of cold water off the East London coast.
Tinley said the area was possibly on the brink of a “mega” weather event.
Leading East London environmental scientist Dr Alan Carter said: “There has definitely been a shift in the weather.”
President Jacob Zuma, speaking publicly earlier this year, remarked that South Africa was experiencing “strange weather”. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
Wet relief for parched farms
Joe Gqabi acting municipal manager Fiona Sephton said the rain would be “most welcome” in many parts.
“It will positively impact on surface water but it will still take many months for the groundwater to recover,” she added.
The impact of the drought on agriculture and retail is starting to show.
Market conditions have been tough for farmers trying to offload out-of-condition livestock and retailers trying to find fresh produce for consumers.
Prices have been unfavourable all round, said farmers in Aliwal North last week, and top East London retailer Nigel Connelin yesterday said prices of most vegetables were already rising.
SA Weather Service (SAWS) spokesman Garth Sampson called the prediction of 50mm of rain north of Graaff-Reinet on Saturday and east of East London “possibly good news” but cautioned that the showers could follow a “localised path”.
The 26 municipalities advised by SAWS to expect thunderstorms this weekend are: Camdeboo, Mbashe, Mnquma, Great Kei, Amahlati, Inxuba Yethemba, Tsolwana, Inkwanca, Lukanji, Intsika Yethu, Emalahleni, Engcobo, Sakhisizwe, Elundini, Senqu, Maletswai, Gariep, Ngquza Hill, Port St Johns, Nyandeni, Mhlontlo, King Sabata Dalindyebo, Matatiele, Umzimvubu, Mbizana and Ntabankulu.
Yesterday Connelin – the MD of Western Gruppe’s collection of 13 Spars in East London and Gonubie – said not enough crops were coming onto the market and buyers were struggling.
The group runs its own distribution centre and buys directly from produce markets.
Grain SA last week said maize production had been halved by the drought and South Africa needed to import at least five tons to meet national demand.
Transnet National Port Authority’s East London port manager, Jacqueline Brown, confirmed this week that Transnet was “in discussions with traders and potential (maize) importers to import via the Port of East London and other ports”.
She said East London port’s grain terminal was operational and could handle a million tons a year.
“We continue to import grain,” she said.
In December the terminal handled 8905 tons of imported maize “in addition to the annual import of wheat parcels”.
However, in a written statement Border-Kei Chamber of Commerce director Les Holbrook disputed this saying the business sector knew the grain “terminal/elevator” had been decommissioned and scrapped in 2014-15.
He said East London lost “a great deal of business” when Transnet decided a number of years ago to transfer the bulk of maize imports and exports through the port of Durban and use East London as a secondary facility.
While the drought follows a SAWS warning about the looming El Ninõ weather phenomenon, Buffalo City chief of marine services Siani Tinley spoke of the unprecedented run of cold water off the East London coast.
Tinley said the area was possibly on the brink of a “mega” weather event.
Leading East London environmental scientist Dr Alan Carter said: “There has definitely been a shift in the weather.”
President Jacob Zuma, speaking publicly earlier this year, remarked that South Africa was experiencing “strange weather”. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
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