AGFACTS Newsbrief Summary - February 2010

·       The current size of the South African tractor park, comprising tractors twenty years old and younger, is approximately 68 800 units, significantly up on last year.

·       The overall size of the tractor park has decreased by 16.0% in the last ten years.

·       The current overall (smoothed) year-on-year reduction in prices is 3.1%.

·       The overall wheat crop is expected to be 1.946 million tons in the 2009 season, 8.6% less than in the previous season.

·       The preliminary area estimate for commercial maize plantings for the 2009/2010 season indicates that 2.627 million hectares have been planted, 8.2% more than in the 2008/2009 season.