Maize crop estimate edges up

THE Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries’ crop estimates committee has made a slight upward adjustment of South Africa’s maize crop estimate for the year‚ but has significantly raised that of wheat.

In its eighth production forecast for the year‚ the crop estimates committee said yesterday summer-crop farmers would harvest 7.297 million tons of maize (white and yellow maize crops combined). That is 0.48% higher than the previous forecast.

The committee expects wheat production to be 1.683 million tons‚ which is 16.88% or 243 040 tons more than the last season.

The country is expected to consume 10.47 million tons in the period ending in April. – BDlive