Afrikaans
Farmers and economists are still waiting for the final crop delivery numbers to see just how badly the drought has affected production, particularly that of maize. Whatever its ultimate impact on the country, there is no doubt that the drought has left almost every single farmer facing financial difficulties.
With this year yielding a second poor harvest in a row, farmers have been left cash-strapped just as they need to begin preparations for the upcoming planting season. “After two tough years, many farmers are really feeling the pressure on their finances. As the rain stayed away, many farmers also waited until as late as possible in the year to plant, this left their cash flow under even further pressure as they were forced to wait longer for the diminished profits of a smaller harvest,” says Samantha Oatley, Shell Lubricants marketing manager.
Oatley says in this difficult environment, farmers cannot afford any unnecessary spending but still need to properly prepare to plant in the coming season. This not only means investing in soil conditioning but also ensuring that all their equipment is well maintained.
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