Food shortage warning for South Africa
Black frost hit crops in South Africa’s northernmost Limpopo province, with a key farmers’ organization warning of looming food shortages in the region.
Potato, tomato and many other vegetables experienced damage after black frost affected the province on Sunday morning, TLU SA said in a statement.
Farmers also reported damage to infrastructure, such as water pipes.
“Feedback from members and other farmers indicates that tremendous losses have been suffered and that food shortages can be experienced from the province,” TLU SA North Chairman Henk van de Graaf said.
Growers in the Soutpansberg mountain region, Levubu, Marble Hall, Arabie and Bela-Bela reported severe black frost, TLU SA said, adding that it’s collating more data on the number of hectares affected and estimates of financial losses to submit to the government.
South Africa is in peak winter season and is experiencing a cold snap that’s resulted in snow in the south and west, freezing conditions over the rest of the country, high seas and damaging winds along its shoreline, the weather service said in a warning.
Bad weather to come
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a warning on Tuesday that inclement weather is likely to continue hitting key parts of the country.
In particular, as the intense cold front that has been making its way over the country exits, regions will be left with cool to cold conditions.
“The Western Cape isn’t out of the blocks yet as they brace for a second cold front to make landfall,” the service said.
The SAWS has issued several alerts ranging from level 2 to level 6, warning of disruptive rain and damaging winds inland, as well as wave and wind warnings on the coast.
Snowfall inland is also expected to bring cold weather to northern regions of the country.
Power utility Eskom on Tuesday announced that it would be implementing load reduction in regions where power demand has spiked due to the colder weather.
While national load shedding remains suspending, the sharp decrease in temperature has led to increased load on local grids, including a rise in illegal connections.
To protect the local grids, load reduction has been deemed necessary.
Energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa warned the country that years of neglect and failure to invest in and maintain local energy grids by municipalities are catching up with them, and in the wake of load shedding, old reduction may become a more frequent occurrence.
He said that this is the new crisis threatening to collapse Eskom and energy availability in South Africa, calling on local governments to urgently address the problem.
(With Bloomberg)
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