Grain farmers are grateful for the turnaround in general conditions following the severe drought South Africa experienced last year; however, the perception that all problems are now solved is premature, says Grain South Africa (SA) chairperson Jaco Minnaar.
He notes that although the outlook for grain production looks good at present, it is still too early to conduct a proper estimate, as there are many factors that could potentially hamper and delay this season’s crop before it is safely stored in silos.
“Much of the planting was done after the optimum planting period and those crops run the risk of early frost before they are ready for harvesting,” he says.
Earlier in the season, crops experienced a lot of wind damage and it is uncertain to what extend they have recovered.
Minnaar says follow-up rain in February and March will determine the size of the crop and stresses that farmers should consider waiting for the official estimates before making huge marketing decisions.
Meanwhile, Grain SA has also urged farmers to keep a close eye on their crops to prevent potential damage from pests, such as the army worms that have recently devastated maize crops in Zambia and Zimbabwe.