SA’s maize harvest seen 2.65% higher this year

SA farmers are expected to harvest 2.65% 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 second summer crop forecast estimates the 2023 harvest at 15.88 million tonnes, up from the 15.47 million tonnes harvested last season.

The harvest is expected to consist of 8.34 million tonnes of white maize, used for human consumption, and 7.54 million tonnes of yellow maize, used mainly in animal feed.

Below is a breakdown of the data.

Summer crops – second production forecast for the 2023 season

	LATEST ESTIMATE	PREVIOUS ESTIMATE	2022
White Maize
Area	1,521,300 ha	1,520,500 ha	1,575,000 ha
Production	8,344,375 T	8,187,150 T	7,850,000 T
Yellow Maize
Area	1,064,800 ha	1,062,000 ha	1,048,000 ha
Production	7,535,150 T	7,427,900 T	7,620,000 T
Total Maize
Area	2,586,100 ha	2,582,500 ha	2,623,000 ha
Production	15,879,525 T	15,615,050 T	15,470,000 T
Sunflower Seed
Area	555,700 ha	555,700 ha	670,700 ha
Production	797,610 T	775,260 T	845,550 T
Soya Beans
Area	1,148,300 ha	1,148,300 ha	925,300 ha
Production	2,710,150 T	2,651,680 T	2,230,000 T
Ground Nuts
Area	31,300 ha	32,300 ha	43,400 ha
Production	49,080 T	51,155 T	48,500 T
Sorghum
Area	34,000 ha	34,000 ha	37,200 ha
Production	109,400 T	112,330 T	103,140 T
Dry Beans
Area	36,650 ha	36,400 ha	42,900 ha
Production	47,930 T	49,755 T	52,590 T