Extreme weather disrupts KZN dairy industry
DAIRY farmers in KwaZulu-Natal are struggling to get their milk to processors due to extreme weather conditions damaging roads.
Large parts of the province have endured heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds and hail over the last six weeks and farmers and food service providers are grappling with the aftermath of significant damage to logistics and operations infrastructure, including roads.
According to David de Jager, the chief executive officer of Tip-Top Milk, a logistics and milk testing company, the severe damage to farm roads makes it difficult to reach farmers to collect their milk, leading to supply chain disruptions.
“We have received reports from farmers in Harry Gwala, Mount Currie, Umgeni, Underberg and Mooi River about extreme weather conditions such as storm-strength winds, torrential rain, floods and large hailstones,” he said. — Farmer’s Weekly
