Farmers in summer grain-producing areas are experiencing mixed conditions. Some are watching forecasts for sunny days, while others are concerned that rain has been absent for the past few weeks.
By Alani Janeke, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
The rainfall pattern farmers in parts of Mpumalanga are experiencing this summer is more turbulent than usual. “This year we are getting very stormy conditions with thunderstorms that are dropping a fair amount of rain, as well as hail in places,” says Ryk Pretorius, regional representative of Grain SA and farmer from Ermelo.
Rain is falling in streaks and isolated areas. “Conditions vary, with some farmers praying for sunshine and others praying for rain.”
Farmers in the area have been planting over an extended period and about 50% of the region’s maize is in the pollination stage. “The soybeans are also starting to develop well.”
According to Pretorius, farmers reported waterlogging damage in some places earlier in the season.
Danie Bester, farmer from the Balfour district, says maize is starting to suffer in some places in the area. The crop will need rain within the next 10 days.
One of the problems this season is that rain fell regularly, sometimes in large quantities, while summer crops were establishing. This contributed to the fact that maize, among others, developed a shallow root system, which now puts the plants under drought stress because there has been less rain since the second part of December.
Also read: Heavy rains disrupt farmers’ plans
Mixed conditions in western Free State
In the Hertzogville district in the western Free State, there are farmers who are concerned about the state of their summer grains. Maize in the area has been planted and most farmers have applied fertiliser to their maize, which is already knee-high.
Gys Olivier, chairman of Agri Hertzogville, says as far as the soybean plantings are concerned, there are areas where the soybeans look good, while farmers in other areas are concerned.
Veld and grazing conditions also variable
In the Vierfontein district in the north-western Free State, DJ van der Linde’s soybean plantings need about 25mm of rain within the next 10 days to prevent damage.
“I last measured 20mm of rain on 15 December. In the meantime, showers of 4mm or 5mm have fallen. The high temperatures quickly dry out these few millimetres.”
Van der Linde says there are farmers at Bothaville who are still planting maize or only recently finished planting because it was too wet up till now.
Also read: Parts of the Free State last experienced this much rain in 1934
Last rain before Christmas
After conditions in November and the first part of December were too wet to plant, Pierre van Eeden from the Edenville district in the central Free State has been waiting for rain since Christmas Day to plant his last 200 ha. He is only planting sunflowers this year.
“I have previously planted sunflowers until the end of January. This results in a lower yield, but fortunately the price is such that it will still be profitable.”
Van Eeden says he is not alone in this boat. Several farmers in the district have yet to finish planting.
‘If I could schedule rainfall’
Derek Mathews, a farmer from the Lichtenburg district in the Northwest, says he is very grateful for the beautiful crops. “This season’s planting time has come very close to perfect. If I could schedule our rainfall myself, I would schedule it like it has fallen so far this year.”
The most rain they have received in a single rainstorm so far was 40mm. Other farmers in the area have measured several showers of 60mm and 80mm and some are still struggling to get into their fields to finish planting.
Meanwhile farmers in the Schweizer-Reneke and Bloemhof districts are struggling with drought stress in places.
Richard Krige, chairman of Grain SA, says the status of this year’s summer grain harvest will only become clear later in January, and possibly in February.
Also read: Heavy weekend rain brings relief – and new challenges – for crop farmers
