2025/2026 ICB: Dryland soybean and maize in Mpumalanga
2025/2026 SUMMER CROPS  //  Income and Cost Budgets

Mpumalanga – dryland

Income and cost budgets for maize, soybeans and grain sorghum for Mpumalanga
Middelburg / Trichardt Ermelo
Crop Maize Soybeans Grain sorghum Maize Soybeans
Production system Dryland

1. Income
Yield: deterministic Ton/ha 6.50 2.50 4.50 6.00 2.00
SAFEX simulated price / producer price: 2026 R/ton 3 326 7 085 2 955 3 326 7 085
Total deductions R/ton 405 184 66 468 271
– Transport differential R/ton 323 53 – 386 140
– Grade differential R/ton 20 – – 20 –
– Handling and commission R/ton 62 61 66 62 61
– Seed breeding and technology levy R/ton – 70 – – 70
Price premiums R/ton – – – – –
Net farm gate price R/ton 2 921 6 901 2 889 2 858 6 814
Gross income R/ha R18 989 R17 252 R13 002 R17 150 R13 627

2. Variable expenditures
Contracting R/ha – – – – –
Crop insurance R/ha 722 1 415 390 652 1 117
Fertilizer R/ha 5 144 1 646 3 068 4 903 1 492
Lime R/ha 653 – 653 653 –
Seed R/ha 4 010 1 787 984 3 564 1 658
Fuel R/ha 1 359 837 1 292 1 338 811
Herbicide R/ha 1 763 1 474 1 808 1 763 1 424
Insecticide / Fungicides R/ha 522 852 1 260 522 852
Marketing costs R/ha – – – – –
Repairs and maintenance R/ha 989 755 783 887 753
Casual labour R/ha 419 – 113 386 –
Aerial spray R/ha – – – – –
Other expenditure R/ha – – – – –
Total variable expenditure R/ha R15 581 R8 765 R10 351 R14 669 R8 107
Total variable expenditure R/ton R2 397 R3 506 R2 300 R2 445 R4 054
3.1 Gross margin R/ha R3 408 R8 486 R2 652 R2 481 R5 520
3.2 Gross margin R/ton R524 R3 395 R589 R414 R2 760
Break-even yield T/ha 5.33 1.27 3.58 5.13 1.19
Break-even price R/ton R2 397 R3 506 R2 300 R2 445 R4 054
Source: BFAP, GSA and individual farmers – 2025.
Gross margin comparison – baseline: Mpumalanga
Gross margin comparison - Baseline: Mpumalanga

Gross margin per hectare: Mpumalanga

Maize sensitivity analysis: Middelburg / Trichardt
Yield (t/ha)
Producers price 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00
R2 521 -2 974 -1 713 -453 808 2 069 3 329 4 590
R2 621 -2 474 -1 163 147 1 458 2 769 4 079 5 390
R2 721 -1 974 -613 747 2 108 3 469 4 829 6 190
R2 821 -1 474 -63 1 347 2 758 4 169 5 579 6 990
R2 921 -974 487 1 947 3 408 4 869 6 329 7 790
R3 021 -474 1 037 2 547 4 058 5 569 7 079 8 590
R3 121 26 1 587 3 147 4 708 6 269 7 829 9 390
R3 221 526 2 137 3 747 5 358 6 969 8 579 10 190
R3 321 1 026 2 687 4 347 6 008 7 669 9 329 10 990
Soybeans sensitivity analysis: Middelburg / Trichardt
Yield (t/ha)
Producers price 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00 3.25
R6 501 2 611 4 236 5 861 7 486 9 112 10 737 12 362
R6 601 2 786 4 436 6 086 7 736 9 387 11 037 12 687
R6 701 2 961 4 636 6 311 7 986 9 662 11 337 13 012
R6 801 3 136 4 836 6 536 8 236 9 937 11 637 13 337
R6 901 3 311 5 036 6 761 8 486 10 212 11 937 13 662
R7 001 3 486 5 236 6 986 8 736 10 487 12 237 13 987
R7 101 3 661 5 436 7 211 8 986 10 762 12 537 14 312
R7 201 3 836 5 636 7 436 9 236 11 037 12 837 14 637
R7 301 4 011 5 836 7 661 9 486 11 312 13 137 14 962
Soybeans margin above/below maize: Middelburg / Trichardt
Yield Price (R/ton)
R6 601 R6 701 R6 801 R6 901 R7 001 R7 101 R7 201
1.50 -2 272 -2 122 -1 972 -1 822 -1 672 -1 522 -1 372
1.75 -622 -447 -272 -97 78 253 428
2.00 1 028 1 228 1 428 1 628 1 828 2 028 2 228
2.25 2 678 2 903 3 128 3 353 3 578 3 803 4 028
2.50 4 328 4 578 4 828 5 078 5 328 5 578 5 828
2.75 5 979 6 254 6 529 6 804 7 079 7 354 7 629
3.00 7 629 7 929 8 229 8 529 8 829 9 129 9 429
3.25 9 279 9 604 9 929 10 254 10 579 10 904 11 229
3.50 10 929 11 279 11 629 11 979 12 329 12 679 13 029
Maize sensitivity analysis: Ermelo
Yield (t/ha)
Producers price 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50
R2 458 -3 606 -2 377 -1 148 81 1 310 2 540 3 769
R2 558 -3 156 -1 877 -598 681 1 960 3 240 4 519
R2 658 -2 706 -1 377 -48 1 281 2 610 3 940 5 269
R2 758 -2 256 -877 502 1 881 3 260 4 640 6 019
R2 858 -1 806 -377 1 052 2 481 3 910 5 340 6 769
R2 958 -1 356 123 1 602 3 081 4 560 6 040 7 519
R3 058 -906 623 2 152 3 681 5 210 6 740 8 269
R3 158 -456 1 123 2 702 4 281 5 860 7 440 9 019
R3 258 -6 1 623 3 252 4 881 6 510 8 140 9 769
Soybeans sensitivity analysis: Ermelo
Yield (t/ha)
Producers price 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75
R6 414 -90 1 513 3 117 4 720 6 324 7 927 9 531
R6 514 35 1 663 3 292 4 920 6 549 8 177 9 806
R6 614 160 1 813 3 467 5 120 6 774 8 427 10 081
R6 714 285 1 963 3 642 5 320 6 999 8 677 10 356
R6 814 410 2 113 3 817 5 520 7 224 8 927 10 631
R6 914 535 2 263 3 992 5 720 7 449 9 177 10 906
R7 014 660 2 413 4 167 5 920 7 674 9 427 11 181
R7 114 785 2 563 4 342 6 120 7 899 9 677 11 456
R7 214 910 2 713 4 517 6 320 8 124 9 927 11 731
Soybeans margin above/below maize: Ermelo
Yield Price (R/ton)
R6 514 R6 614 R6 714 R6 814 R6 914 R7 014 R7 114
1.00 -4 075 -3 975 -3 875 -3 775 -3 675 -3 575 -3 475
1.25 -2 446 -2 321 -2 196 -2 071 -1 946 -1 821 -1 696
1.50 -818 -668 -518 -368 -218 -68 82
1.75 811 986 1 161 1 336 1 511 1 686 1 861
2.00 2 439 2 639 2 839 3 039 3 239 3 439 3 639
2.25 4 067 4 292 4 517 4 742 4 967 5 192 5 417
2.50 5 696 5 946 6 196 6 446 6 696 6 946 7 196
2.75 7 324 7 599 7 874 8 149 8 424 8 699 8 974
3.00 8 953 9 253 9 553 9 853 10 153 10 453 10 753

Notes

  • The cost items reflect the input allocation based on the target yield for the respective crops.
  • Although some expenditure items are zero, it is reflected in the budgets to allow for individual inclusion.
  • Other macro- and microelements such as calcium, magnesium and zinc are included in the fertiliser costs.
  • The cost of fuel includes pre-harvest and harvesting costs with the assumption that own machinery is used.
  • The cost for soybean seed reflects a combination of own and purchased seed.
  • There will be large fluctuations for insurance cost (hail) based on the associated risk in respective areas. It is advised that producers adjust this cost based on their individual premiums.
  • It is important to note that overhead costs are not included and should be accounted for.
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