Browse Data and Analysis

The Brazilian economy grew by 2.9 percent, largely supported by household consumption, which advanced 4.3 percent in the year despite inflation challenges. The labor market recovery continued as unemployment dropped to 7.9 percent by December 2022.

Post forecasts the Brazilian coffee production for Marketing Year 2023/24 (July-June) at 66.4 million 60-kg bags, an increase of 3.8 million bags compared to the previous crop. Post forecasts arabica production at 44.7 million bags, an increase of 12 percent from the previous season due to favorable weather conditions in growing regions.

The production of apples, pears and table grapes is estimated to decrease slightly in the 2022/23 Marketing Year (MY), based largely on stagnated production area and a return to normal yields following record production for all three commodities.

South Africa’s food inflation rate surged to a 14-year high in March 2023, a departure from global easing of food prices.

The South African Agricultural Economic Fact Sheet has been updated to include calendar year 2022.

Post forecasts South Africa’s sugar cane crop will increase by 3 percent to 18.5 million metric tons (MT) in market year (MY) 2023/24 assuming a return to normal weather conditions, an improvement in yields, and industry efforts to increase production, especially for small-scale farmers.

Post forecasts that Brazilian producers will expand soybean planted area to reach 45.2 million hectares (ha) in 2023/24 season, up from the estimated 43.5 mn ha planted in the 2022/23 season.

Brazil’s Marketing Year (MY) 2023/24 sugarcane crop is forecast to reach 661.4 million metric tons (MMT), which is 6.5 percent larger than MY 2022/23, because of favorable weather conditions and high sugar prices.

The March 2023 Essential Food Price Monitoring Report published by South Africa’s Competition Commission provided a deep dive into the poultry value chain.

South Africa has experienced an upsurge in oilseed plantings over the past 20 years with a near nine-fold expansion in soybean area. Post foresees that the positive trend in soybean plantings will continue in marketing year 2023/24 with area and oilseed production reaching historically high level of 1.8 million hectares and 3.6 million metric tons, respectively.

Brazilian corn and wheat productions continue to exceed expectations, setting record-breaking harvests. In contrast, Brazil is expected to produce its lowest rice crop in 25 years due to a period of prolonged drought in the south and low profitability for farmers.

South Africa is on course to produce a fourth consecutive bumper corn crop in MY 2022/23, which creates a bearish outlook on local corn prices and will limit growth in the area to be planted with corn in MY2023/24.