27 Graph 3: Sunflower area planted, production, and yield. * Preliminary 2023/2024 2024/2025 5-yr average 10-yr average Total planted (ha) 42 100 41 150 41 244 41 738 Total production (tons) 98 000 144 665 117 663 120 292 Average yield (t/ha) 2,4 5,33 2,82 2,91 Table 4: Production overview for sorghum (2023/2024). 4. Sorghum Graph 4 (on page 28) illustrates the long-term trends in sorghum area planted, production, and yield in South Africa from the 1990/1991 to 2024/2025 production seasons. During this period, the sorghum industry has experienced significant fluctuations, with both area planted and production showing variable trends over time. In the early 1990s, area planted and production levels were relatively high but have since declined steadily into the 2000s as producers shifted towards more profitable crops such maize and the consumer diets changed. From 2010 onwards, sorghum production stabilised at lower levels, fluctuating between 90 000 and 150 000 tons, while area planted ranged between 30 000 and 80 000 hectares. Yield improvements, however, have become more evident in the past decade, showing a steady upward trend as producers adopt better seed varieties and production practices. In the 2023/2024 season, sorghum production slightly increased by 3 640 tons compared to the previous season. Current production levels are 98 000 tons, still below the five-year average of 117 663 tons and the ten-year average of 120 292 tons. A slight recovery was seen in the current season, and this increase is mainly attributed to a larger planted area, with 42 100 ha planted compared to 34 000 ha the previous season. Similarly, the average yields have increased from 2,4 t/ha to 5,33 t/ha this season and this is above the five- and ten-year average of 2,82 t/ha and 2,91 t/ha, respectively. Projections for the 2024/2025 season suggest further improvement in production to 144 665 tons, while the area planted is expected to remain stable at around 41 150 ha. The average projected yield for the season stands at 6,77 t/ha, higher than both the five-and ten-year averages of 2,82 t/ha and 2,91 t/ha, respectively. PRODUCTION OVERVIEW 1 200 1 000 800 600 400 200 0 1,8 1,6 1,4 1,2 1 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0 1990/1991 1991/1992 1992/1993 1993/1994 1994/1995 1995/1996 1996/1997 1997/1998 1998/1999 1999/2000 2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/2021 2021/2022 2022/2023 2023/2024 2024/2025* Thousand ha or ton t/ha Area Production Yield
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