South Africa bought a lot of wheat from Poland between October 2025 and early September 2026. In total, South Africa has imported about 1.8 million tonnes of wheat from the world market. About 23% came from Poland, 15% from Russia, and 14% from Lithuania, amongst other suppliers. In general, South Africa imports about half of its annual wheat consumption. For folks wondering why South Africa imports half of its annual wheat usage, here goes: South Africa began importing over 1 million tonnes of wheat from the 2003-04 marketing year onward. Before that, wheat imports averaged 458,518 tonnes between 1989-90 and 2002-03. The import surge resulted from increased consumption and a decline in area plantings. From the 1997-98 season, South Africa’s wheat plantings fell below a million hectares, the norm in seasons before this period. This decline is better explained by the profitability challenges farmers have faced since then, particularly in the Free State and amid non-conducive climatic conditions. The key point is that before 1997-98, South Africa’s agricultural markets were regulated, and commodity boards played a major role in setting prices, including wheat prices. Thus, after deregulation, South African farmers had to compete in the global market. As a result, Free State production areas came under financial strain, leading farmers to switch from wheat to other profitable crops. Other provinces of South Africa don’t have large areas with climatic conditions conducive to high-quality wheat milling for human consumption. Hence, we speak of a few major wheat-producing provinces: the Western Cape and, mainly under irrigation, the Northern Cape, Free State, Limpopo, and North West. A significant development over the years has been improved productivity in South Africa’s wheat farming. In 1997-98, South Africa’s wheat yields were below 2,0 tonnes per hectare. Yields were 3,8 tonnes per hectare in the 2024-25 production season. Still, the wheat industry is under strain this year as drier weather conditions and higher input costs, among other challenges, continue to weigh on the domestic wheat industry. -wandile