What is the price of sorghum per kilogram/pound in South Africa today?
The retail price range for South Africa sorghum is between US$ 1.17 and US$ 3.39 per kilogram or between US$ 0.53 and US$ 1.54 per pound(lb). Click here to see today's exact prices of sorghum in South Africa
The retail price range in Rand for sorghum is between ZAR 22.68 and ZAR 65.80 per kilogram or between ZAR 10.29 and ZAR 29.84 per pound(lb) in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Wholesale prices
In 2024, the approximate wholesale price range for South Africa sorghum is between US$ 0.82 and US$ 2.37 per kilogram or between US$ 0.37 and US$ 1.08 per pound(lb).
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South Africa Sorghum Export Prices - Historical, Trends and Prediction
In the years 2018, 2019 and 2020, the export prices of Sorghum from South Africa were US$0.61, US$0.45, US$0.47, US$0.75 and US$0.41 per Kg respectively. For the year 2023, the predicted export price is US$0.45 per Kg.
The South Africa sorghum exports are classified as:
- Grain sorghum (HS code 100700)
- Grain sorghum, for sowing (HS code 100710)
- Grain sorghum (excluding for sowing) (HS code 100790)
South Africa Sorghum Import Prices - Historical, Trends and Prediction
The import price per kilogram of Sorghum into South Africa over the last five years has been relatively stable. In 2016, the price was 0.39 US$ per kg, followed by 0.43 US$ per kg in 2017. In 2018, the price increased to 0.61 US$ per kg, before dropping to 0.44 US$ per kg in 2019. The price then rose again to 0.47 US$ per kg in 2020 and 0.75 US$ per kg in 2021. The most recent data shows that the price has dropped to 0.42 US$ per kg in 2022. Based on this trend, it is predicted that the import price per kilogram of Sorghum into South Africa in 2023 will be 0.45 US$ per kg and 0.42 US$ per kg in 2024.Export values for South Africa sorghum
The total values in export for sorghum in South Africa were US$ 6,207, US$ 6,376, US$ 3,623 and US$ 2,179 in US dollar thousand for the years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 in that order.
Prices of other produce in the Cereals/Grains category in South Africa: Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, Maize, Rice, Buckwheet, Millet, Canary seed & Fonio.
See prices of sorghum in other countries across Africa: Algeria sorghum, Angola sorghum, Botswana sorghum, Burundi sorghum, Cameroon sorghum, Cape Verde sorghum, Central African Republic sorghum, Comoros sorghum, DRC Congo sorghum & Benin sorghum.
South Africa sorghum - Production, Exports, Imports, Seasons and HS Codes
In 2019 South Africa sold 4,109,299 tonnes of sorghum. For 2019 alone, the interest in South Africa sorghum (cereals/grains category) has shrunk, changing by -27.776 percent compared to the year 2018. Between 2017 and 2019, sorghum's exports reduced by -46.09% earning the exporter US$2.18m for the year 2019. South Africa's sorghum exports are categorised as:
- Grain sorghum, for sowing (HS code 100710)
- Grain sorghum (HS code 100700)
- Grain sorghum (excluding for sowing) (HS code 100790)
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South Africa sorghum export values
In 2019, South Africa supplied sorghum valued at 2.18m USD, a decrease of -39.83% from 2018's total sorghum export of 3.623m USD. The annual reduction in value of South Africa sorghum between 2017 to 2018 was -43.178%.
The per year change in the volume of South Africa's sorghum exports between 2017 and 2019 was -46.09% compared to a variation of -27.776% in the period between 2018 and 2019.
Export markets for South Africa sorghum ( in '000$ )
South Africa's leading export markets for sorghum are Swaziland (Eswatini), Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
South Africa brought in 69,981 tonnes of sorghum in 2019.
Production
The production of sorghum in South Africa was 381,000 tonnes in 2019 and is projected to change by an average of 10.43%. The country had an estimated 151,500.00 hectares under sorghum cultivation.
Price per Ton of South Africa’s Sorghum FOB decline 2023
In 2022, South Africa exported grain sorghum at $411 per ton Free-on-Board, a -40.2 % fall from the 2021 season on a free-on-board (FOB) basis. Export prices (FOB) reached a peak of $688 per ton in 2021 amid shortage.
The reasons for the fall in FOB export prices are dual in nature: the first one is the presence of domestic surplus (including imports from Botswana) and falling international sorghum prices.
On the first score, the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) cited a 2022-23 sweet sorghum stock surplus of 10, 168 tons, including an imported amount of 741 tons, for a projected seasonal total supply of 142,452 metric tons. Besides the surplus, there is also the fact that out of the projected total demand of 110,005 tonnes, only 8,418 tonnes would go into exports for the 2022-23 period. The same surplus scenario plays out for the 2023-24 sweet sorghum projections, with total supplies of 137,737 tons, 7000 tons of which are for export, with a 700-ton surplus. Bitter sorghum, on the other hand, has a projected production of 36, 639 tons, with a surplus of 800 tons, for the 2023-24 market year. These are the domestic factors that account for the fall in the export prices of South Africa sorghum.
The other cause is the depreciating sorghum export price trend, internationally. According to the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the worldwide prices of millet and sorghum declined by 6-18% in July 2023. In the United States, following a bumper sorghum harvest at end 2023, projections have shown a sharp decline in market prices to $4.80 a bushel (0.025 MT), down from a projected $6.90 a bushel. This domestic price fall in sorghum-producing nations has also reflected on international prices, including South Africa's.
South Africa imports a sizeable portion for its local needs of sorghum from neighbouring Botswana. The latter country sold almost all of its foreign shipments to South Africa in 2021 worth $1.54 million out of a total $1.57 million.
Where does Sorghum Grow in South Africa?
According to government figures for 2021, the main production areas of sorghum in South Africa are low-lying cool-to-dry regions. The leading regions are Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, which represent 29% and 27% share of production, respectively. Free State falls in then third position with 22% of production, while North West province comes fourth with 18% share. Another province with margin production is KwaZulu-Natal.
Two Types of Sorghum
South Africa grows and processes two types of sorghum, namely sweet and bitter sorghum. The sweet variety comes from white sorghum seeds and has multiple uses in rice and grit meal production. The bitter variety from red sorghum seeds serves in the malting industry such as beer processing.
How is Sorghum sold in Retail Stores?
Current price: from ZAR 22 ($1.21) to ZAR 63.98 ($3.51) per kg of red grain sorghum
Current price for sorghum meal: ZAR 25.99 ($1.43) per kg for porridge meal
South African retail stores such as supermarkets sell sorghum as either coarse grain, sorghum meal or porridge flour. The main measurements are in 500 g, 1 kg and 2kg bags, with the 2kg bag being the ultimate choice for retail flour purchases. Top products include the branded Mabele coarse sorghum meal 2 kg packet.
The price of sorghum grain tends to be slightly lower-priced than that of the end products. The latter range from at least ZAR 51 ($2.70) per 2 kg for a sorghum meal bag at a local supermarket.
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