NEWS & WORK


Find BFAP’s most recent research, baselines and publications here. Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page to receive our news and work directly.

BFAP Baseline 2022

Access the Baseline 2022 publication through the BFAP Baseline Site. Click Here to download

Chicken or beef: evaluating factors driving meat price inflation in South Africa

Meat price increases were repeatedly highlighted in the  domestic food inflation statistics in 2022. In this brief, Dr. Tracy Davids explores the direct and indirect drivers of this phenomenon and the prospects for normalisation in future. Download here to read the full brief.

Measuring the Competitive Performance of the South African Stone Fruit Industry


The aim of the study is to enquire about the global competitive performance of the South African stone fruit industry for the period 1961 – 2012.

Perspectives on Agriculture’s GDP performance in Q1 2022

June 14, 2022

In the first quarter of 2022, the agricultural sector grew by 0.8% quarter on quarter and 3.6% year on year. While high prices resulting from international market dynamics are supporting revenue, sharp cost increases are constraining profits. For the full year 2022, BFAP expects positive growth in the sector, but the rate of growth is […]

Perspectives on Agriculture’s GDP performance in Q4 2021

March 11, 2022

South Africa’s seasonally adjusted GDP grew by 1.2% in the last quarter of 2021. For the full year 2021, South Africa’s GDP increased by 4.9%, with agriculture, forestry and fisheries at 12.2%. The agricultural industry expanded by 8.3%, with the growth in GDP in the fourth quarter of 2021 was driven mostly by an 11% […]

Competitiveness of South African Broiler Production


Poultry is a critical subsector within South African agriculture, as the single largest contributor to gross agricultural production value. Its contribution is further amplified through substantial up- and downstream multiplier effects associated with a long, integrated value chain. In 2015, 40% of total animal feed consumption in South Africa was attributed to broiler production (AFMA, 2016).

Perspectives on Agriculture’s GDP performance in Q1 2021

June 10, 2021

South Africa’s seasonally adjusted and annualised GDP increased by 4.6% in the first quarter of 2021, but agriculture, which was the star performer in 2020, contracted by 3.2% on a seasonally adjusted and annualised basis. However, a direct comparison of Q1 2021 to Q1 2020, in real terms, reflects growth of 7.5%. This follows strong […]

Perspectives on Agriculture’s GDP performance in Q3 2021

December 9, 2021

South Africa’s seasonally adjusted GDP contracted by 1.5% in quarter 3. Based on a year on year comparison, agriculture contracted by 7.2%. While this was below expectation, it was largely a timing issue, where the largest portion of maize was delivered in Q2 2021, as opposed to the previous seasons’ crop which was largely delivered […]

The impact of high 2022 summer rainfall on grain production

February 1, 2022

In this publication, BFAP contextualises recent rainfall statistics and presents its view on the impact of excessive rainfall on summer crop production in the 2021/2022 season. Read or download the full report here.

Rising agricultural input costs, a growing concern for crop producers

December 14, 2021

Poultry is a critical subsector within South African agriculture, as the single largest contributor to gross agricultural production value. Its contribution is further amplified through substantial up- and downstream multiplier effects associated with a long, integrated value chain. In 2015, 40% of total animal feed consumption in South Africa was attributed to broiler production (AFMA, 2016).

BerriesZA Webinar – The South African Blueberry Industry: 2022-2031

March 9, 2022

In this webinar, BFAP provided an annual Baseline Outlook Projection for 2022-2031 for the South African blueberry industry. Furthermore, this outlook is incorporated into three financial simulation models for three typical blueberry enterprises to contextualise farm level production within a national and global context. The webinar can be watched here and the BFAP presentation can […]

Modelling poultry markets in Eastern and Southern Africa

November 24, 2021

Poultry is a critical subsector within South African agriculture, as the single largest contributor to gross agricultural production value. Its contribution is further amplified through substantial up- and downstream multiplier effects associated with a long, integrated value chain. In 2015, 40% of total animal feed consumption in South Africa was attributed to broiler production (AFMA, 2016).

Competitiveness of Local Grain and Oilseeds Industries on the Global Market


Globalisation is becoming more of a reality, not only in the industrial sector, but also closer to home in the agricultural industry. It can be seen in the consolidation of input suppliers and the effect of international prices on local ones.

Press Release – 2017 Competitiveness Study

April 3, 2019

Read our latest press release on the competitiveness of the South African broiler industry here.

Perspectives on Agriculture’s GDP performance in Q3 2022

December 12, 2022

South Africa’s agricultural GDP rose by 22.3% year on year in the third quarter of 2022 – a correction from the sharp decline in Q2 due to the delayed maize harvest. This publication contextualises the latest release of GDP  statistics by StatsSA and provides insights on the major factors driving agriculture’s contribution to GDP. Find the brief […]

High international prices to support further growth in agriculture

March 7, 2022

South Africa’s summer crops recovered remarkably in February from extremely wet conditions earlier in the year. Despite lower volumes compared to the record levels achieved in 2021, high global prices will support higher revenue. In this brief, BFAP also considers how the current turmoil in global markets will affect South Africa’s agricultural performance.  Read or […]

Perspectives on Agriculture’s GDP performance in Q2 2021

September 9, 2021

South Africa’s seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 1.2% in the second quarter of 2021, with agriculture growing by 6.2% on the same basis. However, a direct comparison of Q2 2021 to Q2 2020, in real terms, reflects growth of 15.9% – exceptional performance in a weak economic environment. The star performer was the field crop […]

Action to unlock the potential of the red meat industry

December 14, 2021

Poultry is a critical subsector within South African agriculture, as the single largest contributor to gross agricultural production value. Its contribution is further amplified through substantial up- and downstream multiplier effects associated with a long, integrated value chain. In 2015, 40% of total animal feed consumption in South Africa was attributed to broiler production (AFMA, 2016).

Perspectives on Agriculture’s GDP performance in Q2 2022

October 3, 2022

In the second quarter of 2022, the agricultural sector contracted by 7.7% quarter on quarter and 20.9% year on year. This follows a slower summer crop harvest, and a sharp rise in input costs, which more than offset revenue gains. Find the brief here.

Perspectives on Agriculture’s GDP performance in Q3 2020


South Africa’s seasonally adjusted and annualised GDP increased by 66.1% in the third quarter of 2020, owing to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. Although this represents a major recovery, following a 51.7% decline in quarter 2, overall growth for the first 3 quarters of 2020 remains subdued with a -7.9% contraction compared to the first […]