Drought will hit flowers, tea

2003-06-19 08:26

Cecilia de Jager and Malixole Gatyu

Cape Town - If it doesn't rain soon in west of the Western Cape, the world-renowned flower display Nature puts on every year and rooibos tea crops will be affected severely.

Carl Opperman, general manager of Agri Western Cape, says farmers in Namaqualand, on the West Coast, in the Swartland and Boland have already lost betrween 20% and 30% of their crops.

Flip Lochner, head of the Namaqualand Tourism Board, says the drought is inhibiting the growth season of the flowers, which will result in smaller blooms.

It shouldn't affect the number of visitors to the West Coast and Namaqualand, but it will be more difficult to market overseas tours to the area.

Johan Brand, production manager of Rooibos Ltd at Clanwilliam, says the drought also can have an influence on the planting and production of the tea in the next three years if it doesn't rain soon. His company exports tons of tea annually.

It is also expected there will be a water shortage in the area shortly because of low dam levels.

Water cuts not expected - yet

The Clanwilliam dam has 12.3% water, compared to 58.2% at the same time last year.

Pierre Grobler, owner of Onverwagt and Weltevrede farms near Tulbagh, says it will take grain farmers about two years to recover from this year's drought.

A planning committee comprising members of the provincial government, city council and the department of water affairs in the Western Cape is to meet next month to put together a drought-relief plan.

Rashid Khan, regional manager of the department of water affairs, says: "We will meet to discuss the dam levels, water rainfall patterns and weather predictions. Steps will be taken after the meeting."

He says that, at this stage, water restrictions are not being considered.

The weather service says 6mm of rain has fallen in Malmesbury so far this month, compared to the long-term average of 75mm.

- Die Burger