Bean Boom in South Africa: Soy Processing on the Rise

Soybean production in South Africa has skyrocketed in recent years, making the country Africa’s largest producer and securing its position in the global oilseed market. Thanks to increased planting, record harvests, and technological advances, the soybean industry in South America is evolving from import dependency to self-sufficiency with export potential. As part of this growth trend in South Africa, soy-processing demand is also shifting to keep pace with rising supply.

For oilseed processors, South Africa’s soybean boom presents new opportunities to produce value-added soy products—yet persistent barriers could constrain the market’s long-term growth potential. Here’s a high-level overview of the current soybean market in South Africa, soy processing challenges, and opportunities for processors to capitalize on this growth momentum.

Booming soybean production in South Africa

Soybean production in South Africa has exploded over the past decade as the country’s planted area has more than doubled from 574,000 hectares in the 2016/2017 season to an estimated 1.151 million hectares in 2025. Doubling down on cultivation has boosted the country’s soybean output to a record 2.75 million tons—a jump of nearly 50% over 2024, when widespread drought forced South Africa to augment its production with imports.

South Africa now supplies over 35% of the continent’s total soybean volume, with yields often exceeding 2.3 tons per hectare. The majority of South Africa’s soybean crop is processed into oil and meal for animal feed formulations, with only 2% destined for human consumption.

This increasing supply is reshaping the soybean trade in South Africa. Exports are expected to exceed 300,000 tons in 2025/2026, while imports will likely drop by more than 90%. By 2029, South Africa will be completely self-sufficient in meeting local demand, ceasing imports with enough surplus to export.

As soybean production in South Africa continues to increase, due to advanced farming techniques and new high-yielding cultivars, the country’s soy processing infrastructure is feeling the pressure to keep pace with this growth.

South Africa’s soy processing potential

Despite these barriers, the surging soybean production in South Africa presents opportunities for oilseed processors.

• Increasing crush capacity: Investments in South Africa’s crushing capacity are enabling more soybeans to be processed into valuable meal and oil products. As livestock sectors expand around the world, the additional demand for high-protein feedstock from soybean meal could present opportunities for South African soy processing.
• Niche export potential: Non-GMO soybean production in South Africa aligns with the growing demand for traceable, natural products, especially in markets like the European Union. By leveraging advanced mechanical extraction systems to process these non-GMO soybeans, South African processors can capitalize on the niche market demands of health-conscious consumers.
• Edible opportunities: Only 2% of South Africa’s soybeans are used for human consumption, which presents a significant growth opportunity for edible soy products like texturized vegetable protein (TVP). By adopting more advanced extraction technologies, South Africa’s soy processing facilities can produce high-quality oil and meal to meet rising consumer demands for affordable, plant-based protein.

Modern mechanical presses can help processors boost yields, improve product quality, and use energy more efficiently to position South Africa’s soy processing operations at the forefront of these trends.

Global support for soy processing

To overcome the obstacles that threaten soybean production in South Africa, soy processing facilities need innovative solutions that help them capitalize on this growth momentum. For over 135 years, Anderson International has been a trusted partner to oilseed processors around the world, delivering proven technologies tailored to meet complex market demands.

Anderson’s high-shear Dox™ Extruder paired with the Lion™ Expeller® Press offers an energy-efficient system that produces premium expeller-pressed meal and oil without external heat—ideal for power-constrained environments like South Africa. Our scalable, flexible extraction equipment is well-suited to help South African processors overcome infrastructure barriers while maximizing the value of every bean.

South Africa’s soybean sector is at a critical inflection point. Processors who are ill-equipped to capitalize on these growth opportunities will quickly fall behind the global competition. But with the right processing technology, operators can turn South Africa’s surplus production into profitable, high-quality products.

Curious how these dynamics are playing out in your operation? Let’s talk.