AGRICULTURAL NEWS - The Crop Estimates Committee’s (CEC) fifth production forecast estimated that the 2018 summer soya bean crop could be the largest in South Africa’s history.
The 27 June estimate showed that an estimated 787 200ha would be planted to soya bean in the coming season, compared with the 573 950ha planted in the 2017 season.
The estimate also showed that the harvest could yield around 1 550 880t, at an average of 1,97t/ha. This was up 8,4% from the 4th estimate of 1 430 300t.
Luan van der Walt, economist at Grain SA, told Farmer’s Weekly that because of the record-high maize crop produced last season, maize prices were under pressure during the planting phase. As such, some farmers favoured soya bean, which was more lucrative at the time.
