Veld fires could lead to higher meat and food prices in South Africa
Farmers across South Africa have been warned to increase fire prevention efforts, as the growing threat of veld fires may destroy crops and livestock, leading to even higher food prices.
Image: Karen Sandison / Independent Newspapers
Farmers across South Africa have been warned to increase fire prevention efforts, as the growing threat of veld fires may destroy crops and livestock, leading to even higher food prices.
According to experts, since 2015, farmers across KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, Western Cape, Karoo, and Gauteng have continued to grapple with severe veld fires during dry and windy conditions, causing widespread damage to crops, livestock, and essential farm infrastructure.
Farmers have been urged to put risk management measures in place throughout the year to better manage and control the threat of veld fires and collaborate with the government and other farmers within their local fire protection associations to follow procedures or protocols that will avoid disasters when starting fires in their areas.
Dawie Maree, Head of Information and Marketing, FNB Agriculture, warned that with food prices already rising in the country.
“Considering South Africa’s escalating food price inflation and the ongoing challenges faced by farmers, this adds to food security issues by impacting both the supply and price of food,” Maree said.
Maree added that the losses are severe, with large areas of crops and grazing land destroyed, livestock deaths, and damage to expensive farm infrastructure, making it difficult for many farmers to recover quickly.
“Meat in particular which is currently the biggest driver of food inflation after surging to a 25-month high in June, is at the highest risk as the death of animals, feed supplies, pasture and storage facility loses could put meat producers under more pressure than what they are currently experiencing as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak,” he added..
According to Statistics South Africa, although headline inflation has eased over the past year, inflationary risks remain, particularly in food prices. Meat prices, especially beef, continue to rise sharply.
In June, the average price of stewing beef increased to R118.02 per kilogram from R96.35 a year earlier, while rump steak prices rose to R194.09 from R160.50 per kilogram during the same period.
Maree further urged "farmers to put the necessary measures in place to mitigate against the risk of veld fires"
'Between now and the beginning of the rainy season around October and November, veld fires can spread quickly, destroying farms, and leaving relentless destruction,” he added.
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