Drought affecting agriculture severely: economist
An agricultural economist believes the sector will take a few more knocks before it eventually begins to recover.
Statistics South Africa said yesterday that agriculture's production declined by 6.5% in the first quarter of the year.
The county's GDP contracted by 1.2% during the same period.
Agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo says the decline in the sector did not come as a surprise given the severe drought gripping the country especially in parts of KZN.
He says the drought as well as several other factors means the sector is unlikely to recover anytime soon.
''The key driver of all of this is basically the drought. Remember the GDP is looking on and on the productivity in the sector.
''So the key thing in there is we are not receiving as much output as we have seeing in the previous years in the agriculture side,'' he said.
(File photo: Gallo Images)