Cape Town - Following a warning by the poultry industry, which produces mainly chickens and eggs, that stage 6 load shedding is having a huge impact on their industry, social media users have a say.
The South African Poultry Association (Sapa) says the industry is being financially choked as producers have to spend on exorbitant diesel costs.
Speaking on SAfm, Sapa general manager Abongile Balarane said when the load shedding hits the egg and chicken producers, they spend a lot on diesel to generate power in order for their businesses to keep running.
He said they used electricity frequently, to maintain the temperature of the places where eggs and chickens are kept.
“It is a huge frustration for the egg producers, because now we end up spending more on diesel to use on generators for back up,” he said.
He added that in previous months they have lost close to 10% of the national stock size as a result of the avian flu that has been hitting the egg and chicken business worldwide, and there was a shortage of eggs on the market that resulted in a major increase prices.
“With what is happening right now, the distribution of eggs had become a huge frustration for farms and retailers,” he said.
Balarane warned that if the power blackouts continue for a longer time, they may result in the deaths of chickens, as “this type of a business requires electricity and power supply all the times”.
In a thread, @WandileSihlobo (chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa), said: As we start the new year, there is probably no issue more urgent than the worsening energy crisis for South Africa’s agriculture and agribusinesses.
As we start the new year, there is probably no issue more urgent than the worsening energy crisis for South Africa's agriculture and agribusinesses. 1/
— Wandile Sihlobo (@WandileSihlobo) January 18, 2023
“Farmers that rely on irrigation have all expressed concerns that persistent load shedding is negatively affecting production.
“In key field crops, roughly 20% of maize, 15% of soybeans, 34% of sugarcane and nearly half of the wheat production are produced under irrigation.”
Farmers that rely on irrigation have all expressed concerns that persistent loadshedding is negatively affecting production.
— Wandile Sihlobo (@WandileSihlobo) January 18, 2023
In key field crops, roughly 20% of maize, 15% of soybean, 34% of sugarcane and nearly half of the wheat production are produced under irrigation. 2/
Other posts included: “Load shedding started in 2007, the government is still failing to come up with solution to it. As long as we don’t appoint the right people according to their qualifications in institutions, our problems won’t end as south Africa” – Lesego Frans Mahluleka.
“Nobody seems to understand the impact this is having on everything in the country, not even the president himself. It’s more devastating than the covid pandemic” –Mmiselo Kamele.
IOL