Western Cape a growing drawcard for upcountry farmers

The Western Cape is experiencing a marked increase in inquiries from people wanting to buy farms in the province, despite the prevailing drought.

Farmers’ representative body Agri West Cape said many farmers, especially from the northern parts of the country, were looking to relocate to the Western Cape in spite of the region’s agricultural sector suffering from the worst drought in decades.

Agri West Cape CEO Carl Opperman told Business Day he had been fielding calls from farmers, particularly from Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Northern Cape, inquiring about farm properties in the Western Cape.

Farms in the province cost anything in the region of R2.5m for a smallholding to more than R15m for large-scale or "lifestyle" farms.

"I am not finding a lot of people putting up their farms for sale … but a lot of farmers from the north are looking for farms in the Cape area, despite the drought and the uncertainty around the land reform project," said Opperman.

The agricultural sector has had a difficult few years amid security concerns, uncertainty over land reform and the prevailing drought.

Tinus Nortje, the owner of Tinus Nortje Properties which specialises in the sale of smallholdings and properties including dairy, vegetable, fruit, sheep, beef and ostrich farms, said there was a lot of interest in farms in the region.

Nortje said he had received many inquiries, although this had not necessarily translated into increased sales.

He said the perception that the Western Cape offered a better quality of life and the agricultural sector was more stable could be among reasons for the increase in inquiries.

Agriculture is one of the most important sectors for the Western Cape’s economy.

The province produces more than 50% of SA’s agricultural exports, with the EU being one of the largest export destinations. The Western Cape also accounts for almost 75% of annual offshore wine sales, worth R5bn.

Opperman said farmers in the Western Cape had received significant financial support, mostly from the provincial government.