11 / 44
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
MAY 2017
9
building technology company which
supplies its solutions to the farming
community, is also optimistic that this
year’s show comes at a time when the
agricultural sector is rebounding, especially
on the back of some good rains earlier this
year, which he believes will result in better
yields this year. However, he cautions that
some of the farmers are not out of the
woods yet, with some regions, such as the
Western Cape, still experiencing severe
drought conditions, while there has been
an outbreak of the Fall Armyworm in some
parts of the country as well.
Nazlie Dickson, marketing and sales
director at Hydraform, says while the
agricultural sector remains vital to the
economy and the food security of South
Africa at large, it remains a fragile sector
that is dependent upon unpredictable
variables such as weather, pestilence and
the instability of the labour market. “The
local agricultural sector has faced several
obstacles of late, due to the drought and
more recently, the outbreak of the Fall
Armyworm in Limpopo and North West
Province,” she says. “Although there is an
estimated 80% growth in maize production
compared with last year, many farmers may
still struggle, especially with maize prices
expected to be much lower this year.”
Robert Keir, marketing manager at Smith
Power Equipment (SPE), a South African
importer and distributor of leading global
specialist machinery, turf maintenance
equipment and off-road vehicles, says
while the agricultural market has seen
trying times over the past two years, there
is room for optimism. “We are very positive
about what 2017 has and will bring and are
already observing some positive trends in
the market; the Rand is showing signs of
strength and customers are spending more
Smith Power Equipment will be showcasing its
range of agricultural solutions at this year’s NAMPO
Harvest Day.
“Even though we see disparate weather patterns and rainfall in different
provinces, with the Western Cape still navigating a bad drought,
it is encouraging that we have had good rains in the northern regions and
that the crops are yielding.”