Africa Estate Farm Tools

Store the grain or sell it now: does waiting pay?

The same grain sold now or later: the nearby Safex contract against the next one (a dated snapshot, or your own prices), less the same deductions to the farm gate, the silo storage from now to the later sale and the interest on the money selling now would bring in. The storage is Senwes' published 2026/27 tariff for your silo, or your own silo's. See what waiting adds or costs per ton and on your tons, and the later Safex price at which storing only breaks even.

1. Your grain

Empty: the answer is per ton.

2. The price now and later

Safex snapshot, not a live price: White maize Nov 2026 R 3 794.60/t (now) and Jul 2027 R 4 074.80/t (later), 2026-10-30 at 12:45. Safex prices: JSE Limited, as published in the Grain SA SAFEX feed (30 Oct 2026, 12:45); cross-checked with OVK (Iress). Updates: updated only after a new version is checked and approved; not automatic.
The nearby contract is the closest the snapshot has to a price today; a later contract is today's market price for that month, not a forecast.
Empty uses the nearby contract above.
Empty uses the Jul 2027 contract above.
The snapshot's date: the prices are of that day.
The last day of the Jul 2027 month: the most storage days, the safe side.

3. Deductions to the farm gate, R per ton

Grain SA total assumed deductions: R 406.25/t
Workbook: Grain-SA-2026-27-Oos-Vrystaat-begroting-Eastern-Free-State-budget.xlsx, Pryse + Sensatiwiteitsanalise!D4; region Eastern Free State; effective 2026-09-04.
The same deductions are taken from the price now and the price later, so they do not decide the answer; they set the farm-gate money the interest is worked on.

Your own deductions (optional): as soon as one is filled, they replace Grain SA's whole total.

4. Storing it

Not chosen: Senwes' higher tariff, the safe side. For another silo owner, type your tariff below.
Storage tariff
Senwes 2026/27, maize, higher tariff: day tariff R 1.31/t a day; season tariff R 171.61/t (2026-05-01 to 2027-04-30); excluding VAT. Notice: Senwes_Maize_and_grain_sorghum_tariff_2026_2027_3.pdf. Updates: updated only after a new version is checked and approved; not automatic.
The day tariff counts every day stored; the season tariff is one charge for Senwes' season, and days after it ends pay the day tariff. Handling (R 77.85/t) is paid whether you sell now or later, so it is left out, as is storage already owed until today.
Empty: prime 10.75% (from 2026-09-25), a reference only. The money selling now brings in could repay your loan or earn interest; enter your own rate.
Insurance, extra transport: assumed R0 until you enter it.
The later Safex price this much lower and higher: hypothetical, not a forecast.

The answer

Selling in Jul 2027 instead of now costs R 352.18/t: the later price is R 280.20/t higher on the farm, but 274 days of storage cost R 358.94/t and the interest R 273.44/t. Storing breaks even at a Jul 2027 Safex price of R 4 426.98/t.

Storing costs, per ton
R 352.18/t
Farm gate now: Safex Nov 2026 R 3 794.60/t less R 406.25/tR 3 388.35/t
Farm gate later: Safex Jul 2027 R 4 074.80/t less R 406.25/tR 3 668.55/t
Price gained by waiting+R 280.20/t
Less storage, 274 days x R 1.31 a day-R 358.94/t
Less interest at 10.75% on R 3 388.35/t for 274 days-R 273.44/t
Storing against selling now-R 352.18/t
Later Safex price at which storing breaks evenR 4 426.98/t
On Senwes' season tariff instead (storage R 292.13/t)-R 285.37/t
If the later price moves (hypothetical, not a forecast)
Later Safex 10% lower-R 759.66/t
Later Safex 10% higher+R 55.30/t
  • The interest is at prime (10.75%), a reference only: enter your own rate (your loan or what your money earns).
  • No silo chosen: Senwes' higher tariff is used. Choose your Senwes silo or enter your own silo's tariff.
  • The later sale falls 92 days after Senwes' 2026/27 tariff season ends (2027-04-30); the next season's tariff is not published, so those days use the 2026/27 day tariff.
  • A Safex price here has one source only (the Grain SA feed).

All figures exclude VAT. A later contract is today's market price for that month, not a forecast; the grain's quality, the silo's physical loss deduction and the risk of a price move are not in the sum.

Open in Safex to farm gateUse the price now in the crop budgetAsk Africa EstateRead: What a Farm Costs to Run, and to Get the Crop to Market
Choose what goes along to the other crop tools

What you untick starts from Grain SA's figures in the other tool. Nothing personal goes along: farm figures only.

What this does not tell you

  • This does not tell you when to sell. A later Safex contract is today's market price for that month, not a forecast; the price can move either way before you sell.
  • The Safex prices are a dated snapshot, never a live price. Your buyer's bid today and the price you can lock in for later replace them.
  • Only Senwes' 2026/27 tariffs are read (northern and central Free State and North West silos). For VKB, AFGRI, OVK, GWK or another silo, type your own tariff. Senwes may change a tariff during the year.
  • Handling, the silo's physical loss deduction on receipt and storage already owed until today are paid whether you sell now or later, so they are left out. Grain quality, insurance and price risk are counted only as far as you enter them.
  • The interest is at prime as a reference until you enter your own rate. All figures exclude VAT.
  • No price advice or hedging advice: speak to your broker, your co-operative or your adviser.
  • Nothing you enter is uploaded or kept by us; the share link carries farm figures only.

Sources

Estimate, not advice. Confirm every figure with your bank, attorney and tax practitioner before a decision.