Droogtehulp gaan steeds voort in groot dele van Wes-Kaap
Agri Wes-Kaap bedank graag alle donateurs wat dit moontlik gemaak het dat R4 miljoen se droogtehulp in 2020 aan produsente in die provinsie gelewer kon word. Danksy bydraes tot die Agri Wes-Kaap Droogtehulpfonds kon Agri Wes-Kaap voer wat uit die fonds aangekoop is en wat geskenk is na produsente in die droogtegebiede versprei.

Ten spyte van welkome reën wat tot dusver die somer plek-plek in die Sentraal-Karoo geval het, gaan droogtehulp aan die streek voort omdat groot dele nog krities reën nodig het en nog erge droogtetoestande ervaar. Slegs die Gamkadam by Beaufort-Wes het ‘n noemenswaardige styging getoon en het op 25 Januarie op 62.6% gestaan teenoor die 16.8% in dieselfde tydperk verlede jaar.

Agri Wes-Kaap lewer ook steeds droogtehulp aan produsente in die Kliprand, Bitterfontein en Landplaas gebiede in die Weskus-distrik, asook in die Klein-Karoo wat tot dusver vanjaar ook nog geen noemenswaardige reën gehad het nie. Die Stompdrift- en Kammanassie-damme by Oudtshoorn staan onderskeidelik op 17.9% en 0% en die Poortjieskloofdam by Montagu is ook dolleeg.

Mnr Jannie Strydom, uitvoerende hoof van Agri Wes-Kaap, sê danksy die Wes-Kaap se goeie 2020 wintergraanoes is baie skenkings van ruvoer ook ontvang. Dit was van groot waarde vir veeboere in die droogtegebiede omdat ruvoer die afgelope vyf jaar baie skaars was vanweë ondergemiddelde reënval en ondergemiddelde opbrengste in baie van die provinsie se saaigebiede.

“Ons voorsien dat droogtehulp aan die Klein- en Sentraal-Karoo nog vir lank gaan voortduur as daar nie binne die oorblywende paar weke van die somerreënseisoen wye en harde neerslae in die streek gaan val nie. Die droogte in die Karoo is nie gebreek nie en Agri Wes-Kaap is dankbaar vir elke lid van die publiek wat steeds tot die Agri Wes-Kaap Droogtehulpfonds bydra,” sê mnr Strydom.

Drought assistance continues in large parts of Western Cape
Agri Western Cape wants to thank all donors who have contributed to the Agri Western Cape Drought Relief Fund in 2020. R4 million was spent on assisting producers in the drought areas last year by purchasing feed and by transporting purchased and donated feed to the drought-stricken areas.

Despite welcome rains that have fallen in some places in the Central Karoo to date this summer, drought assistance to the region continues as large parts still need critical rain and are still experiencing severe drought conditions. Only the Gamka Dam at Beaufort West showed a significant increase and stood at 62.6% on 25 January compared to 16.8% the same time last year.

Agri Western Cape also continues to assist producers in the Kliprand, Bitterfontein and Landplaas regions of the West Coast, as well as the Klein Karoo where no significant rain has fallen so far this summer. The Stompdrift and Kammanassie dams near Oudtshoorn stand at 17.9% and 0% respectively and the Poortjieskloof dam at Montagu is also completely empty.

Mr Jannie Strydom, CEO of Agri Western Cape, says the Western Cape’s good 2020 winter grain harvest and donations of roughage by grain producers were of great value to livestock farmers in the drought areas. Roughage has been very scarce over the past five years due to below-average rainfall and below-average yields in many of the province’s sowing areas.

“We anticipate that drought assistance in the Klein and Central Karoo will continue for a long time to come if there are no wide and heavy rainfall in the region within the remaining few weeks of the summer rainfall season. The drought in the Karoo has not yet been broken and Agri Western Cape is grateful to every member of the public who continues to contribute to the Agri Western Cape Drought Relief Fund.