After last weekend's prodigious rainfall across the Western Cape, the South African Table Grape Industry expects some flood damage to vineyards - some of the earliest varieties are already budding - and its first table grape crop estimate for the 2023/2024 season will reflect the new reality.

In Namibia's Noordoewer and Aussenkehr vineyards only light cold with no ensuing damage was experienced, says the Grape Growers' Association, and during the storms over the Western Cape only a single mm of rain had fallen there.

"Namibia's early cultivars are currently on approximately 8mm berry size. We're expecting a normal crop."

In the Southern Cape a strawberry producer says that they'd have over 100mm of rain, but not all in one go, and expect to be back to normal by the end of the week.

In the citrus orchards of Citrusdal - whose bridge fortunately didn't wash away again as it did in June- the very last late mandarins but mostly Valencias are still to be picked

"We've lost a day or two, there's been a lot of rainfall," says a grower. "To start the season was initially early but we'll now probably end later than we'd expected.

Some areas still cut off
The provincial department of local government yesterday afternoon noted: “We currently have clear skies, and the next cold front is expected to bring only light rain over the weekend. Also, the average dam level in the province is standing at 97%, which is very good from a water security perspective."

The Western Cape government has requested the national defence force to erecting temporary roads and bridges (for instance a temporary mobile bridge at Bot River on the N2), as well as providing aerial support to help with evacuations and logistics in inaccessible areas.

Areas like Bredasdorp, which saw some of the worst flooding, still has no cellphone reception.

"In the Breede River Municipality several farms are still inaccessible due to roads being washed away, and plans are being made to provide the affected people with food and other essentials. Work is progressing in Franschhoek, which is currently divided into two inaccessible parts, and the CBD is still without electricity."

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com