South Africa's wheat harvest under threat from lack of rain

A lack of rain in South Africa's Swartland wheat-growing area threatens to cut this year's harvest, which is already depleted by reduced ‌planting, a farmers' group said on Friday, and called on the government to provide support. Across the world, many farmers have experienced arid conditions, prompting warnings about food price inflation and possible shortages. Swartland, which produces about 20% of South Africa's wheat, has ‌received 79% less rainfall in the winter months between June and August, compared to the 10-year average, ‌GrainSA said in a statement.

"Grain producers are facing another extremely difficult production season and some farmers estimate that 25% to 30% of their crop potential may already have been lost, on top of a hectarage decrease," GrainSA said. UNFAVOURABLE WEATHER AND DOUBTS ABOUT PROFITABILITY

The country's wheat ⁠hectarage was ​at its lowest in ⁠97 years, GrainSA added. Analysts say planting was reduced because of poor weather conditions and, in some cases, farmers switched to more profitable crops ⁠as costs have increased faster than grain prices. The government's Crop Estimates Committee on Thursday forecast the 2026 wheat harvest would be ​8% lower at 1.76 million metric tons. The Western Cape province, where the hectarage shrank 9% this ⁠year, is projected to harvest 11% less wheat compared to 2025. South Africa produces about 2 million tons of wheat annually and imports a similar ⁠quantity ​to meet its domestic consumption. Most of the wheat is planted during South Africa's winter season.

The Western Cape, in which Swartland is located, is a winter-rainfall region and produces the bulk of South Africa's wheat crop. GrainSA ⁠has asked South Africa's government to introduce affordable crop insurance to cushion farmers.

"Government cannot continue to regard climate ⁠risk as the farmer's problem ⁠alone," GrainSA CEO Tobias Doyer said in the statement. "When a producer fails, South Africa does not simply lose that individual business. We lose production capacity, employment, skills, infrastructure and ‌ultimately a greater degree ‌of our food-security resilience," he added.