The agricultural landscape in South Africa continues to evolve, presenting both challenges and opportunities for farmers across various sectors. In this comprehensive analysis, Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural Economist at FNB Commercial, shares his expert insights on current market trends and offers strategic guidance for farmers and stakeholders.
By Maile Matsimela
Understanding market dynamics is crucial for agricultural producers to make informed decisions that support sustainable farming operations. The latest weekly agrimetrics data reveals significant patterns farmers should consider when planning their production and marketing strategies.
Livestock sector
The livestock market has demonstrated remarkable strength over the past year, despite short-term fluctuations. Beef producer prices currently stand at R81.53/kg, showing a slight weekly decrease of 2.8% but maintaining an impressive year-on-year growth of 45.8%.
“The substantial year-on-year increase in beef prices reflects strong underlying demand fundamentals,” Makube explains. “While we’re seeing some short-term price corrections, the overall trajectory remains positive, providing good opportunities for cattle farmers who maintain optimal production levels.”
The sheep market follows a similar pattern, with Class A prices at R106.02/kg, showing a modest weekly decline of 2.1% but maintaining solid year-on-year growth of 22.9%.
Makube notes, “Sheep producers should focus on the longer-term price trends rather than weekly fluctuations. The 22.9% annual price increase indicates sustained market strength and confirms quality small stock remains in demand.”
In the pork sector, prices show an encouraging upward trend with porker prices increasing by 1% week-on-week to R33.93/kg, reflecting a 10.4% increase compared to the same period last year.
“The pork market is showing encouraging signs of recovery,” says Makube. “With baconers increasing by 1.6% week-on-week, pork producers are seeing improved returns after facing significant challenges in previous seasons.”
For poultry, the market remains stable with fresh whole birds trading at R39.28/kg, showing year-on-year growth of 16.8%, while medium frozen whole birds have remained relatively flat with only a 0.1% annual increase.
“The divergent performance across poultry product categories highlights the importance of understanding specific market segments,” Makube advises. “Producers focusing on fresh products are seeing better year-on-year returns compared to those in the frozen market segment.”
Grain and oilseeds markets
According to the latest futures data, white maize for September 2025 is trading at R4 816 per tonne, showing a significant 6% month-on-month increase. Yellow maize futures for the same period stand at R4 270 per tonne with a 2.9% monthly increase.
“The strong performance in maize futures provides an excellent opportunity for forward planning,” Makube suggests. “Farmers should consider these price levels when making planting decisions and exploring forward contracting options to lock in favourable returns.”
In the oilseed market, sunflower seed futures have shown resilience with the September 2025 contract trading at R9 677 per tonne, reflecting a 2.9% month-on-month increase. Meanwhile, soybean futures for the same period are at R7 286 per tonne, showing a slight month-on-month decline of 1.7%.
“The relative strength in sunflower prices compared to soybeans creates an interesting dynamic for crop rotation planning,” observes Makube. “While both crops remain profitable, the recent price movements suggest potential advantages for farmers with sunflower in their planting program.”
Wheat futures for September 2025 are trading at R6 316 per tonne, showing a modest month-on-month decrease of 2.1%.
The slight easing in wheat prices provides a more stable planning environment after previous periods of volatility.
Fresh produce market
The fresh produce sector continues to show significant price volatility across different commodities. Tomato prices have increased by 22.92% week-on-week to R3.29/kg, showing a 15.25% year-on-year increase. Butternut prices have risen to R6.15/kg, representing a substantial 64.86% increase compared to the same period last year.
“The dramatic price increases we’re seeing in commodities like butternut squash reflect the cyclical nature of vegetable production,” explains Makube. “These substantial year-on-year increases often follow periods of lower prices that discouraged planting, leading to reduced supply and subsequent price recovery.”
In contrast, potato prices have decreased significantly by 33.84% week-on-week to R6.37/kg, though they remain 68.69% higher than the same period last year.
“The potato market demonstrates perfectly why producers need to look beyond weekly price movements,” Makube points out. “Despite the sharp week-on-week decrease, potato prices remain substantially higher than last year, indicating an overall favourable market despite short-term corrections.”
In the fruit sector, apple prices are at R9.21/kg, showing modest year-on-year growth of 7.6%. Avocado prices have eased slightly to R17.09/kg, down 2.5% week-on-week but still 14.2% higher than the previous year.
“Fruit producers generally benefit from more stable pricing compared to vegetables, but they’re not immune to market cycles,” says Makube. “The relatively modest but positive year-on-year growth in apple prices provides a stable foundation for orchard planning, while the stronger performance in avocados reflects growing consumer demand for this high-value fruit.”
Fibre market
While the local wool market is currently in recess, international indicators from Australia show steady trading. For cotton, local derived prices are at R30.74/kg, with futures markets showing stable performance.
“The fibre market increasingly rewards quality above all else,” Makube emphasises. “Our data shows certified wool meeting strict standards for vegetable matter content, tensile strength and length continues to command premium prices. This trend underscores the importance of quality management throughout the production process.”
For both wool and cotton producers, maintaining international quality standards is no longer optional but essential for accessing premium market segments and optimising returns.
