Browse Data and Analysis

South Africa had an excellent start to the 2021/22 MY, with carry-over soil moisture and widespread rains that led corn producers to start plantings two to four weeks earlier than usual. Excessive rainfall during December to early January caused damage to planted crops in some areas that could impact crop size, although the extent will only become clear over the next few months.

Canada’s wheat marketing year 2021/22 was defined by drought, fires, atmospheric rivers, and the resilience of Canada’s rail transportation sector. Canadian wheat export volumes are down 37 percent (August to November 2021) from the previous year, though wheat exports by value are 95 percent of the value earned the previous year, due to strong global prices.

South Africa has imposed provisional anti-dumping duties against bone-in chicken meat imports from Brazil and four European Union countries. With this announcement, South Africa is now imposing anti-dumping duties against all nine countries that have regularly exported bone-in chicken portions to this market.

Canada was the number two overseas market for U.S. food and agricultural exports in 2020, importing $17.1 of U.S. high-value, consumer-oriented goods.

In spring 2022, Canada’s new border Assessment and Revenue Management program (CARM) will become mandatory for importers, including non-resident importers (such as U.S. exporters acting as the importer of record on customs documents).

The federal government opened public consultations on proposed regulations to ban the use of several single-use plastic items, such as checkout bags, stir sticks and straws. Stakeholders have until March 5, 2022, to provide their input.

Canada’s draft Clean Fuel Standard, published in December 2020, outlines the beginnings of a nationwide framework for adopting a carbon intensity approach for renewable fuels. The final regulation is expected to be published in Spring 2022.

South Africa continues to be an important market for U.S. agricultural products. The country is an attractive business destination due to its growing market and a well-developed infrastructure, catering to efficient distribution of both imported and locally produced agricultural products to major urban centers and the entire Southern Africa region.