The Western Cape regional fruit production sector has suffered losses amounting to R 720m. The wine industry alone has suffered damage to the tune of R 20m thus far, as around 82 hectares of vineyards have been lost due to drought and fires. This was revealed during last week's committee briefing on the impact of drought and fires on agriculture in the Western Cape. Beverley Schäfer explains. Watch.
The DA has called on national government to take head of this reality and declare the region a disaster area. The Stellenbosch region has seen a 33% drop in rainfall during winter 2015, with surrounding regions facing similar challenges.
Pic credit: Justin Sullivan