Agri-industry raises concerns over declining production of sorghum in SA

THE Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) has raised its alarm over the alarming decline of sorghum farming, a crop that once held promise for various applications including cereals and biofuels.

- YOGASHEN PILLAY

Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agbiz, on Tuesday highlighted the paradox facing the sorghum industry: despite its nutritional benefits and the potential for biofuel production, consumer demand remains dismally low, stunting growth and profitability.

“Despite all these benefits, the sorghum industry has not taken off. The challenge is not that farmers refuse to plant it. This is due to its weak demand—consumers are not buying sorghum products like other staple grains,” Sihlobo said.

“The issue of weak demand partly gave farmers hope that using sorghum in biofuels would provide a much-needed market for farmers. But this venture also did not take off. Thus, sorghum production has continued to decline in South Africa.”

The hope for a resurgence in the sorghum market stemmed from a vision of integrating sorghum into the biofuels sector. Initial enthusiasm was evident when Mabele Fuels, in collaboration with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), proposed to establish a processing plant in Bothaville.