South Africa’s overall 2017/18 summer crops intentions-to-plant data paints an optimistic picture, with the total area plantings expected to increase by 1% from the previous season to 4.03 million hectares. However, there are disparities within the summer crop cluster. All oilseeds and sorghum area hectares are expected to increase, with the exception of the maize area which is set to decline by 6% from the previous season to 2.47 million hectares. This slightly better than Bloomberg’s consensus forecast of 9% year-on-year decline in maize plantings to 2.39 million hectares.
Although overall maize hectares are expected to decline, this is mainly skewed towards white maize which is set to decline by 15% from the 2016/17 season to 1.40 million hectares. Meanwhile, yellow maize area could increase by 8% from the previous season to 1.07 million hectares (Chart 1). The key driver behind this trend is mainly the lower commodity prices, on the back of large supplies from the 2016/17 production season.
On the ground, planting activity has started in the eastern parts of the country and production should continue smoothly over the coming months. The weather prospects are fairly positive, with large rainfall expected between November 2017 and February 2018. All else being equal, this should lead to a decent harvest.
Soybean area is expected to increase by 25% from the 2016/17 production season to 720 000 hectares. Moreover, sunflower seed area could increase by 5% from the previous season to 665 500 hectares (Chart 1).
Winter crops – Today’s data confirmed that the winter wheat crop is not in good shape due to persistent dryness in the Western Cape province. The overall crop was revised down by 4% from the previous estimate to 1.66 million tonnes. This is 13% lower than the previous season’s crop and means that, imports could increase to 1.8 million tonnes in order to fulfil the domestic needs (up from 940 000 tonnes in the 2016/17 season).
Above all, it is still too early to be certain about the potential size of the new summer crops. We will monitor the developments on the ground and the incoming data in the following months.
Click below to read more recent reports by Wandile Sihlobo.
SA farmers intend to increase summer crop hectares in 2017/18
Linton
Voorsitter:
Schalk – kongoms53@gmail.com
Cell: +27 (0) 83 367 6891
Springbokvlakte
Voorsitter:
Andries Groothof – andries@adaja.co.za
Cell: +27 (0) 82 453 4366
Nzelele
Voorsitter:
Barend Vorster – xmasbdy@lantic.net
Cell: +27 (0) 82 651 2642
Ohrigstad
Voorsitter:
Fritz Marx – OhrigstadBV@vodamail.co.za
Cell: +27 (0) 82 9462333
Agri Letaba DLU
Voorsitter:
Trichardtsdal
Voorsitter:
Theuns Kotzee – aalbdy@mweb.co.za
Cell : +27 (0) 83 2691747
Alldays Boerevereniging
Voorsitter:
HJ Smit – hjsmitvervoer@gmail.com
Cell: +27 (0) 72 3979679
Virtuele Boerevereniging
Voorsitter:
Frans Saaijman – hanlies@mweb.co.za
Cell: +27 (0) 82 3885084
Loskop
Voorsitter:
Piet Engelbrecht – pieter@dpet.co.za
Cell: +27 (0) 82 8578924
Weipe
Voorsitter:
Ben Esterhuyse – benesterhuyse@gmail.com
Cell: +27 (0) 83 6917674
Watervalsrivier
Goeie dag boerevereniging lede.
Watervalsrivier boerevereniging dagbestuur het n nuwe voorsiter aangestel (Frans Winterbach) nadat ons vorige voorsiter (Lodewyk de Jager) uitgetree het.
Tuinplaas
Voorsitter:
Nets Turvey – nets.turvey@gmail.com
Cell: +27 (0) 82 4448404
Groter Tzaneen
Voorsitter:
Lukas McLean – mwrtvlei@mweb.co.za
Cell: +27 (0) 83 6303236
Mooketsi
Voorsitter:
Phile van Zyl – phile@zz2.co.za
Cell : +27 (0) 83 6278528
Leydsdorp
Voorsitter:
Tertius Botha – tersbotha@gmail.com
Cell : +27 (0) 82 3720763
Letsitele Vallei
Voorsitter:
Butch Macdonald – tamarafm@mweb.co.za
Cell : +27 (0) 83 4578832
Letaba Vallei
Voorsitter:
Jokkie Richards – jola@tzaneen.co.za
Cell : +27 (0) 82 8295093
Groot Letaba Sentraal
Voorsitter:
B Vorster – gerhardt@laeveldsitrus.co.za
Cell : +27 (0) 83 4578824
Constantia
Voorsitter:
Carel Minnaar – carel@minnaar.co.za
Cell : +27 (0) 82 5510977
Bosveld
Baie geluk aan Marthinus Erasmus. Hy is Agri Bosveld se nuwe voorsitter.
Die Beplannings vergadering het plaasgevind op 16 Januarie. Dankie vir elkeen se positiewe insette. Ons het ‘n goeie vergadering gehad en die aand heerlik gebraai. Dankie aan Henk van der Walt makelaars vir die heerlike vleis.
Dankie aan Willem en Ria wat ons weer besoek het en die middag saam ons gekuier het.
Bestuur:
Voorsitter: Marthinus Erasmus
O/ voorsitter: Cobus Coetzee
Finansies: Hendrik vd Walt
Sekretaresse: Gerna Coetzee
Navrae kan gerig word aan agribosveld@hotmail.com
Voorsitter:
Marthinus Erasmus – adenboerdery@lantic.net
Cell : +27 (0) 72 8327700
Koraal
Voorsitter:
Willem van Jaarsveld – info@agrilimpopo.co.za
Cell : +27 (0) 82 4517913