2023 maize harvest seen 6% higher than previous year
South African farmers are expected to harvest 6% more maize in the 2022/2023 season compared with the previous season, the government’s Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) said on Tuesday.
The CEC’s final summer crop forecast estimates the 2023 harvest at 16.40 million tonnes, up from the 15.47 million tonnes harvested the season before. The latest estimate is unchanged from the previous one published on October 26.
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The harvest is expected to consist of 8.5 million tonnes of white maize, used for human consumption, and 7.9 million tonnes of yellow maize, used mainly in animal feed.
Below is a breakdown of the data.
Summer crops – final production forecast for 2023 season
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ESTIMATE |
PREVIOUS ESTIMATE | 2022 | |
| White Maize | |||
| Area | 1,521,300 ha | 1,521,300 ha | 1,575,000 ha |
| Production | 8,499,965 T | 8,499,965 T | 7,850,000 T |
| Yellow Maize | |||
| Area | 1,064,800 ha | 1,064,800 ha | 1,048,000 ha |
| Production | 7,895,260 T | 7,895,260 T | 7,620,000 T |
| Total Maize | |||
| Area | 2,586,100 ha | 2,586,100 ha | 2,623,000 ha |
| Production | 16,395,225 T | 16,395,225 T | 15,470,000 T |
| Sunflower Seed | |||
| Area | 555,700 ha | 555,700 ha | 670,700 ha |
| Production | 724,110 T | 729,110 T | 845,550 T |
| Soya Beans | |||
| Area | 1,148,300 ha | 1,148,300 ha | 925,300 ha |
| Production | 2,755,300 T | 2,755,300 T | 2,230,000 T |
| Ground Nuts | |||
| Area | 31,300 ha | 31,300 ha | 43,400 ha |
| Production | 52,660 T | 51,910 T | 48,500 T |
| Sorghum | |||
| Area | 34,000 ha | 34,000 ha | 37,200 ha |
| Production | 94,360 T | 94,360 T | 103,140 T |
| Dry Beans | |||
| Area | 36,650 ha | 36,650 ha | 42,900 ha |
| Production | 50,260 T | 50,260 T | 52,590 T |
Winter crops – fourth production estimate 2023
| LATEST ESTIMATES 2023 | PREVIOUS ESTIMATE 2023 | 2022 | |
| Wheat | |||
| Area | 537,950 ha | 537,950 ha | 566,800 ha |
| Production | 2,151,625 T | 2,166,825 T | 2,110,000 T |
| Barley | |||
| Area | 107,600 ha | 107,600 ha | 101,000 ha |
| Production | 360,220 T | 380,120 T | 302,000 T |
| Canola | |||
| Area | 131,200 ha | 131,200 ha | 123,510 Ha |
| Production | 237,450 T | 237,450 T | 210,000 T |
| Oats | |||
| Area | 27,500 ha | 27,500 ha | 27,000 ha |
| Production | 36,200 T | 41,600 T | 27,550 T |
| Sweet Lupine | |||
| Area | 16,000 ha | 16,000 ha | 21,000 ha |
| Production | 16,800 T | 19,200 T | 15,750 T |
Source: moneyweb.co.za
