Rooibos industry expects low yields after poor rains
THE rooibos industry is expecting low yields this year because of poor rains that led to smaller harvests, the South African Rooibos Council said yesterday.
Despite best efforts and a exponential boost in investment in Rabi or winter sown crops in Rabi 2009 in order to make up for an over 11% drop in kharif output on account of the worst ever drought in 37 years, the government has failed to incentivise the farmer in boosting acreage under Rabi rice upward from 47.69 lakh hectares in Rabi 2008.