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.

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.

Australian oilseed production, dominated by canola, is expected to be strong for the fifth consecutive season during the marketing year (MY) 2025/26.

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.

Australian oilseed production, dominated by canola, is expected to be strong for the fourth successive season during the marketing year (MY) 2024/25. If realized, canola production of 6.5 million metric tons (MMT) would be 14 percent above the previous year’s estimate and the third largest on record.

Post forecasts that South Africa’s oilseed area will be maintained at elevated levels in marketing year 2024/25. South Africa’s summer rainfall oilseed crops in marketing year 2023/24 have been affected by an El Niño induced mid-summer drought, resulting in an expected major drop in crop volumes, creating an optimistic outlook for higher crop area in marketing year 2024/25.

Post estimates that South Africa will produce a record rapeseed (locally called canola) crop of 220,000 metric tons in marketing year 2023/24.

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.

Australian oilseed production, dominated by canola, is expected to be strong again in marketing year (MY) 2023/24, but down from the record in MY 2022/23. Canola production is forecast in MY 2023/24 at 5.5 million metric tons (MMT), the third largest from the record-busting crop estimated at 8.3 MMT in MY 2022/23.

South Africa experienced an upward trend in oilseed production (soybeans and sunflower seeds) driven largely by rising oilseed prices, higher yielding cultivars, and a local demand-pull from investments in new oilseed processing plants.

Australian oilseed production, dominated by canola, is expected to be strong again in marketing year (MY) 2022/23, after big crops in MY 2021/22. Canola production is forecast in MY 2022/23 at 4.7 million metric tons (MMT), down from the record-busting crop estimated at 6.35 MMT in MY 2021/22, but if realized would still be the second largest crop in history.