South Africa’s 2024/2025 summer grain and oilseed production season was excellent. In its ninth production estimate, released on October 28, the Crop Estimates Committee raised South Africa’s 2024/2025 production by 1% from the September estimate to 20.08Mt.
This figure comprises maize, soybean, sunflower seed, groundnuts, sorghum and dry beans. The upward revision was mainly on maize, while other production estimates remained unchanged from the September figure.
The current estimate for the 2024/2025 summer grain and oilseed season is up 30% from the previous season. There is an annual uptick in all the crops, mainly supported by favourable summer rains and decent area plantings. The base effects also help, as we struggled with a drought last year that weighed on the harvest. This ample crop is set to continue putting downward pressure on prices, which bodes well for a moderating path of consumer food price inflation.
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Richard Humphries, Sam Mkokeli, Nelisiwe Tshabalala, and Amanda Murimba produce this podcast.
