Despite the drought experienced in most parts of the summer rainfall area, the entries in the 2024 Grain SA Grow for Gold national yield competition saw excellent yields per millimetre of rain.
Speaking at the Grain SA Grow for Gold yield competition awards held at the Thaba Eco Hotel in Johannesburg, Corné Louw, head: Applied Economics and Member Services at Grain SA, pointed out that this competition provides a great platform for grain producers. It gives them a chance to compete for the best yield per category, aiming to reach the genetic potential of different grain crops and most importantly, to learn from one another.
‘The competition and the challenges the producers face emphasise the importance of good quality products that can perform under various and difficult production conditions. In an industry where obstacles continue to emerge, these achievements show that applied knowledge, technological advances, and specialised cultivars are the key to sustainable growth.’
This competition is about best yields, but it also emphasises the ability of producers to realise above-average yields in difficult years, Louw added.
Although this year had 25% less entries than the previous year, the number of entries is still substantial. Since the start of the competition five years ago, an accumulative total of 368 entries has been received. Of the 72 entries received this year, there were many first entries in the competition, giving especially young producers the opportunity to measure their achievements with their peers.
Coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the competition, a wheat category with three divisions was also introduced for the first time this year.
The maize yields of those who entered the competition were between 160% and 190% higher than the average South African maize yields. Soybean yields were between 130% and 210% higher than the national yield average, giving an indication of what was possible. In the sunflower category a new sunflower yield record was achieved.
