According to Weather SA, South Africa can expect lower-than-normal maximum temperatures this summer and good rainfall. The forecast suggests it will remain in a La Niña phase, which for Southern Africa implies likely another good rainy season. According to Christo van der Rheede, CEO of Agri SA, this type of weather bodes well for the upcoming summer harvest.
Agricultural economist John Hudson of Nedbank: "We are in a wet cycle, similar to the season just concluded. We expect another season with above average rainfall, not much different from what we just had. So, summer production looks favorable, especially for crop production.”
He does caution that normally in high rainfall years, there can be a lot of cloud cover, which can have a negative impact on so-called heat units. Crops need enough sunshine, so if they are not getting enough, they cannot give maximum yield. Furthermore, the prediction of below normal maximum temperatures could cause sub-optimum growing conditions and excessive rainfall can potentially cause damage to crops and infrastructure.
Source: news24.com