February 27, 2015
South Africa's corn harvest seen to fall 32%
South Africa's corn harvest could see a 32% decline to 9.66 million tonnes this year, compared to 2014 which saw a record 14.25 million tonnes.
The forecast is 7.6% lower than previous market expectations of 10.45 million tonnes.
The country's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) blamed the recent drought for the diminished volume. The harsh weather condition has persisted since January, following rains at the start of the growing season in October and November last year.
With the 2015 harvest possibly becoming the smallest since 2007, there are fears this could drive up food prices.
According to the CEC, the forecast for the year's corn harvest includes an estimated 4.69 million tonnes of white maize and 4.97 million tonnes of yellow maize.