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Hail hits hard
Members of the Tzaneen avo study group gathered on Monday on the farm of Mr Paul Wiltshire in Georges Valley, to discuss
Rural ares:FREE • Platteland: GRATIS
rehabilitation plans after the destruction caused by the fiercest hailstorm in many years. Subtrop facilitated the meeting.
The rehabilitation of orchards is already in process from Georges Valley to Mooketsi, after the Tzaneen area was hit by the most devastating hailstorm in many years last Thursday night. Entire avo crops were lost by some farmers, while severe damage was done on mega farms like Westfalia in Politsi and ZZ2 in Mooketsi. An estimated 1,2 million cartons or more are lost for the avo export market. The crop damage on at least sixteen farms is 100%, as the remaining fruit are not suitable due to bruises caused by the hail. Mr Derek Donkin, chairman of the SA Avo Growers Association (SAAGA) and CEO of Subtrop in Tzaneen, said it was the fiercest hailstorm to hit the area in twenty years. Apart from the estimated R40 million in export losses, the damage to orchards will also have an adverse effect of millions on yields and revenue for the next three years. It all started on the farm Letaba Drift of Mr Paul Wiltshire in Georges Valley at around 20:00 in the evening, destroying his entire crop and causing huge damage to well established orchards. From there it moved towards Politsi, Haenertsburg, Houtboschdorp and Mooketsi.
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White PVA paint is applied to the stems of pruned avo trees to protect it against sunburn and infesting bacteria. The owners of Letaba Drift lost their whole avo crop in last week’s hailstorm. Their paint bill amounts to R150 000.
Farmers said the hailstones were somewhat smaller than golf balls, but had a rough surface. Driven by a strong wind, this led to severe damage on tree trunks and branches. In the Politsi area macadamia growers were hard hit by the storm, as many of the immature nuts were felled to the ground and orchards damaged. Mr Andries Bester of Subtrop co-ordinated a meeting with all affected stakeholders on Monday, to discuss rehabilitation plans and revised fertilizer and irrigation programmes to reduce input costs drastically. Farmers were also advised to heavy pruning of damaged trees and the timeous treatThe banana crop of ment of scars against Mr Stoffel Albertyn pests and diseases. in Georges Valley was Mr Bram Snijder, probadly damaged by the hailstorm last week. duction manager of Afrupro who attended the meeting, said the hailstorm will have a significant effect on the estimated 14 million cartons of avo’s for export this year. It will also have a drastic effect on the price of avo’s at the local markets. “The harvest season is about to start within a week or two, but for some there will be no crop this year,” Snijder said. • More photos on p 2
Die Buffel word 54 — bl 6
The crippled remains of a once flourishing avo tree in Georges Valley.
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Avo exports severely affected
Oasis turns to desert —p7
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12 February 2016