Drought Threatens South Africa's Wheat Harvest

The wheat harvest in South Africa's Swartland region is under threat due to a severe lack of rain, which has already depleted the crop by an estimated 25-30%. The region, responsible for producing around 20% of the country's wheat, received only 79% less rainfall than its 10-year average during the winter months of June and August.

The farmers' group GrainSA expressed concerns about the impact on food security, saying that government support is needed to cushion the blow. 'Government cannot continue to regard climate risk as the farmer's problem alone,' said GrainSA CEO Tobias Doyer.

The Western Cape province, where Swartland is located, has seen a 9% decrease in wheat hectarage this year, and is projected to harvest 11% less wheat compared to 2025. The country's overall wheat production is expected to be around 8% lower at 1.76 million metric tons.

GrainSA has called on the government to introduce affordable crop insurance to help farmers cope with the losses.