Miller Magazine Issue: 139 July 2021

98 Country Profile MILLER / july 2021 ed containment measures. This severe contraction is estimated to increase poverty by 2 million people. Forecasts show that the country’s economic growth will remain under pressure, as consumers continue to tighten their belts because of a contracted econo- my and higher inflation over the last year. South Africa’s agricultural sector is one of the world’s most diverse, consisting of corporate and pri- vate intensive and extensive crop farming systems, including vegetable, fruit, nuts and grain production. The well-developed commercial farming in South Africa is the backbone to the country’s agricultural economy. South Africa is one of the most geographically var- ied countries on the African continent, comprising territory that ranges from the rolling, fertile plains of the highveld and the wide-open savannah of Mpum- alanga to the Kalahari desert and the peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains. It has 14 million hectares of arable land available (13% of total land area) of which about 1.5 million hectares or 10% is under irrigation. South African climate ranges from subtropical to the Mediterranean, allowing for a multitude of farming opportunities. The country’s biodiversity ensures that products such as grains, fruit and wine are exported and preferred for its exceptional quality. Compared to the rest of Africa, South Africa has by far the most modern, productive and diverse agricul- tural economy. There are approximately 32,000 com- mercial farmers in South Africa, of which between 5,000 and 7,000 produce approximately 80% of ag- ricultural output. Investment in agriculture is widely recognized as a key precondition in achieving goals related to improving food security, creating jobs, cre- ating wealth, and thereby reducing poverty. DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURAL SECTOR South Africa, with its well-developed infrastruc- ture, is a major producer and exporter of agricultural produce in Sub-Saharan Africa. The South African commercial agricultural sector is highly diversified it produces nearly all primary food goods to be self-suf- ficient with the exception of wheat, rice, oilseeds, pork, and poultry products. South Africa is the largest exporter of agricultural products in Africa, primarily citrus, wine, fruits, and corn. South Africa is a net importer of food preparations and ingredients. In 2020, imports of agricultural products were valued at US$6.0 billion compared to US$6.4 in 2019, a slight decrease due to COVID-19 trade disruptions. South Africa’s agro-processing was impacted by a national lockdown in response to the pandemic which decreased all manufacturing’s total value, as jobs were lost and gains in poverty eradication decreased. In South Africa, grains are consumed as cereals and also used to feed livestock and to manufacture some cooking oils, fuels, cosmetics, alcohols, as staple foods such as mieli corn and flour. The grain and cereal industry is one of the largest in South Af- rican agriculture, producing about 30% of the total gross value of agricultural production and contrib-