Grow for Gold 2025: Several new national records set

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South Africa’s top grain producers set a string of new national yield records in maize, wheat, and soya beans at the 2025 Grow for Gold Awards, held in Johannesburg yesterday. The results mark one of the strongest performances in the competition’s six-year history, despite a season shaped by shifting weather conditions.

Historic records across crops

Six maize categories produced record yields, alongside three in soybeans and two in irrigated wheat. Grain SA’s team attributed the achievements to a wet second half of the season, improved soil health management, and rapid adoption of new cultivars and hybrids. The previous year’s drought also left nutrient reserves in the soil, which boosted crop response.

While maize and soybeans thrived, sunflower yields lagged as wetter conditions encouraged disease outbreaks such as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, highlighting the uneven effects of climatic variability.

National reach of winners

Producers from KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Highveld, Free State, North West, and several irrigation zones claimed top honours, reflecting the competition’s broad geographic spread.

Corné Louw, Grain SA’s head of applied economics and member services, said the results underscored both scientific progress and farmer resilience. “These awards are more than numbers on a yield sheet – they reflect determination, cultivar innovation, and the strength of South Africa’s agricultural value chain,” he said.

Benchmark for progress

Launched in 2020, the Grow for Gold Awards aim to benchmark yield performance while recognising innovation and adaptability among producers. Organisers said the 2025 results provide evidence of the sector’s capacity to maintain global competitiveness and reinforce national food security. – Susan Marais, Plaas Media

Top performers for 2025:

Maize

Soybeans

Wheat

Sunflower