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South Africa’s food inflation rate surged to a 14-year high in March 2023, a departure from global easing of food prices.

The South African Agricultural Economic Fact Sheet has been updated to include calendar year 2022.

Post forecasts South Africa’s sugar cane crop will increase by 3 percent to 18.5 million metric tons (MT) in market year (MY) 2023/24 assuming a return to normal weather conditions, an improvement in yields, and industry efforts to increase production, especially for small-scale farmers.

The March 2023 Essential Food Price Monitoring Report published by South Africa’s Competition Commission provided a deep dive into the poultry value chain.

South Africa has experienced an upsurge in oilseed plantings over the past 20 years with a near nine-fold expansion in soybean area. Post foresees that the positive trend in soybean plantings will continue in marketing year 2023/24 with area and oilseed production reaching historically high level of 1.8 million hectares and 3.6 million metric tons, respectively.

FAS Rangoon (Post) forecasts Burma’s rice exports, corn exports, and wheat import smaller in MY 2023/24. Exporters and importers continue to face a lot of uncertainties with the continuing changing policies on export/import procedures and foreign currency controls.

South Africa is on course to produce a fourth consecutive bumper corn crop in MY 2022/23, which creates a bearish outlook on local corn prices and will limit growth in the area to be planted with corn in MY2023/24.

This report provides more information on the South African food processing sector, including strategies for U.S. exporters interested in entering the market.

On January 31, 2023, the South African Ministry of Health issued a Government Notice (R 2986) inviting comments on the draft regulation relating to the labeling and advertising of foods.

The energy crisis, which has resulted in the declaration of a National State of Disaster, is causing disruptions and rising costs for the advanced and diverse agriculture and food sector in South Africa, which is heavily reliant upon electrification.

FAS Rangoon forecasts Burma’s corn production lower due to rising production costs, unstable security conditions in some production areas, and unfavorable weather especially in Shan State.

South Africa is experiencing significant scheduled power outages, known as loadshedding, to share the limited available energy supply and protect the integrity of the power grid. In 2022 power outages were implemented more than 200 times. Although...