The Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) said that the recent floods experienced in the Western Cape and other parts of the country will impact the agriculture sector.
South Africa’s agriculture sector is facing mounting pressure from recent floods in the Western Cape and other parts of the country, even as prospects for strong harvests in several subsectors remain positive, according to the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz).
Agbiz chief economist Wandile Sihlobo said on Thursday that the sector is likely to record overall growth in 2026, but warned that the gains will be uneven across industries as farmers grapple with floods, infrastructure damage and the continued spread of animal diseases.
“Another source of strain is the recent floods, which will put pressure on some industries. That said, conditions remain favourable for some subsectors,” he said.
“For example, field crops, vegetables, sugarcane, and fruit harvests are likely to increase in the near term, and some of these harvests may reach record levels in the 2025-26 season.”
