According to the Department of Agriculture, South Africa’s grain industry delivered a record harvest this season with total grain and oilseed production topping about 23 million tonnes, reports Cape {town} Etc.
The bumper harvest strengthens national food supplies and positions South Africa as an important regional supplier.
Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen told guests at the Grain SA ‘Grain Producer of the Year’ Awards that maize production reached roughly 16.33 million tonnes, well above the country’s estimated annual need of 12 million tonnes.
SA news reports that he described the season as ‘an incredible achievement’ and praised producers for protecting food security and supporting jobs and export earnings.
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Steenhuisen also warned that many producers face a severe financial squeeze. He pointed to falling commodity prices driven by abundant supply and rising input costs for fuel, fertiliser, equipment and labour, which together compress profit margins and threaten some farming enterprises.
The minister stressed that losing domestic wheat capacity would raise costs for consumers.
To protect the sector, the department listed immediate priorities: improve regulatory efficiency, expand access to new breeding technologies, strengthen logistics across the value chain and open new export markets to boost competitiveness.
The plan aligns with the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan and aims to attract private and international investment in research and infrastructure.
The awards ceremony also recognised individual achievement.
Hansie Viljoen of Viljoen Boerdery was named Grain SA/Syngenta ‘Grain Producer of the Year’ for his diversified, family-run approach and emphasis on soil health and financial discipline.
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