South Africa must remain a reliable food supplier to Southern Africa South Africas agriculture and agribusiness sectors have a broader responsibility for food security beyond our borders. The Southern Africa region leans heavily on South Africa for food supplies. This is clear from the observation of South Africas agricultural exports. The country exported about US$13,2 billion of agricultural and processed food products in 2023, according to data from Trade Map. Nearly 40% of these exports were for the African continent. Notably, roughly 90 cents in every dollar of South Africas agricultural exports to the African continent is from the Southern Africa region. Grains, fruits, vegetables, and selected beverages are typically high on South Africas list of agriculture and food exports to the Southern Africa region. Not all countries rely equally on South Africas agriculture and food industry. There are just seven dominant countries, namely, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Zambia, which accounted for 81% of South Africas agricultural exports to the African continent in 2023. In fact, over the past five years, these countries have accounted, on average, for 80% of South Africas agricultural exports to the African continent a year. In the case of the staple grain of the Southern Africa region, maize, South Africa has remained a reliable supplier of it to the region even in times of drought crisis. Thus, it is vital that even in the challenging 2023-24, where South Africas maize harvest is down 22% from the previous year to 12,80 million tonnes, the exports continue. South Africa must remain a reliable supplier of food products to the region. This provides stability and ensures South Africas regional food security anchor position. Between May and mid-October 2024, South Africa exported about 1,03 million tonnes of maize. Except for those that went to Saudi Arabia, all these exports were for the Southern Africa region. There will likely be more exports in the coming week, as the export forecast for the season is 1,90 million tonnes. This is down notably from the 3,44 million tonnes of exports in the last season because of the poor harvest. The large maize carryover stock from the previous season has helped to boost South Africas maize supplies as an addition to the harvest. In some countries, in seasons like the one we are leaving behind, where the El-Nino-induced drought led to a poor harvest, there would be a temptation for an export curb. However, South Africa maintains an open market policy, where export activity continues, and the market adjusts prices guided by available information. The vital matter in South Africa is for the market players to regularly publish their export volumes through the Southern African Grain Information Services so that there is a general understanding of the available supplies and prices to adjust for potential risks. This open market approach has been practiced since the deregulation of agricultural markets in 1997. Since then, South Africas grain and broader agricultural markets have operated quite efficiently. Our sound history shows no need for intervention or grain reserves going forward. South Africas open market policy stance of allowing food trade to always take place even in years of production stress is important for food stability in region. Various other important exports include prepared or processed foods, wheat, apples and pears, maize meal, sugar, fruit juices, wine, and soybean oil, rice, soups, and sunflower oil, amongst other products. This strong linkage between South Africas agricultural exports to the Southern Africa region and the vast responsibility of regional food security led us to argue for caution whenever there is trade friction in various products between South Africa and the regional countries. Millions of people could be victims of high prices when countries restrict trade, as could be the case with the decisions by Botswana and Namibia to temporarily ban imports of high-quality South African vegetables. Equally, South Africas reaction could have a significant impact on the regions food security stability. Thus, the ideal path is always to address trade discomforts diplomatically, prioritize regional agriculture, and avoid friction. https://t.co/xMGeF3m8OA.