The troubling decline of the South African sorghum industry
12 January 2025 - 09:24
byWANDILE SIHLOBO
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Whenever I post on social media about the challenges in the maize industry, I get responses from people arguing that South Africans should consume more sorghum. They correctly highlight the nutritious value of the crop and its resilience in challenging climate conditions.
But with all these benefits, the sorghum industry has not taken off. The challenge is not that farmers refuse to plant it. It is due to weak demand for it — consumers are just not buying sorghum products like they do other staple grains.
Weak demand partly gave farmers hope that the use of sorghum in biofuels would provide a much-needed market. But this also did not take off. Thus, sorghum production has continued to decline in South Africa.
South African farmers planted 42,100ha of sorghum in the 2023/2024 production season, down 75% from the area planted in 1990/1991. The production was 95,830t in 2023/2024, down 68% from 1990/1991.
This is a disappointing picture, and with the outlook for the biofuel industry remaining bleak, we may continue to see small plantings.
Listen to the podcast for more insights.
Richard Humphries, Sam Mkokeli, Nelisiwe Tshabalala, and Amanda Murimba produce this podcast.
Richard Humphries, Sam Mkokeli, Nelisiwe Tshabalala, and Amanda Murimba produce this podcast.
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.
The troubling decline of the South African sorghum industry
Whenever I post on social media about the challenges in the maize industry, I get responses from people arguing that South Africans should consume more sorghum. They correctly highlight the nutritious value of the crop and its resilience in challenging climate conditions.
But with all these benefits, the sorghum industry has not taken off. The challenge is not that farmers refuse to plant it. It is due to weak demand for it — consumers are just not buying sorghum products like they do other staple grains.
Weak demand partly gave farmers hope that the use of sorghum in biofuels would provide a much-needed market. But this also did not take off. Thus, sorghum production has continued to decline in South Africa.
South African farmers planted 42,100ha of sorghum in the 2023/2024 production season, down 75% from the area planted in 1990/1991. The production was 95,830t in 2023/2024, down 68% from 1990/1991.
This is a disappointing picture, and with the outlook for the biofuel industry remaining bleak, we may continue to see small plantings.
Listen to the podcast for more insights.
Richard Humphries, Sam Mkokeli, Nelisiwe Tshabalala, and Amanda Murimba produce this podcast.
Richard Humphries, Sam Mkokeli, Nelisiwe Tshabalala, and Amanda Murimba produce this podcast.
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Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.