South Africa’s agricultural sector ended 2025 on a record-breaking note, with farm exports climbing to an all-time high of $15.1 billion, even as shipments to the United States dropped sharply in the second half of the year.
The export figure represents a 10 percent increase from the previous year and marks the seventh consecutive annual rise, highlighting the sector’s resilience despite shifting global trade conditions.
This strong performance came amid growing trade pressure from the United States, where newly imposed tariffs on selected agricultural products weighed heavily on exports. According to Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, shipments to the US fell by 11 percent in the third quarter of 2025 and then plunged by 39 percent in the final quarter.
“The tariffs imposed on some products weighed heavily on shipments to the US in the latter part of the year,” Sihlobo said, pointing to increasing uncertainty around South Africa’s access to the American market.
As exports to the US weakened, South Africa leaned more heavily on other regions to sustain growth. Africa emerged as the largest destination for agricultural exports, accounting for 53 percent of shipments in the fourth quarter. Asia and the Middle East together made up 17 percent, while the European Union accounted for 16 percent.
In contrast, the Americas — including the United States — represented just 4 percent of agricultural exports during the same period, underlining a clear shift in trade patterns.
The data point to a broader realignment of South Africa’s agricultural trade toward regional and emerging markets, reducing dependence on traditional Western partners. Analysts say this trend could strengthen further if tariff barriers remain in place, positioning Africa, Asia, and the Middle East as key drivers of future export growth.
