Browse Data and Analysis

The South African Agricultural Economic Fact Sheet has been updated to include calendar year 2021. Bilateral agricultural trad between the United States and South Africa reached record levels of US$860 million in 2021.

South Africa is set for a record pome fruit and table grape production in marketing year 2021/22. Favorable weather conditions, new areas under production, and higher yielding cultivars is driving the growth in production.

On April 11, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development announced that the country is battling 56 outbreak cases of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) involving farms and communal areas in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West and Gauteng. According to the DALRRD Animal Health Directorate, the outbreaks currently troubling South Africa were caused by illegal movements of animals out of the FMD controlled zones in Limpopo.

South Africa has a robust and experienced regulatory system for genetically engineered (GE) products, which started with the publication of its “GMO” Act in 1997. Today, South Africa is among the top-10 largest producers of GE crops in the world and by far the largest in Africa.

The production of apples, pears and table grapes is forecast to continue its growth in the 2021/22 MY, based on normal weather conditions, new areas coming into production and high yielding varieties.

On October 27, 2021, South Africa, through a public notice, announced its regulatory approach for New Breeding Techniques.

After last season’s second consecutive bumper corn crop, the positive outlook for the South African grain industry will continue in the 2021/22 MY as evidenced by a 30 percent upsurge in tractor sales and the intention of commercial producers to maintain a corn area of 2.7 million hectares.