Farmers ‘praying’ for more rain in Northern Cape, Free State

Farmers say they could do with more rain before winter as more dry days are expected following recent heavy downpours.

South African Weather Service forecaster Mashitjaneng Mokwena said a dry week and weekend are forecast, with between 30% and 60% chance of scattered showers over the interior.

“This weekend, rain is expected over Gauteng, eastern parts of North West and parts of KwaZulu-Natal, otherwise it was going to be dry,” she said.

Dry weekend

Mokwena said in February, March and April, above-normal rainfall was forecast over the eastern parts of the country and normal rain for the rest of the country.

Vox weather meteorologist Michelle du Plessis said today is expected to remain dry in Gauteng, with scattered thundershowers over the Northern Cape, North West and Free State.

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“Tomorrow there may be rain and thunderstorms again in Gauteng, also KwaZulu-Natal, and again North West, Free State and Northern Cape.

Friday and the weekend will remain mostly dry in Gauteng, with thunderstorms possible in KwaZulu-Natal and around the escarpment in Mpumalanga and over the highveld of Mpumalanga.

It’s going to be hot in the Cape provinces and Free State, with temperatures between 35 and 40oC,” she said.

Hot in the Capes and Free State

Agricultural association TLU SA chairman Benny van Zyl said rain was a challenge in the wider areas of the country, a large part of the Northern Cape and the southwest Free State, where it is critically dry.

“We are praying for more rain in February, especially in the livestock areas that have no more pasture left for their cattle and sheep.

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“We have to wait and see. If the rain stops now, we have a big problem,” he said.

Van Zyl says not all farmers get the rain that is forecast.

“It varies from farm to farm, even as close as 5km apart,” he said.

Rain varies from farm to farm

“It’s not all doom, agriculture as it stands now is in a much better position than a month ago,” he said.

“We just saw again that maize is a hardy plant with incredible recovery ability.”

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