Empty harvest
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐๐๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฏ.
Abrie van Zyl loved his trees. He had spent three years planning his farm and, in September last year, he finally broke ground. He had invested all his personal savings into the venture and for ten months, his massive investment was growing. But that was before the rains came. In June this year, Citrusdal - a farming town in the Western Capeโs Olifants River Valley - was cut off from the world as heavy rains battered the community and devastating floods washed away its main access road. Abrieโs orchard was destroyed, leaving him millions of rands in the red. But heโs not alone. In the middle of the harvest season, many farmers in this area are on the edge of ruin.
Producer: Catherine Rice | Presenter: Erin Bates
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