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South Africa is an agriculturally abundant country, with exports of over US$15 billion in 2025. But the country still imports a sizable volume of agricultural products, spending over US$7 billion a year, mainly on wheat, rice, palm oil, poultry products, and whiskies, among others. The major reason some of these key staple products are not produced domestically is environmental constraints. We are a semi-arid country and cannot efficiently produce rice or palm oil, which require plenty of water.

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Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique are among the few countries that have recently introduced restrictions on South African agricultural exports.

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 The major challenge currently confronting South Africa's agriculture is the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

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South Africa's agricultural exports have remained strong throughout 2025 despite significant trade policy shifts and uncertainty. Agricultural exports in 2025 reached a record US$15.1 billion, up 10% from 2024.

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South Africa's 2025-26 winter crop harvest process is virtually over. This crop was planted in May 2025.

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The South African agricultural industry is interlinked to global markets. A substantial amount of output is exported while many of the inputs into farming are imported.