South Africa’s corn crop expected to rebound

Higher prices for corn following a drought-ravaged 2023-24 crop should lead to a larger planted area for 2024-25 and, under normal weather conditions, greater production that will maintain South Africa’s place as a net corn exporter, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The FAS estimates South Africa will produce up to 16.5 million tonnes of corn in 2024-25. An El Niño-induced midsummer drought caused the smallest corn crop in five years in 2023-24 and prompted higher local corn prices. Producers are anticipating continued elevated prices as they prepare for planting season later this year. The FAS projects the area harvested to reach 3.1 million hectares in 2024-25, up from 2.9 million the previous marketing year, and an improved yield of 5.3 tonnes/hectare, compared to 4.68 t/ha. An estimated 2.5 million tonnes of the 2024-25 crop is seen heading for export. “The white corn area is projected to surge due to ...