Browse Data and Analysis

The area under apple, pears, and table grape cultivation in South Africa has grown steadily over the past decade, driven by ongoing investments into the deciduous fruit sector on relatively high earnings from export markets. However, the expansion in apple, pears, and table grape production is expected to alleviate in marketing year (MY) 2022/23, despite the production of record crops in MY 2021/22.

The current labor disputes at Transnet, South Africa’s state-owed port, rail and pipeline authority, have caused severe staff shortages at ports resulting in a significant slowdown of port operations and caused the company to declare fore majeure.

South Africa’s food service sector generated revenues valued at US$3.5 billion in 2021, an upsurge of almost 30 percent from 2020. The South Africa hotel, restaurant, and institutional industry was severely affected by the strict restrictions imposed by the South African government to control the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020.

Post estimates that the South African sugar cane crop will grow by 7 percent to 18.4 million metric tons (MT) in the 2022/23 market year (MY), up from 17.2 million MT in the 2021/22 MY. This is based on a return to normal weather conditions, an improvement in yields, and industry efforts to increase production, especially for small-scale farmers.

South Africa has announced plans to transfer numerous governmental functions including agricultural inspections to the new Border Management Agency which currently falls under Home Affairs.

South Africa should remain a net exporter of corn in the 2021/22 marketing year (MY) on excess supplies.

Areas within two South African provinces have been plunged into violent civil unrest following protests on the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma on July 8, 2021.

South African retail food sales totaled US$ 39.8billion in 2020, a 6 percent decrease from 2019 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On June 27, 2021, the South African government announced that the country would be under a heightened, level 4 lockdown as a result of the rise in COVID-19 infections and the increase in hospital admissions.

On June 27, 2021, South Africa re-introduced the prohibition of the sale, dispensing and distribution of liquor products for 14 days due to the recent surge in COVID-19 infections. This is the fourth ban on liquor products since the start of...