The Western Cape Department of Agriculture is expecting a record grain harvest this season.
Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer, recently led a government delegation on a visit to grain farming enterprise, Agri Dwala (Pty) Ltd in Napier in the Overberg region.
The visit comes off the back of the news that the Western Cape is expecting one of the largest winter grains and oilseed crop in recent history, shattering previous records.
Commenting on the forecasted bumper year, Minister Meyer said they’re grateful as this will increase the value of agricultural production in the Western Cape as well as revenue from the grain industry.
Agri Dwala (Pty) Ltd is 100% owned and operated by farmworkers turned farmers.
Manager and shareholder, Daniel Pieters said that after a few tough years they are excited by the prospect of a record yield.
According to Western Cape Department of Agriculture economist, Louw Pienaar, the latest estimates from the Crop Estimates Committee are forecasting the Western Cape wheat harvest at 1 million tons, the largest harvest in more than two decades.
In terms of the national barley and canola harvest, the majority produced in the Western Cape, the harvest will exceed any other one in the past, with 520 000 tons of barley and 126 000 tons of canola expected.
Pienaar said the excellent yields come as a result of rain and weather conditions being right for winter grain production across both the Swartland and the Overberg regions. Aside from the good harvest, current prices are also at levels higher than the past several seasons, which will boost economic growth in rural areas.
