Foreign farmers and agricultural workers are increasingly migrating to South Africa from neighbouring countries, attracted by higher wages and better opportunities, BusinessTech reported on February 25.

South Africa, a regional agricultural powerhouse, offers wages nearly three times higher than in some countries, driving an influx of foreign labour, particularly in the farming sector.

According to data from South Africa’s Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) cited by BusinessTech, 91% of approved work visas in 2024 were for agricultural workers, with the majority coming from Zimbabwe (445), Lesotho (250), Namibia (70), and Mozambique (30).

The DEL received 60 corporate work visa applications covering 6,255 migrant workers last year. Of these, the department positively recommended 872 (14%), mainly agricultural workers.

The significant wage differential is a key factor, with South Africa's revised agricultural minimum wage at ZAR28.79 per hour compared to just R10 per hour in Namibia.

"South Africa's agriculture is robust and growing. We had about 924,000 people working in primary agriculture at the end of the last quarter of 2024," Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz), told BusinessTech.

"There are workers in the sector from neighbouring countries who are attracted by competitive wages in South Africa's agriculture. In some instances, farmers also provide lodging, which assists. Some, such as Lesotho, bring unique skills in sheep shearing, amongst other aspects," he added.

Despite this influx, Sihlobo emphasised "the importance of ensuring that South African workers receive primary work opportunities and that neighbouring countries supplement them when necessary."

While Agbiz forecasts a potential recovery in agricultural employment in 2025, significant challenges remain, including "port inefficiencies, poor rail and road infrastructure, crime and stock theft, and worsening municipal service delivery," BusinessTech writes, noting they pose "significant risks to agriculture's long-term growth prospects."

International trade concerns also threaten the sector, with the AGOA duty-free access to the US market, up for renewal in 2025, and other regional considerations in recent years, including the Russia-Ukraine war increasing the price of fertiliser in the global markets.