South Africa: Declining Trend in Sorghum Production to Continue

Sorghum production in South Africa decreased over the past two decades as producers preferred to plant more profitable crops, like corn and oilseeds. Post estimates that the decreasing trend in sorghum production will continue in the 2021/22 MY, although sorghum production increased to a 7-year high of 189,885 tons in the 2020/21 MY, on favorable weather conditions. Post estimates a 16 percent drop in sorghum production to 160,000 tons in the 2021/22 MY, on eight percent less area. As a result, Post estimates sorghum imports for the 2021/22 MY will increase to 20,000 tons. On the other hand, a significant drop in sorghum imports is expected in the 2020/21 MY, after a 20 percent increase in production. Through the past five years the United States established itself as the major supplier of sorghum to South Africa.