A window on the crop conditions around the world.
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12.03.2026 21:11
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A window on the crop conditions around the world.
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The 2026 wine grape harvest is progressing well across South Africa's wine grape-growing regions. 🍷🇿🇦🍷
Implications of the Middle East conflict for South African agriculture.
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Why are South African farmers feeling downbeat about business conditions in the country?
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South Africa’s agriculture faces some challenges, but the long-term outlook for the sector remains so exciting. There remains untapped growth potential and possible job opportunities.
Welcome to a period of high input costs in South African agriculture
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We will publish the first-quarter 2026 results of the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI), a sentiment indicator for the South African farming and agribusiness sector, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
This is a painful period for the South African cattle industry; the current disease is immensely costly to farmers.
The Middle East is a key player in the global fertiliser market. As a country that imports roughly 80% of its annual fertiliser requirements, we, South Africa, are obviously concerned about the impact of current events on fertiliser prices, amongst other key matters.
But of course, the renewed fear of rising energy prices may change this direction. In February 2026, the FAO’s global food price index was at 125.3 points, down 1% from a year ago, and as much as 22% down from the peak reached in March 2022. 2/
Global food prices remain relatively lower than a year ago due to ample supplies of grains, vegetable oils, and sugar on the world market. 1/
Notes from our Western Cape agricultural roadshow
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South Africa’s agricultural machinery sales remain resilient.
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Published in The Herald today.
Jobs, Growth, and Structural Changes in South Africa’s Agriculture
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The Middle East region is key for our livestock and red meat exports, amongst other agricultural products. These will be a challenge in the current situation.
Lower tariffs and non-tariff barriers would help South Africa immensely.
India is cutting trade deals left and right. VERY ENCOURAGING.
They must now bring that spirit of the trade deal to BRICS.
A BRICS trade deal would benefit South Africa’s agriculture. The BRICS is an agricultural market valued at over US$300 billion.
Botswana is easing restrictions on SA vegetable imports.
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South Africa has a dynamic, competitive, and export-oriented agricultural sector.
We can withstand headwinds in global agricultural and food markets.
We don't need a public stockholding of grains or agricultural products. Such a policy will only cause market distortions.
South Africa’s major table grape growing regions include the Hex River Valley (32%), the Berg River Valley (24%), the Olifants River region (6%) in the Western Cape province, the Orange River region in the Northern Cape province (29%), and the Northern Provinces (9%).
Table Grape Production Areas in South Africa 🍇🇿🇦
For agribusinesses, however, fuel use is reasonably high throughout. Over 80% of our grains are transported by road, along with various agricultural products.
These fuel price hikes come at a slightly quiet time for South Africa’s agriculture.
We will have a busy period from the end of April/May onwards – planting winter crops, harvesting summer crops, and harvesting citrus. Fuel generally accounts for roughly 13% of grain farmers’ input costs. 1/
We also remain optimistic that the winter crop season, which starts in April 2026 in the Western Cape, will be reasonably good, with fair rains, which would support wheat, canola, oats and other agricultural activity in the province. 2/
Although we talk about the likely return of an El Niño in the 2026-27 summer season, a drought, it is too early to be certain. What we have are merely early indications. 1/
Importantly, this expected harvest is well above South Africa’s annual maize usage of 12.0 million tonnes. 4/
