Encouraging crop production prospects for South Africa in the 2024/2025 season
02 March 2025 - 10:24
byWANDILE SIHLOBO
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.
We have been saying for some time that this will likely be a recovery year for agriculture in South Africa following a harsh midsummer drought in the 2023/2024 season that weighed on grains and oilseeds harvest.
The first production estimates for 2024/2025 summer grains and oilseeds point to the possibility of a better harvest. The Crop Estimates Committee forecasts the 2024/2025 overall summer grains and oilseeds harvest at 17.2Mt, up 11% from the previous season. This comprises maize, sunflower seed, soybeans, groundnuts, sorghum and dry beans. The expected yield improvements primarily back better harvest prospects. The overall planting area is 4.4-million hectares, mostly unchanged from the last season. Provided this is a first production estimate and possibly does not fully account for the gains of the recent rains, we could see further upside revision in the coming months. After all, there are nine more monthly estimates to follow.
Listen to the podcast for more insights.
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.
Encouraging crop production prospects for South Africa in the 2024/2025 season
We have been saying for some time that this will likely be a recovery year for agriculture in South Africa following a harsh midsummer drought in the 2023/2024 season that weighed on grains and oilseeds harvest.
The first production estimates for 2024/2025 summer grains and oilseeds point to the possibility of a better harvest. The Crop Estimates Committee forecasts the 2024/2025 overall summer grains and oilseeds harvest at 17.2Mt, up 11% from the previous season. This comprises maize, sunflower seed, soybeans, groundnuts, sorghum and dry beans. The expected yield improvements primarily back better harvest prospects. The overall planting area is 4.4-million hectares, mostly unchanged from the last season. Provided this is a first production estimate and possibly does not fully account for the gains of the recent rains, we could see further upside revision in the coming months. After all, there are nine more monthly estimates to follow.
Listen to the podcast for more insights.
Richard Humphries, Sam Mkokeli, Nelisiwe Tshabalala and Amanda Murimba produce this podcast
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.