Tractor sales edge lower in April: Saama

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To date, the weaker rand and the rating downgrades appear to have had little effect on agricultural machinery sales. April combine harvester sales of 30 units were up 42.9% with sales in the first four months 19.2% higher than a year ago.

In its third estimate in late April, the crop estimates committee said the 2017 maize crop would rise by 87% compared with 2016. The crop is now expected to be larger than that of 2014, but still below that of 1981, when the area planted to maize was 65% larger. Other summer crops show equally impressive increases. Groundnut production is expected to increase by 390%, sorghum by 118%, dry beans by 89%, soybeans by 66% to a record high, and sunflowers by 13%.

"Overall, crop prospects look very good. The maize crop forecast is marginally lower than the record crop of 1981. Maize yield this season, forecast to be 5.53 tonnes per hectare, is the highest yield ever. The soya bean crop, at 1.23 million tonnes is the largest crop ever produced. However, these excellent crop prospects have had an adverse effect on crop prices. At this stage of the season, farmers are cautiously optimistic, waiting to see exactly what their crop harvests will be," the industry body said.

Industry expectations for 2017 are that overall tractor sales should be at least as good as those of 2016. However, in the first four months of 2017, tractor sales were down an annual 3.9%.

The South African Weather Service has warned that SA could return to the drought conditions of 2015 and 2016 as an El Niño weather pattern could return later this year.

Source: BDpro