La Niña’s return, heralded by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, brings hope for Southern Africa but concern for South America
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