It is expected that the area to be planted with soy will stay about the same as in the 2010-marketing year, which, on average yield, will produce 527,000 tonnes of soy, 10% less than in the 2010-marketing year.

 

In the 2010-marketing year, 766,600 hectares of oilseeds were planted, 17.4% less than the 928,100 hectares planted in 2009-marketing year. With the decrease in the area planted, despite favourable weather conditions, a 16.0% decrease in the production of oilseeds in South Africa is expected for the 2010-marketing year compared to the 2009-marketing year (from 1.417 million tonnes in 2009 to 1.189 million tonnes in 2010).

 

However, the soy crop for 2010-marketing year is estimated at about 587,950 tonnes, 13.9% more than in the 2009-marketing year. In fact, it is the first time in South Africa's agricultural history that more soy will be produced than sunflower.

 

With the increased production of soy and limited processing facilities, South Africa has become a net exporter of soy. South Africa exported about 161,620 tonnes of soy in the 2009-marketing year and expectation are that it will increase to 180,000 tonnes in the 2010-marketing year.

 

In the 2009-marketing South Africa crushed a record 931,300 tonnes of oilseeds which produced 435,000 tonnes of meal and 330,800 tonnes of oil.

 

It is estimated that in 2010 South Africa will crush about 763,000 tonnes of oilseeds producing approximately 373,700 tonnes of meal and 261,900 tonnes of oil. This is 14% less than in 2009, and only about 30% of the local consumption.

 

As a result, imports of soymeal are expected to increase by 10% to 862,000 tonnes and imports of soyoil by 70% to 232,000 tonnes in 2010.