Die verwagte piek van ‘n intense El Niño-verskynsel laat Suid-Afrika se graanprodusente met groot onsekerheid terwyl somergewasse geplant word. Boere staan voor ‘n moeilike besluit te midde van kommer oor hoër temperature, laer reënval en verhoogde produksiekoste. Gaan hierdie seisoen ‘n langdurige droogte, ‘n knellende planttyd-droogte, of eerder ‘n nadelige midsomer-droogte tot gevolg hê? Terwyl produsente antwoorde soek oor watter klimaatspatroon sal materialiseer, staan selfs kundiges en klimatoloë vol vrae oor dié komplekse seisoen. Waterbeperkings en warmer temperature verhoog die risiko’s vir die landbousektor eksponensieel.
The anticipated peak of an intense El Niño event is creating considerable uncertainty for South Africa’s grain producers as they are planting summer crops. Farmers face difficult decisions amid concerns about higher temperatures, lower rainfall and rising produc-
tion costs. Will this season bring a prolonged drought, a severe drought during the planting window, or perhaps an unfavourable mid-summer drought? While producers seek answers about which climate pattern will materialise, even experts and climato-
logists are left with more questions than answers about this complex season. Water restrictions and rising temperatures are increasing the risks to the agricultural sector exponentially.
