South Africa on Track for Record Maize and Soybean Harvests

South Africa is set to reap record maize and soybean harvests in the upcoming 2025/26 summer grain production season, according to the South African Cereals and Oilseeds Trade Association (Sacota). The association initially estimated a maize crop of around 3.6 million tons but later revised it to 16.8 million tons, with a corresponding soybean crop of 2.8 million tons.

The Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) confirmed these expectations on April 23, 2026, sparking predictions of lower prices and increased exports. However, the record soybean crop was expected to be limited by tight inland stocks and demand from local crushing industries, potentially minimizing deep-sea exports.

Sacota continued preparations for the export program, including registering interested traders, export terminals, and silos under China's annual export registration program. China subsequently waived all import duties on agricultural products entering its market, a move that is expected to boost local industry prospects, particularly in securing future market opportunities with the world's largest importer of soybeans.

The offer from China, which imports approximately 100-110 million tons of soybeans annually, has significant implications for South Africa's closing soybean stocks by the end of the season (February 2027), making them tighter than initially anticipated.