Sunflower and Soybean Forum
Meeting held on 20 May 2026 at the offices of the Oilseeds Industry, 49 River Road, Woodmead and via MS Teams
Opening
Prof P Swanepoel opened the meeting with prayer.
Welcome
The Chairperson, Mr JP Botma, welcomed everybody present to the meeting and a special word of welcome to Ms A Craffert from SACTA and Mr D Uys who attended their first meeting of the forum.
Attendance
Present
Mr JP Botma Chairperson Mr A Bennett SACTA Dr E Briedenhann PRF/OAC Mr G Burger Grain SA Ms A Craffert SACTA Mr M Jansen van Rensburg DARDLEA Mr G Keun CEO PRF/OPDT/OAC Mr C Louw Grain SA Ms W Louw SAGL Ms N Mudzunga Department of Agriculture Ms C Muthetga Grain SA Dr L Phaleng AFMA Mr B Schultz SAGIS Prof P Swanepoel PRF Mr A Theron PRF Ms K Truter Winfield United SA Mr D Uys Private Dr C van der Merwe Agbiz Grain Mr K van Huyssteen SANSOR Ms A Schoeman PRF Via MS Teams
Ms A Botha GNF Ms L Breytenbach AFMA Ms AS de Beer ARC-GCI Mr GP de Beer Researcher Mr S de Jager COFCO International Ms J Gcabashe ARC-GCI Dr K Keyser Brisen Commodities Mr J Kotzé SACOTA Prof S Lamprecht ARC-PHP Mr P Lovelace OAC/OCASA Dr S Ma’ali ARC-GCI Ms J Mabuso Department of Agriculture Mr V Mapfumari Department of Agriculture Ms D Marabe Department of Agriculture Mr N Masango SAGIS Ms Y Moshidi JSE Ms T Ntshangase NAMC Mr C Pelster Agricol Mr T Phasoana ARC-PHP Mr C Rasoesoe DTI Mr G Roos Producer: Mpumalanga Ms S Rudolph RCL Foods Dr H Schreuder ARC Ms M Spies SANCU Mr F Stella GDM Seeds Dr D Strydom Grain SA Mr J Theunissen Andermatt Mr N van Burick Landbouweekblad Mr C van Coller Farmer Ms L van der Merwe Corteva Dr A van der Vyver SACOTA Mr C van der Westhuizen Pannar Ms R van Wyk Nedan Oils Ms H Viljoen Grain SA Mr C Wegner PPECB Apologies
Ms R Beukes Department of Agriculture Mr H Davies Eden Social Development Mr R Pretorius OAC/Grain SA Dr L Rothmann UFS Ms M Scheepers Department of Agriculture Ms J Tselentis SANCU Ms L van Blommestein RCL Foods Dr C van Zyl Andermatt Personalia
None reported.
Confirmation of the agenda
The Agenda was accepted with the following addition:
Item 8.3.2 Self-administration document Item 8.3.3 Alignment/calibration of grading Item 12.1.8 Red spider Item 12.1.9 Retained seed legislation Approval of minutes
Minutes of a meeting of the Sunflower and Soybean Forum held on 28 January 2026 and referral to website
The minutes of the Sunflower and Soybean Forum meeting held on 28 January 2026 were considered and accepted as a true reflection of the meeting, subject to a minor amendment.
Resolution:
- That the minutes of the Sunflower and Soybean Forum held on 28 January 2026 be accepted as a true and fair reflection of that meeting, subject to a minor amendment, and that the minutes be referred to the Oilseeds Industry's website for publication.
Mr Keun
OAC
- That the minutes of the Sunflower and Soybean Forum held on 28 January 2026 be accepted as a true and fair reflection of that meeting, subject to a minor amendment, and that the minutes be referred to the Oilseeds Industry's website for publication.
Market aspects
Current Oil Seed Prices: Local and International
Dr Briedenhann gave a brief overview by way of a presentation on the status of the local and international soybean and sunflower markets, with aspects such as production, prices, supply and demand, amongst others, being covered.
SAGIS
The contents of the latest SAGIS Weekly Bulletin and the latest Monthly Bulletin included in Annexure B were noted. Cognisance was taken that this and other data were published on the SAGIS website.
Mr Schultz gave a brief overview of SAGIS information by way of a presentation for the period 2022/23-2026/27.
South African Supply and Demand Estimates Committee (SASDEC)
The contents of the latest Supply and Demand Estimates Committee report included in the agenda as Annexure C were noted.
Ms Ntshangase gave a brief overview by way of a presentation on the South African Supply and Demand Estimates and relevant information.
Crop Estimates
The contents of the latest Crop Estimates report included in the agenda as Annexure D, were noted.
No new information was reported.
Value chain aspects
Processing
Mr Lovelace mentioned that the processing of soybeans and sunflowers had a mixed start due to delays from excessive rain the previous month. However, the crushers are now fully engaged in both. Early sunflower deliveries were completed quickly at the end of March and early April, with yields being quite good, if not exceptional. Mr Lovelace believes that the crushers will see a larger sunflower crop going forward, and reports indicate good yields for both sunflowers and soybeans. There was a good chance the crushers may see an increase in the soybean crop as well.
Mr Lovelace also mentioned that the processing quality is generally good, though the crushers faced issues in early May with soybean deliveries due to moisture. While the crushers were now receiving decent quality soybeans, there was concern over sporadic soybean deliveries with low oil content, sometimes as low as 15%. For sunflowers, the oil content was variable, with early FH sunflower deliveries between 36% and 39%. The crushers may not have an exceptional year for sunflowers, but high oil content cultivars were performing well, and some later deliveries shown exceptional quality. Overall, processing remains good.
Mr Lovelace furthermore mentioned that sunflower oil cake demand was slightly holding back the crushing process. Overall, the crushers anticipate a positive few months ahead.
Trading
Dr Van der Vyver mentioned that SACOTA had hardly noticed any exports recently. It was noted that there was a challenge at the Durban harbour, where slots were primarily allocated to maize due to traditional practices.
Alternative harbours, such as East London were considered, but due to the late soybean crop this year, there hasn't been significant demand for exports through East London, making it less competitive than Durban. Currently, prices have not increased to a level that would allow SACOTA members to consider viable deep sea exports.
Dr Van der Vyver also mentioned that, as of this morning, the price range was approximately $10 to $15 above export parity for Durban for July 2026. Typically, East London and Maputo are about $12 to $15 more expensive. Current prices were around $30 above export parity. Prices need to decrease before there would be significant interest in exporting soybeans.
Storage
Dr Van der Merwe mentioned that during the last meeting of the combined Technical Maize Committee, the dispute resolution document was discussed. It was currently open for input from committee members. The next meeting must still be scheduled, and Agbiz Grain would discuss the document further at that time and feedback would be given at the next SSF meeting.
Dr Van der Merwe also mentioned that the self-administration document was discussed during the combined Technical Maize Committee meeting. In the past, the industry argued for self-regulation, but questions arose about how it was implemented. A document was compiled and sent to both the Maize and Wheat Steering Committees for input.
Dr Van der Merwe furthermore referred to the issue of calibration and alignment in grading. Previously, grain grader training was supervised by the SETA's, but it was shifted to the QCTO. This change allows any training service provider, even those without a grading background, to offer grading courses. While this could introduce variations in the interpretation of grain regulations – previously managed by only three service providers – Agbiz Grain discussed the risk at the Maize and Wheat Steering Committee meetings. One suggestion was to involve the SAGL to develop a framework for input or calibration to manage these challenges.
Dispute Resolution Process
The matter was discussed under discussion point 8.3.
Self-administration Document
The matter was discussed under discussion point 8.3.
Alignment/calibration of Grading
The matter was discussed under discussion point 8.3.
JSE/SAFEX
Ms Moshidi mentioned that on a year-to-date basis until Friday, 15 May 2026, contracts traded for the oilseeds were showing an upward trend. Soybean volumes were up over 80% to 127000 contracts traded, while sunflower seed volumes were up over 22% to 78000 contracts.
Ms Moshidi also mentioned that deliveries on exchange, however show a different picture, declining for both commodities. On a YTD basis and up to April 2026, sunflower seed deliveries declined by over 20% to 32000 tonnes, while soybean deliveries declined slightly by 1% to 70000 tonnes delivered.
Ms Moshidi furthermore referred to the soybean multiple reference point model and mentioned that the JSE received feedback on the survey conducted to determine whether to proceed with the model or revert to the old model with Randfontein as a reference point. The JSE would review all the comments, analyse the trading statistics and subsequently takes a final decision. The industry would be notified in the form of a market notice on the way forward during the month of June.
SACTA
Mr A Bennett gave feedback on the following matters pertaining to SACTA:
- Soybean Levy Collection & Distribution
- Collection efficiency: 80%
- Levy collected on 2,198 512 tons, SAGIS at 2.74M tons at end February 2026, vs 1.6M at February 2025 (SAGIS 1.8M ton)
- From 1 March, the levy is R73.00/ton excluding VAT
- Soybean survey 2026
- Telephonic survey conducted by 1DCS
- 355 farmers surveyed across 8 provinces
- 661,874 ha – 57.5% of CEC ha (2025/26)
AIM: Comparison of current survey method with more rigorous survey.
- 2026 Annual Stakeholder Engagement Meeting (ASEM)
- 19 August 2026 – Pre-liminary Theme: "10 Years of SACTA"
- Soybean Levy Collection & Distribution
Consumers of Oil Seeds
No new information was reported.
Production: Soybeans and Sunflower
Producer Matters
KwaZulu-Natal
General
No new information was reported.
Mpumalanga and Gauteng
General
No new information was reported.
North-West Province
General
Mr De Beer mentioned that the North-West region was looking promising, particularly the western part. A farmer in the Sannieshof area anticipated a yield of around 2 tonnes per hectare, but already exceeded 3 tonnes.
Mr Janse van Rensburg mentioned that in Mpumalanga, 80% of the crops were already harvested in the Ermelo, Bethal, Kriel, and Delmas areas. In contrast, harvesting has not yet started in the Lydenburg area; however, it appears that this year's crops were looking promising.
Limpopo Province
General
No new information was reported.
Free State
General
Mr Van Coller mentioned that approximately 30-50% of the harvested soybeans had moisture issues and struggled with wet material. For sunflowers, the initial crop was above average; however, the later crop suffered from sclerotinia.
The Chairperson mentioned that there was many wet areas and that approximately 80-90% of the soybeans were harvested. In the North-West Free State, a significant amount of soybeans must still be harvested.
Eastern and Northern Cape and South Western Districts
General
No new information was reported.
Soybean value chain
Dr Briedenhann mentioned that the Soybean Value Chain was focusing on NBTs (New Breeding Techniques).
Mr Keun mentioned that an important issue addressed at the Soybean Value Chain was the possible review of the soya oil cake import duty by AFMA. AFMA officially informed the industry that the AFMA Board of Directors resolved not to proceed with the application to ITAC.
Sunflower value chain
Dr Briedenhann highlighted the following aspects that were continuously being addressed by the Sunflower Value Chain:
- High oil content sunflower seed;
- Planting dates; and
- Sclerotinia.
Research
Soybeans
National cultivar trials
Ms A de Beer provided a brief overview of the National Soybean Cultivar Trials of the 2025/2026 season by way of a presentation, referring to the localities and mentioned that of the 32 (thirty-two) cultivars were included in the trials, 18% were new technology cultivars and 7 (seven) companies involved. The maturity groupings of the cultivars ranged from 4.8 to 6.8, with 46% of all the cultivars in the trials being classified as new generation cultivars.
Mr De Beer provided a brief overview of the trials in the West, mentioning that it was a challenging year. It rained in November and December, there was hail in January, and it was dry afterwards.
Sclerotinia
Mr Van Coller mentioned that no sclerotinia were detected on soybeans in the Kroonstad and Viljoenskroon areas, but sclerotinia were found on late sunflowers.
Mr Louw mentioned that sclerotinia was detected at a very late stage.
Rhizobium
The contents of the document containing information regarding registered Rhizobium included as Annexure E, were noted.
Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS)
Mr Phasoana provided an update on the Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) phytosanitary surveillance project being conducted to support soybean exports to China. During the 2025/26 production season, surveillance sampling was conducted in February across twelve commercial soybean fields in the eastern Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga. Dry conditions experienced across much of the production region resulted in limited disease expression compared to previous seasons. Clear SDS symptoms were observed primarily in irrigated fields in KwaZulu-Natal and in one field each in Mpumalanga and the Free State. Samples collected during the survey were analysed and Fusarium virguliforme, the pathogen of phytosanitary concern under the China export protocol, was not detected in any of the samples tested. Upcoming activities include the analysis of soybean seed samples collected from export silos to verify the continued absence of the pathogen and to support ongoing phytosanitary compliance requirements for the China export market.
Weeds and Weed Resistance
Mr Van Coller mentioned that "witpluim-chloris" does not respond to Roundup herbicide. It was found at water cribs and is carried into the fields by animals.
Research Projects: 2026/2027 Financial Year
Mr Keun referred to the contents of the documents included as Annexure F, and it was noted.
Soybean Seed Quality
The Chairperson mentioned that the item should be removed from the agenda.
Red Spider
The Chairperson mentioned that red spiders were found in maize. Farmers spray pesticides in advance, but when problems arose, yield losses occur. The damage to the plants occurred during pollination.
The Chairperson also mentioned that red spiders were found in soybeans and that many chemicals were sprayed to try and control it.
Mr Louw mentioned that many complaints were received regarding red spiders.
Retained Seed Legislation
The Chairperson mentioned that new legislation was tabled and still under discussion.
Sunflower
National cultivar trials
Dr S Ma'ali gave a brief overview by way of a presentation of the National Sunflower Cultivar Trials for the 2025/2026 season, referring to the localities and mentioned that of the 17 (seventeen) cultivars included in the trials, 4 (four) were new cultivars, and 36 (thirty-six) trials were planted in cooperation with the seed companies.
Sclerotinia
The matter was discussed under discussion point 12.1.2.
Weeds and Weed Resistance
The matter was discussed under discussion point 12.1.5.
Research Projects: 2026/2027 Financial Year
The matter was discussed under discussion point 12.1.6.
Technology transfer
Articles
The contents of the articles, included as Annexure G, were noted.
Information Days 2026
The Chairperson requested that any dates of "Information Days" be forwarded to the Administration for circulation to the SSF members.
Videos
The Chairperson requested that educational videos be forwarded to Ms Du Preez for uploading on the website.
Oilseeds Focus
Dr Briedenhann mentioned that the editorial committee was busy finalising the June 2026 edition of the Oilseeds Focus.
"Grow for Gold" National Yield Competition | Grain SA
Mr Louw mentioned that many entries were already received, although it was slower than usual because of the wet fields.
Mr Louw also mentioned that the closing date for the "Grow for Gold" National Yield Competition was 15 August 2026, and the awards evening was scheduled for 22 September 2026.
Additional matters
Update: Grading Regulations: Soybeans/Sunflower
Mr Keun mentioned that he was involved in discussions with industry role-players, during which the grading regulations for sunflowers and soybeans were addressed. Participants raised concerns, and the consensus was that these regulations need to be updated.
Mr Keun suggested that a smaller group of industry role-players convene to discuss the updating of the regulations and that he would facilitate the process.
Mr Keun said as soon as the final drafts of the mentioned regulations were available, it would be tabled at an SSF meeting.
Dates of meetings for 2026
- 30 September 2026
Adjournment
There being no further business for discussion, the meeting was adjourned.