Exceptional weather conditions that resulted in severe floods in key production areas, particularly in Elgin, Grabouw, Vyeboom and Villiersdorp (EGVV), parts of the Klein Karoo, and Franschhoek, seriously damaged the South African deciduous industry in September 2023.

During crisis talks with the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA), it was estimated that the impact of damage to producers as well as infrastructure could be between R400 to R500 million in the EGVV area alone. The deciduous fruit industry is the largest agricultural commodity grown in the region.

Following the disaster, the WCDoA launched a mobile phone app to connect with producers who had suffered damage. Preliminary data from 26 producers in the Grabouw region indicated that flood damage amounted to a total of R160 million. This did not include Elgin, Villiersdorp and Vyeboom.

Infrastructure damage was reported on power grids, orchards, net structures, buildings, machinery, irrigation systems and equipment, irrigation canals; as well as roads and bridges that were washed away. The wind and rain experienced last weekend caused further damage. Numerous farm roads and bridges were completely washed away.

Hortgro’s executive director, Anton Rabe, said at the time that topsoil and many orchards had been lost. “The production season in the EGVV had just started in earnest with spray programmes, pollination, and critical inputs such as diesel, that were all severely disrupted.”

Of great importance was to repair critical access roads and bridges to such an extent that producers could get their workers onto the farms and that stone fruit producers, who started harvesting could get their fruit to the markets. There were also numerous packhouses in the EGVV full of pome fruit destined for the export market, which had to go to the port, Rabe said.

The repair and replacement of irrigation canals, water pipes and pumps were critical to save the production season. Electricity and cell phone reception were still down and further complicated logistics and attempts at assistance.

Glaudi Skog, the EGVV agriculture representative, said the humanitarian need in the region was significant with communities needing food and drinking water. Hortgro donated R250,000 to the Gift of the Givers, who distributed food parcels and other emergency items in the respective regions.

For more information contact: info@hortgro.co.za‍