English
A recent survey showed that South Africa’s wheat production for the season is expected to drop with 2.7% due to the worst drought in 23 years.
The survey revealed that farmers are expected to harvest 1.5 million metric tons of wheat, according to the median estimate of five analysts, which is less than the 1.54 million tons that was predicted by the Crop Estimates Committee in October. This is the lowest predictions since 2011.
South Africa’s largest wheat producing region, Swartland, produced 51% of the country’s wheat in 2014 and experienced its driest season since 1940.
“Areas such as Swartland region, which is the most affected region by dryness or the drought, is generally seeing 40 to 50 percent below-average yields,” Wandile Sihlobo, from Grain SA said.
Wheat harvest in the Western Cape is 80% complete.
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