South Africa dairy area threatened by worst drought in 130 years

By Antony Sguazzin in Johannesburg (asguazzin@bloomberg.net)
Last Updated: January 6, 2010 08:13 EST Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) — Dairy farms along South Africa’s south west coast, which are among the nation’s most productive, are threatened by the region’s worst drought in 130 years, an industry body said. Farmers in the area between Bredasdorp and Plettenberg bay, towns on South Africa’s coast east of Cape Town, are paying to transport fodder to their farms that they would normally grow, Carl Opperman, the chief executive officer of the Western Cape Province branch of AgriSA, a farmers organization, said by phone today. Vegetable farmers are also affected, he said. “The effects of the drought are on the balance sheets of the farmers,” Opperman said. “We need to save our herd.” The Western Cape accounts for about a quarter of South Africa’s annual milk production. The southern areas of the Western Cape are an “important” producing area, Opperman said, adding that he couldn’t give further detail.

S. African Dairy Area Threatened by Worst Drought in 130 Years