South African farmers may not press ahead with their winter planting season if crop prices do not rise enough to offset their expected increase in fuel and fertilizer costs linked to the Iran war, Bloomberg reported on March 24. Key crops at risk of production cuts include wheat, barley and canola.

Fuel and fertilizer represent around 50% of South African farmers' costs. South Africa imports around 80% of its fertilizer products, a third of which comes directly from the Middle East. Despite widespread disruptions to global fuel and fertilizer supplies since the end of February, wheat prices on the South African Futures Exchange in Johannesburg have only risen 5.6% since the start of the war.