Farmers in Garden Route, Little Karoo counting losses due to floods

Farmers in the Garden Route and Little Karoo region have suffered huge damages following this week’s storms.

Reports have come in of loss of cattle and crops.

The provincial Department of Agriculture has already requested farmers to complete a storm damage assessment survey.

Maritza van Deventer, the owner of a small farm in Oudtshoorn, says flood waters from the Grobbelaars River wiped out most of her crops.

She says her heart goes out to her fellow farmers in the region.

“It’s quite unnerving when you know that the water levels are rising and we had about 110mm in the last couple of days. Most of our vegetable crops are gone. We had to keep the sheep and chickens dry. The big concern is for the farmers in the region. I mean they lost hectares of seed and land that was already planted and that’s so sad to see you know.”