PODCAST: The 2024 midsummer drought continues to weigh on the summer crop harvest
30 September 2024 - 10:20
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
South Africa is on its eighth summer grain and oilseeds production forecast for the 2023-24 season. There are two more monthly reports to follow. Given that we are at the tail end of the season and will soon be in the optimal planting window for the 2024-25 production season from mid-October, we thought there would be no major revisions of the production figures at this late stage.
But this has not been a typical season, and the lower producer deliveries we have been observing over the past few weeks are not only a function of on-farm storage but a poor harvest. Indeed, we struggled with a midsummer drought in February and March, undermining crop yield potential in various regions.
On October 26, South Africa's Crop Estimates Committee lowered again the 2023-24 summer grain and oilseeds production estimate by 2% from August to 15.45 million tonnes. The major downward revision was in maize, sunflower seed, and groundnut harvest. The 2023-24 summer grain and oilseeds harvest is now down 23% from the previous season.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
PODCAST: The 2024 midsummer drought continues to weigh on the summer crop harvest
South Africa is on its eighth summer grain and oilseeds production forecast for the 2023-24 season. There are two more monthly reports to follow. Given that we are at the tail end of the season and will soon be in the optimal planting window for the 2024-25 production season from mid-October, we thought there would be no major revisions of the production figures at this late stage.
But this has not been a typical season, and the lower producer deliveries we have been observing over the past few weeks are not only a function of on-farm storage but a poor harvest. Indeed, we struggled with a midsummer drought in February and March, undermining crop yield potential in various regions.
On October 26, South Africa's Crop Estimates Committee lowered again the 2023-24 summer grain and oilseeds production estimate by 2% from August to 15.45 million tonnes. The major downward revision was in maize, sunflower seed, and groundnut harvest. The 2023-24 summer grain and oilseeds harvest is now down 23% from the previous season.
Listen to the podcast for more details.
PODCAST: Will the 2024-25 season be a recovery period for SA agriculture?
WANDILE SIHLOBO: Farmers in recovery mode after fraught summer season
WANDILE SIHLOBO: Crop and livestock breeding must remain priority along with boosting exports
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.