Cane farmers on their knees

Shortly after Dolphin Coast farmers and community members gathered at Ashton College on January 23 with well known evangelist Angus Buchan to pray for rain, the heavens opened with heavy rainfall across the district.

The South African Sugarcane Research Institutes (SASRI) recorded an average of 101.1mm of rain in the Ilembe district between January 23 and February 2 (as per SASRI weather web).

However, South African Cane Growers Association executive director, David Wayne said in a media statement on Tuesday that while welcome, the recent rainfall would have little impact on the existing crop.

The South African Weather Service’s seasonal climate watch brought more bad news for cane farmers, continuing to indicate below-normal rainfall conditions for late summer to autumn.

“For the period February to June 2015, most forecast systems show that the El Nino Southern Oscillation (or ENSO, which refers to the effects of a band of sea surface temperatures which are unusually warm or cold for long periods of time, that develops off the western coast of South America and causes climatic changes across the tropics and subtropics) will remain in a weak El Nino condition for the rest of the summer season up to autumn.

“The Canegrowers’ research department analysis showed production losses in the region of R574 million, rehabilitation costs of some R274 million and a potential loss of earnings for labour of approximately R72 million,” said Wayne.

Canegrowers has briefed the KZN department of agriculture and rural development MEC who acknowledged the urgency of the situation.