Browse Data and Analysis

In 2024, Southern Africa faced a severe drought, leading to a significant decline in corn and soybean production, which caused rising food inflation and economic challenges.

The 2024 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world during the 2024 calendar year.

On May 14, 2025, Indonesia raised export levies for most palm oil products, from 7.5 percent to 10 percent for crude products and up to 9.5 percent for refined products.

With favorable weather and steady fertilization, palm oil production is anticipated to rise 3 percent reaching 47 million metric tons (MMT) for 2025/26.

FAS/Pretoria’s Oilseeds and Products annual report provides information on the production, supply, and distribution for soybean, sunflowerseed, and rapeseed in South Africa for marketing year (MY) 2023/24, MY 2024/25, and MY 2025/26.

Indonesia’s palm oil export estimates for 2024/25 are lowered due to the rollout of the new B40 Biodiesel mandate which is expected to raise domestic industrial palm demand by 2 percent.

On November 18, 2024, the Government of Indonesia (GOI) issued Regulation No. 19/2024 on the Supervision of Genetically Engineered Food which updates the labeling requirements for genetically engineered (GE) products, and regulates microbial biotechnology, genome editing, and the food safety assessment of products with stacked genes

Indonesia’s B40 biodiesel blending mandate program, which is expected to roll out in 2025, is projected to increase palm oil use by 3 percent to 22 million metric tons in 2024/25. Soybean consumption recovered in 2023/24 as soybean retail prices continue to decrease.

Soybeans from the United States are once again eligible to enter South Africa. After a mid-summer drought that caused a 35 percent drop in production, South Africa needs to import soybeans to supplement domestic production and maintain crushing demand.

Indonesia introduced a new, simplified set of export levies for palm oil products, effective September 21, 2024, amidst decreasing crude palm oil (CPO) exports due to competition from other edible oils. Most of the new levies for palm oil exports will be reduced to between 3 percent to 7.5 percent of the reference price which the Government of Indonesia sets monthly.

Indonesia palm oil exports are estimated to decline to 26.5 million metric tons (MMT) in 2023/24 on lower output and weaker demand from key destination markets. Post revised down 2023/24 palm oil production to 45.6 MMT as 2023’s El Nino led to much lower yields than previously anticipated.

The 2023 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world during the 2023 calendar year.