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.

Following a lengthy period with a trade surplus, the U.S. trade balance with Indonesia in agricultural products began to reverse in 2021.

Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy with a population of 282 million, presents significant opportunities for U.S. exporters despite regulatory challenges, declining middle-class purchasing power, and tariff preferences granted to our major competitors.

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.

On May 8-9, 2025, FAS Jakarta and U.S. Embassy Dili led the first agricultural trade delegation of U.S. industry groups in Timor-Leste. The delegation met with senior government officials, importers, and private industry to explore opportunities for U.S. commodities.

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.

On May 22, 2025, FAS Jakarta organized the Indonesia Agricultural Biotechnology Showcase highlighting to Government of Indonesia (GOI) officials, university students, and other stakeholders Indonesia’s advances in the field of agricultural biotechnology.

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.

In 2025/26, Indonesia's coffee production is expected to grow by 5 percent, reaching 11.3 million bags on improved yields from favorable weather and increased inputs.