By Rorisang Modiba
- South African farmers will plant 6% less wheat this year. This is the lowest level of planting seen since 2015.
- High diesel and fertiliser prices are hurting farmers. Diesel prices went up by 40% in April after bombing began in Iran.
South African farmers plan to plant the smallest wheat crop in over ten years. Costs for fuel and fertiliser have gone up sharply and are forcing farmers to plant less.
Farmers expect to plant about 486,400 hectares of wheat in 2026. This is 6% less than they planted last year. It will be the lowest level of wheat planting since 2015.
The jump in costs started after the United States and Israel began bombing Iran in February. This pushed up prices across the world. In South Africa, diesel prices increased by more than 40% in April. There are fears that these prices could rise again soon. Wheat prices have also gone up.
Fuel and fertiliser are very important for farming. These two items make up about half of what it costs a farmer to produce a crop. These price increases are putting heavy pressure on wheat production across the country.
There is some good news for food supplies. South Africa expects a record corn harvest of 16.8 million tons this year. This big harvest could help keep food prices stable even though wheat production is falling.
Inflation in the country is still close to the target set by the central bank. However, there are worries that the rising costs for farmers could push food prices higher for everyone in the future.
Pictured above: A wheat field in South Africa.
Image source: Pexels
