South Africa's power cuts leave fruit farmers in despair

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On the cusp of harvesting this season's first fruit, South African deciduous farmer Heinie du Toit frets as the worst power cuts on record threaten to take the shine off his apple and pear crop destined for foreign markets.

Situated in Ceres, one of the country's major fruit growing regions around 120km north east of Cape Town, the century-old family farm "Remhoogte" needs a steady electricity supply for an automated irrigation pump network that sprays thousands of trees heavy with fruit.

A 10% reduction in exports from the farm may result in some 7.5 million rand lost revenue, Du Toit said, with lower grades destined for the domestic market and juice processors., have hammered economic growth, fuelling widespread discontent among businesses and households. Power outages are the latest setback following a drought, the COVID-19 pandemic, bottlenecks at ports and higher commodity prices, such as fuel and fertilizer, due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Du Toit said.

 

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You spelled his name wrong................ Yikes neh.

Too many electric vehicles crashing the grid? If not, wait for it. Once they get electric vehicles, they won't be able to charge them. Already happened in CA this summer.

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