The agricultural sector has once more shown resilience despite the challenges it faces locally and globally. According to Statistics South Africa, the sector performed well in terms of agricultural exports in the first quarter of 2025.
Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen said the good performance in South Africa’s agricultural exports is a testament to the unwavering dedication and courage of the country’s farmers and the entire value chain.
The sector achieved US$3.36 billion in agricultural exports, representing a significant 10% increase year-on-year. This growth was mainly fuelled by higher export volumes, which included grapes, maize, apples, and wine, alongside improved international commodity prices.
“We can all agree that agriculture plays a vital role in our nation’s economic ambitions and contributes significantly to our trade balance,” he said.
Growth in employment
Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey indicated that primary agriculture employment showed a mild recovery of 1% from the previous quarter, reaching 930 000 jobs in the first quarter of 2025.
This increase was primarily observed in the field crops, game, and hunting subsectors. While acknowledging that annual employment remained down by 1% year-on-year, indicating ongoing recovery from past financial difficulties, Steenhuisen expressed confidence in the sector’s trajectory.
“This mild recovery in employment is a welcome sign, and the department of agriculture is committed to implementing interventions to support the sub-sectors and regions still feeling the effects of previous challenges,” he said.
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Steenhuisen noted that with June being Youth Month, it is crucial to emphasise the need for increased youth participation in the agricultural sector to ensure its long-term sustainability and growth.
“The future of our country and that of our agricultural sector hinges on the active involvement of our young people. We need to ignite a passion for farming, agribusiness, and the entire agricultural value chain among our youth.”
Attracting youth to agriculture
To attract and retain young talent, Steenhuisen added, requires significant investment and concerted efforts through the entire value chain, which includes providing accessible and tailored financial assistance.
“To young agripreneurs, we want to see integration of modern agricultural education into the school curriculum from an early age, coupled with comprehensive vocational training programmes and mentorship or incubation opportunities, facilitating equitable access to productive land and ensuring market linkages for young farmers.
“Allowing them to participate meaningfully in value chains and achieve profitable returns, promoting the adoption of innovation and technology to make farming more efficient and attractive.”
Steenhuisen called upon all stakeholders, including all spheres of government, the private sector, educational institutions and communities, to lend their support in creating an enabling environment for the country’s youth to flourish in agriculture.
“The energy, innovation, and adaptability of our young citizens are precisely what our agricultural sector needs to reach its full potential and ensure lasting food security,” he said.
“We are looking forward to having progressive engagements and interventions as a way to commemorate Youth Month so that our young farmers can contribute in growing our economy,” he said.
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