South Africa must remain vigilant to prevent outbreaks which are costly to farmers and harm the export market
The El Niño-induced drought and heatwave in February and March hit crops hard in Southern Africa
This reflects a moderation of sales after excellent sales figures in 2022. But higher interest rates and a poor 2023-24 summer crop add pressure to farmers’ finances
South Africa imports all its rice and half its wheat so the exchange rate is a factor to watch
Global agricultural prices and thus food prices will moderate, but not necessarily for South Africa
Excellent years of machinery sales coincides with a tough production season that strains farmers’ finances
South Africa started the 2023-24 summer crop season with optimism, but the outlook is now lower because of the excessive heat and limited rainfall across major crop-growing regions
After a few years of robust tractor and combine harvest sales, this is more of a normalisation than an indication of trouble in the agriculture sector
Area plantings for maize and sunflower seed are above the five-year average
The favourable rainfall and an expected increase in the planting area bodes well for agriculture