El Niño set to return, but load shedding is the bigger threat to SA crops

El Niño is expected to make a return this year, but agricultural economists say it's unlikely to impact summer grains - instead, the key threat to SA agriculture is load shedding.

Losses to farmers due to the rolling power cuts means there could be a knock-on effect on food prices, they warn.  

El Niño influences climate patterns around the world, and in South Africa, it is associated with low rainfall, warmer conditions, and drought. Its re-emergence follows three consecutive years of La Niña, which has the opposite effect of increased rainfall.