well-developed commercial sector and the predominantly rural subsistence oriented sector. Farming conditions in South Africa are not ideal because only about 11.4 percent of the land is suitable for agriculture. Rainfall is unreliable so irrigation farming has become vital to the agricultural industry. The area is also subject to changing weather conditions such as severe recurring droughts followed by devastating floods. Although the farming conditions aren’t ideal without the aid of irrigation, R8, 452,000 worth of food was exported in 1995. This represented 9.15 percent of the country’s total exports. Agriculture has contributed about 20 percent of the GDP in the 1930’s to 11.1 percent in the 1960’s to 4.3 percent in 1995. In May 1995, there were also 70,000 small farmers and 500,000 subsistence farmers in the country. Despite this decline in the agricultural industry’s contribution to GDP, it remains essential to South Africa’s growing economy (“Agricultural Economy,” 1999).Agricultural activities range from intensive crop production and mixed farming to cattle and sheep farming. Some important products produced are beef, sugar cane, eggs, flowers, mohair, pig-rearing, corn, wheat, potatoes, tobacco, wool, peanuts, sunflower seeds, beans, soybeans, poultry, milk, fruits and vegetables. South Africa’s most important crops are cereals and grains, which occupy 60 percent of the land under cultivation during the 1990’s. Corn is the country’s most important crop because it is a dietary staple, a source of livestock feed, and an export crop. Sugarcane is also an important export crop, making South Africa the world’s tenth largest sugar producer. Wheat production varies widely; 2.1 million tons were produced in 1991 and only 1.3 million tons in 1992 (Library of Congress, 88). The livestock sector produces about 900,000 tons of red meat each year. Poultr...
