Creator
Wandile Sihlobo
Wandile Sihlobo is chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz), author of Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity, and Agriculture and visiting research fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Governance.
The challenge of regional agricultural trade
Within the SACU region, there is supposed to be free movement of agricultural goods, with a few exceptions, including national security and when there are crop and animal diseases
The Sona love letter to SA’s agric sector
We are working to expand the sector and ensure we provide high-quality products to new markets. It remains key that the sector’s “knowledge infrastructure” is up to date and,…
Consumer food price inflation is likely to soften in 2026, although foot and mouth disease remains a challenge
The benefits of lower grain prices, ample fruit and vegetable supplies, and potentially sideways meat prices will continue to be the major drivers of the deceleration in food…
South Africa’s agricultural exports boom
The latest data for the third quarter shows that South Africa’s agricultural exports totalled US$4.7 billion, up from 13% from the same period a year ago
What Zimbabwe’s maize import ban means for SA farmers and exporters
But the country may not keep the ban for long, because a shortfall of about 700,000 is expected later in the season
Why is SA importing yellow maize at a time of abundant domestic harvest?
It is probably opportunistic trade for livestock feed
Robust SA agricultural exports to US in second quarter of 2025
But we must still work to reduce Donald Trump’s 30% tariff and look to and maintain other markets
Infrastructure, governance failures limit growth of agriculture and development in rural areas
The rural economy should not be forgotten in South Africa’s economic growth agenda,
The Far East countries are buying SA’s maize again
About half of South Africa’s maize was exported to Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea in the first 13 weeks of the 2025-26 marketing year
SA food inflation rises again — but doesn’t shift the moderate outlook
Concerns over poultry and red meat supplies should not have a bearing in the long term
Brics leaders must take steps on policy to facilitate between member countries
These countries need to rethink the prohibitive tariffs they place on each other
Ample grain and oilseed harvest in SA bodes well for food price inflation
Agriculture in the country is experiencing a recovery season for its grain and oilseed production, although some areas may have quality problems
Food price inflation should stay at comfortable levels this year
South Africa’s food inflation rose to 4.4% in May but this is expected to be temporary
Index shows upbeat sentiment on South Africa’s agricultural sector
This is despite a slight decline, attributed to an uncertain global trade environment, geopolitical tension and domestic animal disease problems
Early 2025-26 production prospects signal an ample global grain and oilseed harvest
This forecast is based indications of good harvests in key producing countries such as the European Union, Russia, Canada, Argentina, the United Kingdom and India