By Marieke Snyman
At Nampo 2025, African Farming chatted to Innocent Pereira, Vice President of Commercial Sales at Sasol.
Sasol, one of South Africa’s most iconic energy brands, is turning its focus to agriculture – and it’s doing so with a farmer-first approach. With 75 years of local manufacturing experience and cutting-edge innovation, Sasol aims to be more than just a fuel provider.
“We want to partner with farmers to improve uptime, reduce costs and ultimately help them do what they do best – farm,” says Pereira.
South African farmers face unique challenges – from long cash conversion cycles and escalating fuel costs to highly mechanised operations where downtime is not an option. Sasol has recognised this reality and is repositioning itself within the agricultural sector to offer not just products, but solutions.
“We understand that farming is not a one-size-fits-all operation,” says Pereira. “A farmer is not just someone who works the land. They’re involved in processing, packaging, transport – it’s a full value chain. And that’s where we come in.”
From field to market – a customised energy approach
Sasol’s offering to farmers covers the full energy spectrum: from high-quality diesel like its low-sulphur Diesel 10 (D10), to specialised lubricants for processing machinery, and even total fuel management systems for farms with their own tank farms.
“Our diesel is produced right here in South Africa using our proprietary Fischer-Tropsch technology,” explains Pereira. “It’s a cleaner-burning, zero-sulphur product that protects your machines, reduces maintenance costs and boosts efficiency.”
Sasol has also introduced a Total Fuel Management System, a tech-enabled solution that provides full visibility over fuel and lubricant usage. Tested in Sasol’s mining operations, this system allows farmers to track fuel consumption per vehicle, manage stock, detect losses and plan maintenance based on real data. “We’ve already deployed this system in industries like mining. We believe it can transform the way large-scale farms manage their fuel and lubrication needs,” Pereira adds.
Building relationships, not just pipelines
While Sasol currently works with co-ops and distributors, it’s moving closer to the source – the farmer. “We want direct relationships with farmers to better understand their operations and tailor our solutions,” says Pereira. This includes offering to take over the management of on-site tank farms, relieving farmers of the operational burden of fuel logistics.
“The farmer should focus on farming. We do fuel. Let us manage that part of the operation so your equipment is always running and always productive.”
Still growing in agri – but committed
Although Sasol’s direct farming client base is still developing, the company is already working with a number of large operations in the beef, tomato and forestry sectors. But the goal is broader engagement with the full farming community.
“The message to farmers is simple,” says Pereira. “We’ve done our homework. We understand your pain points. We offer solutions that are relevant to every step of your journey – from soil to shelf. And we’re here to partner with you, not just sell to you.”
Enquiries: Innocence Pereira: innocence.pereira@sasol.com
