In 2017, South African agricultural exports grew past US$10.0 billion for the first time, boosted by growth in exports of edible fruits, beverages, spirits, vegetables, grains and other agricultural products. This is a 15 percent increase from 2016 – a year that was characterised by El Nino induced drought.

After weeks of dryness which caused delays in crop planting, most regions of South Africa have finally received a reprieve as rains continue over summer rainfall areas of the country.

The third quarter 2019 GDP data released by Statistics South Africa this week illuminated what many in South Africa’s farming towns and villages have been experiencing throughout the year, which is that the farming economy is in recession.

On 27 March 2020, Moody's downgraded South Africa’s sovereign credit rating to sub-investment grade and placed a negative outlook on the rating.

Industrial policy is in fashion in Africa. The path out of poverty, goes this new thinking, lies through high-value manufacturing, specialisation and industrialisation.

South Africa’s agricultural sector has not, in the recent past, had a season as good as the current one.

Our recent analysis of South Africa's agricultural production for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 production seasons has largely carried a positive tone.

 A central theme in President Ramaphosa's 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA) was the government’s work in improving the efficiency of physical and regulatory infrastructure aimed at unlocking private sector-led economic growth.

The need to improve logistics efficiency and curb the deterioration of infrastructure remains a topical issue in South Africa's agriculture.

One of the South African agriculture sector's long-term objectives, which should not be neglected amid the current geopolitical strife, is the need for government and industry to widen and deepen export markets.

This afternoon, we received further confirmation that South Africa's summer crop is not as bad as some might have feared at the start of the 2021/22 production season when heavy rains threatened the yields.

The EU is among regions that have, for some time, resisted importing and cultivating genetically engineered (GE) crops. But this changed on July 1, when the European Commission approved the importation of GE maize for human and animal consumption. This follows a similar approach with soybeans.

We are emerging from a policy-heavy weekend, where the governing ANC gathered to discuss policy ideas ahead of its December elective conference. A range of economic matters were discussed at the conference that we will learn more about in the coming days.