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South Africa’s 2020 maize output estimate is likely to slightly fall compared with the previous forecast after wet weather conditions delayed deliveries, a Reuters survey of five analysts and traders showed on Monday.
The Crop Estimates Committee, which will give its seventh production forecast on Thursday, is expected to peg the 2019/2020 season maize output at 15.386 million tonnes, down 1% from the 15.545 million tonnes it forecast in July.
First National Bank agriculture economist Paul Makube said a combination of late plantings and wet conditions had delayed deliveries but the yield still remained good.
“We have noted delays in harvest and deliveries from the Western maize areas,” said Makube.
The estimate expects the harvest to consist of 8.954 million tonnes of white maize, used mainly for human consumption, and 6.432 million tonnes of yellow maize used mainly in animal feed.
The maize harvest is still expected to be 36% higher than the 11.275 million tonnes harvested in the 2018/2019 season when dry weather condition hurt yields.-Reuters
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