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T
he agricultural input and production environment form an indis-
pensable part of the grain industry as sustainable production is
greatly determined by input costs and the profitability of each
grain commodity.
This input and production overview provides a bird’s eye view of the
input environment during the year under review regarding various input
industries, e.g. seed, fertiliser, agrochemical, diesel and agricultural
machinery. It also focuses on actual income and production cost figures
for summer grain crops.
INPUT OVERVIEW
Input environment
INTRODUCTION
South Africa imports most production inputs and therefore price
discovery of local prices is directly impacted by international prices,
energy prices and the exchange rate. Throughout the reporting period,
the value of the rand was volatile, varying between a monthly average
strongest level of R13,38/$ in April and the weakest level of R15,17/$ in
August 2019. From September 2018 to September 2019, the value of
the rand depreciated by 1%, despite the seesaw movement throughout
the year.
The Brent crude oil price decreased considerably over the reporting
period, from an average of $80,54 per barrel in October 2018 to
$62,02 per barrel in September 2019 (-23%). Although there was a
decrease in crude oil price over the reporting period, changes in
international market prices as well volatility in the exchange rate,
still made decision-making with respect to effective purchases a
challenge. The volatility in the exchange rate and the Brent crude oil
price is displayed in
Graph 1
(on page 64).
Dispute resolution
Grain SA assisted various members during the reporting period
– particularly with respect to dispute resolution. Disputes on seed
quality, agrochemicals, VAT, the diesel rebate and fertiliser were dealt
with in collaboration with Grain SA members.
The seed industry
Seed is an important production input and depending on the plant
density, constitutes between 10% and 17% of a maize producer‘s
variable production costs. In order to increase transparency and
competitiveness in this industry, seed prices are monitored by
Grain SA annually. Ongoing discussions with seed companies and the
South African National Seed Organisation (Sansor) are also held to
communicate the needs and concerns of the members of Grain SA.
The consistent increase in seed prices has always been a major
D
ie landbou-inset- en produksie-omgewing maak ’n waardevolle
deel van die graanbedryf uit, aangesien volhoubare produksie
in ’n groot mate deur insetkoste en die winsgewendheid van elke
graankommoditeit bepaal word.
Hierdie inset- en produksie-oorsig verskaf ’n algemene blik op die
insetomgewing gedurende die oorsigjaar ten opsigte van verskeie inset-
bedrywe, soos saad, kunsmis, landbouchemikalieë, diesel en landbou-
masjinerie. Dit fokus ook op werklike inkomste- en produksiekostesyfers
vir somergraangewasse.
INSETOORSIG
Insetomgewing
INLEIDING
Suid-Afrika voer die meeste produksie-insette in, en die bepaling van
plaaslike pryse word dus direk deur internasionale pryse, energiepryse
en die wisselkoers geraak. Regdeur die verslagdoeningstydperk
was die waarde van die rand uiters onbestendig en dit het tussen ’n
maandelikse gemiddelde sterkste vlak van R13,38/$ in April en die
swakste vlak van R15,17/$ in Augustus 2019 gewissel. Vanaf September
2018 tot September 2019 het die waarde van die rand met 1% gedaal,
ten spyte van die wipplankbeweging regdeur die jaar.
Oor die verslagdoeningstydperk het Brent-ruolie se prys beduidend
gedaal vanaf ’n gemiddelde van $80,54 per vat in Oktober 2018
tot $62,02 per vat in September 2019 (-23%). Hoewel daar oor die
verslagdoeningstydperk ’n daling in die prys van ruolie was, het
veranderings in internasionale markpryse asook onbestendigheid in die
wisselkoers steeds besluitneming ten opsigte van doeltreffende aankope
’n uitdaging gemaak. Die onbestendigheid van die wisselkoers en die
prys van Brent-ruolie kan in
Grafiek 1
(op bladsy 64) gesien word.
Geskilbeslegting
Graan SA het gedurende die verslagdoeningstydperk verskeie lede
bygestaan – veral ten opsigte van geskilbeslegting. Geskille oor
saadgehalte, landbouchemikalieë, BTW, die dieselrabat en kunsmis is
in samewerking met Graan SA-lede hanteer.
Die saadbedryf
Saad is ’n belangrike produksie-inset, en afhangend van die
plantdigtheid, maak dit tussen 10% en 17% van ’n mielieprodusent se
veranderlike produksiekoste uit. Saadpryse word jaarliks deur Graan SA
gemoniteer om deursigtigheid en mededingendheid in hierdie bedryf te
verhoog. Deurlopende gesprekke met saadmaatskappye en die Suid-
Afrikaanse Nasionale Saadorganisasie (Sansor) word ook gevoer om
die behoeftes en bekommernisse van Graan SA se lede oor te dra.
Die deurlopende verhoging in saadpryse was nog altyd ’n belangrike
Input and production overview
Inset- en produksie-oorsig
Keeping a close watch on
input and production costs
’n Wakende oog oor inset-
en produksiekoste gehou
Corné Louw
SENIOR ECONOMIST: INPUTS
SENIOR EKONOOM: INSETTE
Ikageng Maluleke
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIST
LANDBOU-EKONOOM
Petru Fourie
RESEARCH CO-ORDINATOR AND
PRODUCTION COST ANALYST
NAVORSINGSKOÖRDINEERDER
EN PRODUKSIEKOSTE-ANALIS