Fruit producers open
hearts and sluices
D
eciduous fruit growers from Grabouw
and Elgin have donated between 7.5
and 10 million cubic meters of water
to the City of Cape Town. The growers
opened their hearts and sluices to “give their
share” and help the Cape Metro with the cur-
rent water crisis. in a different catchment area than the City of
Cape Town, and although our rainfall has been
much lower than what we are used to, farm-
ers in the area realised that we are currently
in a more favourable position than the City of
Cape Town. Thus, they decided to ‘pay-it for-
ward’. “
After careful consultation deciduous fruit
growers from the Groenland Water User
Association (GWUA), a private water network,
decided to make the one-time donation. The
water comes from private dams in the area. Ross Heyns, chairman of the EGVV* Agricul-
tural Association, said the donation could put
farmers in a difficult position at the end of the
current season. “We will be dependent on a
good winter rainfall to replenish reserves for
the next season.”
According to Johan Groenewald, CEO of the
GWUA, Grabouw and Elgin producers have
enough water for the current season. “We are
The Groenland Water User Association
(GWUA) in the Overberg has offered this body
Farming association donates seven to ten million cubic metres, destined only for urban
use. Picture: Hortgro
AgriKultuur |AgriCulture
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