Category: Africa

South Africa’s agricultural sector has delivered a record export performance in the fourth quarter of 2025, underscoring its resilience and global competitiveness, despite significant headwinds in the global trading environment.

According to Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, the country’s total exports reached a record R581.5 billion by the end of the fourth quarter, with agriculture contributing R268.7 billion, the highest performance since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Agricultural exports grew 9% year-on-year, compared with the R243.7 billion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The performance was achieved despite a number of challenges, including a strengthening rand, tighter regulatory measures in some export markets, and the impact of 30% “Liberation Day” tariffs by the United States.

Steenhuisen said the figures highlight a sector that is increasingly strategic in how it approaches global markets.

“While agricultural exports to the United States declined sharply by 36% in the fourth quarter of 2025 as a direct result of higher tariffs, our diversification strategy has clearly borne fruit. Strong growth to BRICS+ countries, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and SADC [Southern African Development Community] more than offset those losses,” the Minister said in a statement on Thursday.

Diversified export markets

Africa remains South Africa’s largest agricultural export destination, accounting for about 53% of exports, followed by Asia and the Middle East at 17%, the European Union at 16%, and 14% to the rest of the world, including North and South America.

Among the fastest-growing markets in 2025 were the United Kingdom, with export growth of 21%, and BRICS+ countries, which recorded a 31% increase.

Exports to the European Union grew by 9%, while trade within SADC increased by 8%.

The sector also recorded a stronger agricultural trade surplus of R24.6 billion in the fourth quarter, up from about R20 billion in 2024, underscoring agriculture’s contribution to South Africa’s balance of payments.

Steenhuisen attributed this achievement to government support for export-oriented horticulture, which has demanded the opening of new markets, rapid deployment of precision-agriculture tools, and expanded value chain finance, rather than pure acreage growth.

“Our sector has also embraced modernisation, which is continuing to bear fruit. The adoption of new farming methods has led to commercial farms raising yield per hectare by embracing satellite-guided fertilisation, drone-based pest scouting, and soil moisture sensors embedded in variable-rate irrigation rigs, reducing water utilisation by 18% to 25%,” the Minister said.

Investment in irrigation and infrastructure

Government policy support, through the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP), has also helped to unlock R1.2 billion in investment from public and private financial institutions for irrigation upgrades and packhouse expansion.

The investments have contributed to a 15% reduction in post-harvest losses since 2024.

Steenhuisen said the agricultural sector continues to play a critical role in the country’s economy, both as a generator of foreign exchange and a driver of employment.

Primary agriculture contributes about 2.8% to South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP), while the broader agricultural value chain accounts for about 14% of the country’s R7.34 trillion GDP, based on 2024 figures. The sector also supports roughly 950 000 jobs.

Key export products

South Africa’s strongest-performing agricultural exports in 2025 included table grapes, maize, berries, wine, citrus, apples and pears, sugar, nuts, fruit juices and wool.

Stone fruits, such as apricots, cherries and peaches, also featured prominently amongst the export products.

Fruits and nuts alone accounted for about 26% of total agricultural exports during the fourth quarter.

Steenhuisen said the strong export performance provides a platform for expanding market access and strengthening trade partnerships.

“Good progress has recently been made in expanding international market access for South African agricultural products. This includes newly secured market access for South African stone fruit into China, as well as the first shipment of South African table grapes to the Philippines, which is currently en route,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has dismissed claims that government is “making a profit” from Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines, saying that the State is procuring and administering the vaccines at no cost to farmers.

“No farmer is paying for these vaccines, and government is certainly not selling them,” Steenhuisen said.

The Minister confirmed that the South African Government will cover the full cost of vaccinating the national herd as part of the country’s response to recent FMD outbreaks.

“This means there will be no cost to farmers for vaccines administered as part of the national response to the FMD outbreaks,” he said.

In a statement on Thursday, Steenhuisen said vaccines have already been distributed to all provinces, with the national vaccination programme well underway.

READ | Minister launches mass FMD vaccination campaign

According to the department, hundreds of thousands of animals are being vaccinated each week, as the country works towards a target of vaccinating 80% of the national herd by December.

South Africa has so far received one million vaccine doses from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina and 1.5 million doses from Dollvet in Türkiye, with additional consignments expected to arrive in the coming weeks to sustain the vaccination campaign.

Steenhuisen commended the veterinary professionals and industry partners assisting with the rollout, saying that their efforts are critical to protecting the country’s livestock sector and stabilising the agricultural economy.

“We would like to thank the State and private veterinarians, who are on the frontline of the vaccination campaign, as well as industry organisations, particularly the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO), for their cooperation and support in helping to protect South Africa’s livestock sector,” he said.

As FMD remains a serious threat to the agricultural economy, the Minister called on stakeholders to exercise caution regarding misinformation circulating on social media and other platforms.

“FMD is everyone’s responsibility. It is critical that farmers and stakeholders verify information before sharing it. Misinformation during a biosecurity crisis can cause real damage to the sector,” he said.

Vaccine costs

The Minister also moved to set the record straight on vaccine costs.

This follows recent rumours spread by a certain agriculture lobby group, which has attempted to misrepresent the cost of the Dollvet vaccines being procured by government.

Steenhuisen said these claims focus on R45, which is the single quoted bulk supply price per dose, without recognising the broader logistical and operational requirements involved in a national vaccination programme of this scale.

According to the Minister, most agricultural organisations understand and appreciate this reality.

“The price that has been circulated publicly relates to the supplier’s bulk delivery price to an approved cold-storage facility in South Africa. In other words, it reflects the cost of producing the vaccine and transporting it internationally under cold-chain conditions to a designated facility within the country.

“However, the R45 price does not represent the full cost of getting a vaccine from that point into the national veterinary system and ultimately to farms across South Africa – a reality that would be no different if, as claimed, ‘private companies’ were responsible for importing and distributing it,” the Minister explained

Once vaccines arrive in the country, he said, they must still be received, quality-checked, stored under strict temperature control, managed through national inventory systems, and distributed through a network of provincial depots and veterinary teams.

“This includes maintaining the cold-chain, managing secure storage facilities, handling inventory management, and coordinating distribution to vaccination teams operating across multiple provinces.

“These are essential components of any large-scale animal health intervention. Without them, vaccines cannot be delivered safely or remain effective when they reach livestock in the field,” the Minister said.

He said government’s procurement cost reflects the full operational process required to move vaccines through the national veterinary distribution system, ensuring that doses are delivered safely and reliably to veterinarians administering the vaccination campaign.

The Minister also assured that government has enough resources to fund the vaccination programme.

“…The Department of Agriculture has allocated funding specifically for the procurement of vaccines and will continue to ensure that sufficient doses are available to sustain the vaccination campaign,” the Minister assured. – SAnews.gov.za

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) have launched the Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (WSACF) aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption and safeguarding the country’s water resources.

The establishment of the forum follows findings from 16 SIU proclamations related to the DWS. Of these, nine investigations have been completed, while seven remain active, highlighting what authorities say is an urgent need for a coordinated anti-corruption response in water management.

The WSACF is anchored on Pillar Six of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), which focuses on protecting vulnerable sectors and strengthening integrity systems. Through a risk-based approach, the forum will support investigations, prevention, and enforcement measures designed to protect South Africa’s water resources from corruption and mismanagement.

The initiative also aligns with the goals of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, which prioritises water security and sustainable development, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of clean water and sanitation for all.

The forum aligns with what the NACS terms as a whole-of-society approach, which seeks to enhance and mobilise the inclusive participation of the public sector, private sector, civil society and academia to prevent and combat corruption.

Key objectives 

The WSACF will focus on several key objectives, including supporting anti-corruption initiatives in the water sector, foster collaboration among stakeholders to combat corruption effectively, coordinate law enforcement efforts to enhance investigative capacity, and enhance investigative capacity.

It also aims to deliver tangible outcomes, including prosecutions, civil recoveries, and administrative actions against wrongdoing, while implementing preventative measures to mitigate fraud and corruption risks.

In addition, the forum seeks to promote accountability within anti-corruption agencies through multi-stakeholder oversight.

Coalition of stakeholders

The forum brings together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, Chapter 9 institutions, civil society organisations, private sector representatives, government departments, and municipalities.

Other stakeholders include regulators, organised labour, traditional and religious leaders, and environmental and water conservation groups.

The SIU and DWS said this collaborative model strengthens accountability, closes gaps, and implements measurable and actionable prevention plans.

Importantly, the forum will also hold anti-corruption agencies accountable, ensuring transparency and effectiveness in their operations.

Building on existing anti-corruption efforts

The WSACF builds on the success of several sector-specific anti-corruption fora in recent years.

These include the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, launched in October 2019; the Infrastructure and Built Environment Anti-Corruption Forum, launched in May 2021; the Local Government Anti-Corruption Forum, launched in September 2022, and the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum, launched in March 2025.

Acting Head of the SIU and chairperson of the WSACF, Leonard Lekgetho, said the forum comes at a critical time, as parts of the country continue to face water shortages.

“Water affects every living being, making it imperative for us to make fighting corruption in the sector a collective effort. The launch of the Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum is a decisive step in protecting one of our nation’s most precious resources. Water is life, and corruption in this sector threatens not only service delivery but also the dignity and well-being of our people,” Lekgetho said.

He said the initiative sends a strong message that corruption in the water sector will not be tolerated.

“Through this forum, we are sending a clear message: corruption will not be tolerated, and those who undermine the integrity of our water systems will face the full might of the law.”

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina emphasised the importance of being proactive and strengthening anti-corruption efforts in the water sector.

“When corruption infiltrates the water sector, it does not simply distort procurement processes or inflate invoices. It dries up taps, delays infrastructure, contaminates rivers and erodes public trust.

“In a water-scarce country such as South Africa, corruption is not a victimless crime. It is a direct assault on human dignity and development. Every rand lost to corruption is a rand not spent on fixing leaks, expanding supply schemes, or protecting our freshwater ecosystems,” Majodina said. – SAnews.gov.za