The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) has advised grain farmers in South Africa's winter rainfall region to brace for below-average rainfall until mid-winter. This forecast is particularly concerning given the simultaneous increase in input costs, driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which have led to a surge in the prices of essential resources like fertiliser and fuel. The South African Weather Service corroborates this outlook, indicating that the region is likely to experience less precipitation than typically expected, posing a direct threat to crop yields. Grain SA is actively engaging with service providers to find solutions to the escalating costs, but farmers are urged to take proactive measures to mitigate these challenges.