In parts of the north-western Free State, so much rain has fallen since early September that young maize and soya bean crops are starting to rot. Some farmers are struggling to complete planting, whereas others are looking forward to promising harvests.
By Alani Janeke, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
In parts of the north-western Free State that have soils with high water tables, sunshine is eagerly awaited to allow seedlings to build heat units and grow. Japie Grobler, who farms on Karookom between Bothaville and Orkney, recorded 320mm of rain between 1 September and 3 December 2025. By comparison, the area got about 83mm during the same time last year, according to a Grain SA survey.
Hail has damaged some of Grobler’s plantings, and others have failed to emerge due to the wet conditions. “The last maize we planted hasn’t emerged and is rotting underground,” he says. “Some of the maize that did emerge has stopped growing because the plants aren’t getting enough oxygen in the waterlogged soil.”
The wet and cloudy conditions in the area are also preventing the crops from accumulating sufficient heat units. “But not all is lost. If we now get good sunshine, things can improve quickly, and we could still have a good season.”
Willie Stols, who farms a few kilometres away, reports that while some neighbours received 100mm or more this past week, he measured only 4mm. “Rainfall has been very patchy this year.”
DJ van der Linde, a farmer in the Vierfontein district, confirms the variability across the region. He says conditions on his farm look very promising, with a beautiful crop standing in the fields.
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Shallow Root Systems a Concern
Farmers in this and other wet planting areas are concerned that crops may not develop deep root systems due to the frequent rainfall, says Marguerite Pienaar, an agricultural economist at Grain SA. “If the second part of the season turns out to be drier, as some forecasts currently suggest, the crops could struggle with shallow roots.”
The wet conditions also make it difficult for farmers to replant fields where crops rotted or were damaged by hail.
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North West Planting Outlook
Farmers in North West can still plant summer crops until the end of December, but some areas remain very wet. “Most soya beans in North West have already been planted, but only about a third of the maize,” Pienaar says.
In particularly wet areas, farmers must wait roughly one extra day for every 5mm of rain before attempting to plant again. “Rainfall of about 70mm could mean a farmer has to wait about two more weeks before trying to plant again.”
These photos were taken at NAMPO Park, between Bothaville and Orkney, Free State, in the first week of December 2025. Willie Stols, who farms in the area, says he has never seen it this wet. Photo: Willie Stols
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Conditions in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Eastern Free State
In Mpumalanga and parts of Gauteng, the biggest current risk is the combination of wet conditions and a lack of heat units. In some areas, rainfall from September to December was nearly 100mm above average.
In Mpumalanga and the eastern Free State, some farmers have decided not to plant at all. The rain since the beginning of summer follows heavy rainfall during the autumn months, with showers also occurring during winter in some places.
Weather forecasts indicate it could still rain in December across parts of the summer rainfall region.
