COVID-19 leaves TOTUMA farmers in harvest straits
| Tuesday April 21, 2020 20:34
TOTUMA is an acronym, which stands for Tonota, Tutume and Masunga villages.
When speaking to MmegiOnline TOTUMA arable and commercial farming association chairperson Jan Erasmus said that most of the association’s members have not harvested their crops due to shortage of manpower.
He further said that although most of the crops are ready for harvesting, most of the members cannot continue with the harvesting process due to the strict COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
For instance, Erasmus said that some farmers find it difficult to acquire travelling permits so that they can visit their own fields.
Erasmus said that prior to the lockdown, most of the members hired over 10 labourers to work at their farms. He stated that for now they have communicated with all the members of the association to comply with the lockdown regulations in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Erasmus who owns a farm at Tonota village said that he has planted close to 10 hectares of lablab amongst other crops, which is ready to be harvested.
He was scared that if the lablab is not harvested on time, it is going to die and he will make a huge loss.
The secretary of TOTUMA arable and commercial farming association Reuben Buzwani and also farmer in Mosojane village echoed similar sentiments as Erasmus.
He said that most of the crops among the over 60 members’ farms are ready to be harvested, but the problem they are facing is shortage of manpower.
Buzwani further said that it is very difficult to find the labourers, as people are encouraged to stay at their respected homes so that they can be safe from COVID-19.
He added: “I have not started harvesting any crops even though my lablab, which is close to eight hectares, is ready to be harvested. If I do not harvest it on time, I am going to incur a loss”.
For her part former TOTUMA arable and commercial farming association chairperson Priscilla Monthe said that she does not regret ploughing a small portion of her farm unlike in the past ploughing seasons.
She said that this ploughing season she was fortunate to have planted only three hectares consisting sweet reeds, sorghum, watermelons, pumpkins and other crops.
Monthe said that looking at the outcome of COVID-19 outbreak in the country, it was already stressful to get labourers for the harvesting process and if she had planted more hectares, she would have suffered a huge loss.
She said that the movement of people is restricted due to the COVID-19 lockdown and now there is no labour available to work at the fields.
Tutume cluster chairperson under the same association Bokani Moalosi said that she ploughed 23 hectares at her field.
She said that already she is feeling the heat as most of her produce has started to go bad, especially watermelons. Moalosi further said that it is difficult to harvest the produce as the lockdown regulations do not allow more than 10 people in one farm and to make matters worse there are no casual workers.
She added: “Even if we manage to harvest, it is going to be difficult to sell our produce, which is going to lead to a severe financial blow”.
Moalosi pleaded with the government to make necessary arrangements for farmers to acquire permits and to allow labourers to work in the fields.