Market Pulse: Livestock prices remain strong while grain prices ease

By Maile Matsimela

The comprehensive agricultural market statistics presented in this report were compiled by Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural Economist at FNB Commercial, offering vital intelligence for stakeholders across South Africa’s agricultural value chain.

These weekly agrimetrics provide farmers with crucial pricing benchmarks to optimise their selling strategies and timing decisions, while offering input cost insights that impact production planning.

The South African agricultural market is currently experiencing significant price pressures across multiple sectors, with livestock and vegetable prices showing particularly strong year-on-year increases.

The dramatic rise in lettuce (228%), mangoes (164%), tomatoes (68.6%), and carrots (63%) prices compared to last year suggests substantial supply chain disruptions, possibly due to adverse weather conditions or increased production costs. Meanwhile, the livestock sector continues to maintain high prices despite some weekly fluctuations, with all meat categories showing double-digit year-on-year increases, signalling persistent demand strength despite economic pressures on consumers.

More positively, the grain and oilseed markets show signs of easing, with yellow maize and soybean prices declining significantly month-on-month (6.1% and 8% respectively). This downward trend in key feed inputs could eventually provide relief to livestock producers and, potentially, to consumers through stabilised meat prices in the coming months.

However, the overall picture remains one of agricultural inflation running well above general inflation rates, continuing to squeeze household budgets particularly for protein sources and fresh produce. The divergence between different agricultural sectors suggests that market forces are working unevenly across the food value chain, with weather patterns, input costs, and global market conditions affecting each commodity group differently.

Livestock market

Beef prices

Beef from young animals (Class A) now costs R68.54 per kilogram in markets
(This price is almost the same as last week – up by just 0.1%)
(But it’s much higher than this time last year – up by 23%)
Beef from older animals (Class C) costs R50.57 per kilogram
(This has become cheaper in the past week – down by 3%)
(But still costs more than last year (up by 16.7%)
Young calves for farming cost R35.44 per kilogram (when weighed alive)
(Their price has dropped slightly this week – down by 3.3%)

Sheep and lamb prices

Lamb meat (Class A) costs R102.93 per kilogram
(This is one of the most expensive meats in the market
(The price is nearly the same as last week – down by just 0.2%)
(Compared to last year, it costs 22.2% more
Mutton (older sheep meat) costs R68.01 per kilogram
(This has become more expensive in the past week – up by 3.5%)

Pork prices

Porkers (younger pigs) cost R32.63 per kilogram
(Prices have stayed almost the same as last week – down by 0.4%)
(Pork remains one of the more affordable meat options
Baconers (older pigs) cost R32.16 per kilogram
(Again, very little change from last week – down by 0.3%)

Chicken prices

Fresh whole chickens cost R38.93 per kilogram
(Prices have increased slightly this week – up by 1.5%)
(Compared to last year, chicken costs 11.7% more
Frozen chicken pieces (IQF) cost R34.91 per kilogram
(These are the chicken pieces many families buy from supermarkets
(Price is slightly up from last week – by 0.7%)

Grain prices (what farmers are getting)
These prices affect what you’ll pay for bread, maize meal, cooking oil and animal feed.

Maize prices

White maize (used for human foods like pap) sells for R4,345 per ton
(This is slightly cheaper than last month – down by 0.9%)
Yellow maize (mainly used for animal feed) sells for R4,013 per ton
(This has become notably cheaper – down by 6.1% from last month)
(Cheaper animal feed could eventually lead to lower meat prices

Other important grains and seeds

Sunflower seeds (used for cooking oil) sell for R9,150 per ton
(Prices have increased slightly – up by 1.1% from last month)
Soybeans (used for animal feed and food products) sell for R7,185 per ton
(These have become much cheaper – down by 8% from last month)
Wheat (used for bread and flour) sells for R6,487 per ton
(Price has increased slightly – up by 0.8% from last month)

Vegetable prices at markets

Current prices for common vegetables

Potatoes: R5.57 per kilogram
(Slightly cheaper than last week – down by 1.57%)
Onions: R9.85 per kilogram
(Also slightly cheaper this week – down by 1.49%)
(But much more expensive than last year – up by 22.8%)
Tomatoes: R12.77 per kilogram
(Have become more expensive this week – up by 3.75%)
(Much more expensive than last year – up by 68.6%)
Carrots: R9.18 per kilogram
(Cheaper than last week – down by 4.58%)
(But much more expensive than last year – up by 63%)
Cabbage: R3.86 per kilogram
(Has become much more expensive this week – up by 44.29%)
Butternuts: R4.04 per kilogram
(Have become cheaper this week – down by 7.22%)
Lettuce: R27.50 per kilogram
(One of the more expensive vegetables right now)
(Slightly cheaper than last week – down by 5.14%)
(Much more expensive than last year – up by 228.49%, more than triple the price!)

Fruit prices at markets

Current prices for popular fruits

Apples: R10.04 per kilogram
(About the same as last week – down by just 0.70%)
Bananas: R8.06 per kilogram
(Have become much cheaper this week – down by 15.43%)
(But more expensive than last year – up by 25.2%)
Avocados: R19.25 per kilogram
(Have become cheaper this week – down by 9.80%)
(But more expensive than last year – up by 38.4%)
Grapes: R37.48 per kilogram
(Slightly cheaper this week – down by 2.39%)
(One of the few fruits cheaper than last year – down by 7.1%)
Mangoes: R38.70 per kilogram
(Have become more expensive this week – up by 15.39%)
(Much more expensive than last year – up by 164%, more than double the price!)
Pears: R43.58 per kilogram
(Slightly more expensive this week – up by 2.29%)
(But cheaper than last year – down by 5.6%)