As we countdown to the end of 2021, the NAMC reflects on its contribution to its core mandate of providing marketing advisory services to the Minister and the sector stakeholders. The NAMC played an instrumental technical role in assessing the impact of the July unrest to the economy and food systems.

Soybean oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, and olive oil are some of the most often used vegetable oils and their prices have become quite volatile. The unrest in Ukraine, upcoming harvests and plantings, and tight supply due to production problems in major producing areas have all contributed to this volatility.

Over the years, the European Union (EU) has remained a key market for South Africa’s agricultural products. However, with the enactment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in January 2020, Africa presents a great market opportunity for South Africa’s agricultural produce given the fast-growing population, among other factors.