Fruit orchards in the Hoedspruit region of Mpumalanga have been damaged by severe hailstorms as growers in the northern regions of South Africa feel the effect of a protracted drought.
“Mango orchards have been affected, but the extent of the damage needs to be clarified,” says Subtrop’s Derek Donkin.
Citrus orchards have also been damaged, although the storm came at the end of the season.
Hail as large of golf balls battered some areas and came after a severe heat wave that further worsened the drought in these regions.
A spokesperson for Moriah Citrus Estate said that the extent of the damage to the fruit will only be seen on Wednesday, but confirmed that some of the fruit trees have lost a lot of leaves as a result of being hit by the large stones. Unifruit Blyde River Estate is reported to be one of the farms hit by the storm.
Donkin says damage may be as high as 30 per cent in certain areas but accurate assessments will need to be made.
Much of South Africa’s northern and central regions, as well as parts of Kwa-Zulu Natal have been hit by the severe drought, with water supplies running out in many regions.
The drought stretches as far north as Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with the northern areas of Namibia also being affected. The Botswana capital, Gaborone, is reported to be running out of water, while the Kariba Dam in the Zambezi River in north-west Zimbabwe has dropped to levels so low that its hydro-electrical plant had to be shut down. This is affecting power supply to large parts of southern Africa.
