Browse Data and Analysis

South Africa boasts one of Africa's most developed and diverse economies, supported by a robust commercial sector and sophisticated distribution networks.

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.

New Zealand continues to be an important market for U.S. agricultural exports. In 2024, New Zealand’s imports of U.S. agricultural products rose by $50 million compared to 2023 to $571 million.

The Government of New Zealand has introduced new legislation to the House of Representatives to ban large scale farm-to-forestry conversions.

New Zealand fluid milk production is estimated at 21.7 million metric tons (MMT) for the 2025 market year (MY). This is slightly above the previous 5-year average of 21.6 MMT and a slight increase compared to MY 2024.

The FAIRS Annual Country Report provides a comprehensive summary of the rules and regulations governing the import of food and agricultural products to South Africa.

This report has been updated to include the latest information relevant to exporting to South Africa. The Food and Agricultural Import Regulation and Standards (FAIRS) Certificate Report provides a comprehensive list of the main certificates required for exporting plants, animals, and animal products to South Africa.

The South African Department of Agriculture (DoA) reported several new positive cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle in the KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces in April 2025. Following the announcement of the FMD outbreak, China suspended imports of cloven-hoofed animals and related products from South Africa.

New Zealand’s grain and feed sector is relatively small on a global scale, producing around 2.1 million metric tons (MMT) annually, well below the country’s total demand for feed, leading to the import of approximately 60 percent of its grain and feed needs.

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

Cranberry consumption and imports are growing in South Africa, with demand for dried cranberries and juice rising among middle-income, health-conscious consumers.

This report provides an overview of the New Zealand wine market as of the publication date. New Zealand imports wine from all over the world, indicating that consumers in the country are open to exploring various wine regions.