I am in Pretoria, and we obviously don’t have snowfall here. But I am following the weather situation in parts of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State.
From an agricultural perspective, I am concerned about the snow’s impact on livestock, especially cattle, sheep and goats. Harsh weather would cause challenges here, especially in terms of feed supplies to sustain the animals. We haven’t heard about widespread concerns, but looking at the photos circulating online, it is fair to assume that if these conditions persist for a few days, we will start hearing reports of problems. Smallholder farmers who lack feed are likely to already face this challenge.
As for crops, we are in the off-season for summer grain and oilseed. The planting will only start from mid-October, and the snow will help improve soil moisture.
We must not forget logistics — particularly for dairy farmers who must move products out of facilities regularly. This could prove difficult in the KZN Midlands.
It is still too early to assess the impact of the snow on agriculture, but we are following updates from our friends on the ground.