Browse Data and Analysis

FAS/Pretoria’s Grain and Feed annual report provides information on the production, supply, and distribution for corn, wheat, and rice in South Africa for marketing year (MY) 2023/24, MY 2024/25, and MY 2025/26.

Post’s corn crop estimate for South Africa for marketing year 2024/25 has been marginally lowered due to a reduced expected planting area.

Five months into MY2024/25 the situation and outlook for the UK grain sector is starting to become clearer. Significant wheat opening stocks have partly offset concern surrounding the second smallest wheat harvest since MY1999/2000, but even the current momentum in imports means the wheat balance is looking tight.

Import permits for genetically engineered (GE) corn from the United States are once again issued by South Africa. After a mid-summer drought that caused a 22 percent drop in production, South Africa needs to import corn to supplement domestic production.

The lower corn crop in marketing year 2023/24, coupled with strong regional demand, especially for white corn, has prompted higher prices in Southern Africa.

The animal feed industry in South Africa is well established and highly scientific. Efficient formulations have enabled significant expansion of the livestock sector driven by a surge in local meat consumption.

In July 2024, falling global wheat prices triggered a wheat import duty of Rand 176.30 (USD 9.70) per metric ton for South Africa ending more than three years of duty-free imports. The higher import duty was introduced amid a 7 percent drop in wheat planted area for marketing year 2024/25.

Post forecasts that South Africa’s corn area will expand in marketing year 2024/25. An 18 percent drop in the corn crop of marketing year 2023/24, due to an El Niño-induced mid-summer drought, prompted higher local corn prices that will initiate...

The 2023 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world during the 2023 calendar year.

The UK is forecast to have one of the lowest grain crops on record in MY 2024/25 following challenging winter planting conditions, a very wet winter, and continued rains now disrupting crop management and spring plantings. Not only is this expected to significantly reduce the planted area, but also average yields.

South Africa’s corn crop in marketing year 2023/24 has been affected by an El Niño induced mid-summer drought, resulting in an expected drop of more than 15 percent in crop volume.

Corn production in South Africa is off to a reasonable start in marketing year 2023/24 after decent rainfall was recorded over most of the corn-producing areas.