Africa Estate Farm Tools
Crop budget: what does this crop leave per hectare?
Choose your region and crop: Grain SA's own 2026/27 budget fills in the yield, the farm-gate price and every cost line. Type your own figures over any of them and the answer changes as you type: the gross income, the gross margin after the variable costs, and the result after the overheads you enter.
1. Your crop
Choosing another crop starts from that crop's Grain SA budget; your hectares stay.
2. Yield and price
3. Variable costs, R per hectare
Grain SA's own lines for this crop. Type over any of them; an empty field keeps Grain SA's figure.
Total variable costs: R 20 316 a hectare.
4. Overheads, R per hectare
Assumptions used
- Every default is Grain SA summer grain production budgets 2026/27 (Excel workbooks, Crop Comparison sheets), updated 2026-09-04, read 2026-11-01.
- Grain SA's variable costs already include the interest on production credit and, for most crops, grain price hedging; do not add them twice.
- Grain SA gives the fixed (overhead) cost as one total per crop; no breakdown is published.
- Gross income = yield x farm-gate price. Gross margin = gross income less variable costs. The result after overheads = gross margin less the overheads entered.
The answer
At 6.20 t/ha and R 3 906/t, maize brings R 24 216 a hectare. After variable costs the gross margin is R 3 900 a hectare; after the overheads entered (R 7 499) the result is R 3 599 a hectare short.
| R | Per hectare |
|---|---|
| Gross income | R 24 216 |
| Variable costs | -R 20 316 |
| Gross margin after variable costs | R 3 900 |
| Overheads entered | -R 7 499 |
| Result after the overheads entered | -R 3 599 |
Break-even at this price: 5.20 t/ha to cover the variable costs, 7.12 t/ha with the overheads. At this yield: a farm-gate price of R 3 277/t, or R 4 486/t with the overheads.
Not a profit: tax, depreciation and the replacement of machinery and equipment are not in these figures.
Crop farms for sale
Africa Estate farms for sale; open one and press "Farm tools".
What this does not tell you
- Grain SA's budgets are regional averages. Your own yield, input costs and buyer's price win.
- The result after overheads is not a profit: tax, depreciation and the replacement of machinery and equipment are not in it.
- Grain SA gives the overheads as one total per crop, without a breakdown.
- Prices move. The SAFEX estimate and the deductions are Grain SA's, dated; check your buyer's price on the day.
- This is an estimate, not financial advice. Speak to your study group, your bank or your adviser before a decision.
Sources
- Grain SA summer grain production budgets 2026/27 (Excel workbooks, Crop Comparison sheets) (2026-09-04)
- Grain SA workbook, Eastern Free State (Crop Comparison sheet) (2026-09-04)
- Grain SA workbook, North Western Free State (Crop Comparison sheet) (2026-09-04)
- Grain SA workbook, Northern Cape (irrigation) (Crop Comparison sheet) (2026-09-04)
Estimate, not advice. Confirm every figure with your bank, attorney and tax practitioner before a decision.