A positive outlook for crop production means South Africa’s consumer food price inflation could continue to moderate in the second half of the year and remain contained in 2022, says Wandile Sihlobo.
As the harvest for the 2020/21 summer grains and oilseeds draws to a close, the focus is increasingly shifting towards the 2021/22 production season, which begins in October.
Preliminary insights suggest that South Africa could have another good season, although rainfall might not be as abundant in the 2020/21 season. The three critical indicators we have thus far, namely (1) tractor sales, (2) weather outlook for the next five months, and (3) grains and oilseed prices, paint a positive outlook.
