South African Farmers Raise Alarm on Drought Threat, Seek Aid
- Corn plantings have dropped and plants are threatened by heat
- Grain SA sees yellow corn imports this season, possibly white
Photographer: Wikus De Wet/AFP via Getty Images
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South African farmers are warning of a brewing crisis as persistent dryness and hot weather threaten crops and livestock just three years after the country grappled with the worst drought on record.
As little as 60 percent of available land was planted this season and those crops are being threatened by heat stress, according to lobby group Grain SA. The country will need to import yellow corn and there’s a possibility it will have shortages of the staple white variety despite a large carry-over stock from last season, Chief Executive Officer Jannie de Villiers told reporters at a briefing Friday.