In this episode, Daneel Rossouw, head of sales for agriculture at Nedbank, breaks down the compounding economic pressures facing South African producers in 2025–2026. He unpacks why farm profitability is being squeezed simultaneously across fertiliser, diesel, electricity, labour, and crop protection inputs.

Drawing on nearly 35 years of experience in agricultural funding, Rossouw reveals why producers must look beyond local weather patterns and commodity prices. He outlines how macroeconomic drivers, including interest rate shifts, Rand volatility, geopolitical supply shocks, and potential El Niño warnings, will directly shape farm margins over the next two seasons.

He urges farmers to adopt a broader financial perspective, highlighting practical ways to manage input risks, absorb municipal and utility cost hikes, and structure agricultural operations to withstand market turbulence.