Dry, hot weather forecast

GO DOWN ON THEIR KNEES TO PRAY FOR SKIES TO OPEN, RELEASING SUMMER RAINS

- Marizka Coetzer

Farmers are on their knees, praying for the first summer rains as dry and hot weather conditions are forecast for the interior parts of the country, with little rain expected until December.

TLU chair Bennie van Zyl said it was a challenging time for the agriculture sector with the lack of rainfall.>a Challenging times for agriculture with dry weather forecast.

Challenging times for agriculture with dry weather forecast.

Van Zyl said livestock and seed farmers were waiting for the rain, adding some had to plant before a certain period or the rain may affect the harvest negatively.

“We had many disasters this year, such as the severe cold in the northern parts which caused huge income losses. Next followed the wildfires, which resulted in many farmers being left without feed for their animals while they waited for the rain.