South Africa maize harvest drops by 20%

South African farmers are expected to harvest 20.5% less maize in the 2023/2024 season compared with the previous one, the government's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) said on Wednesday.

The CEC's seventh summer crop forecast estimated the 2024 harvest at 13.06 million metric tonnes, down from the 16.43 million tonnes harvested the season before.

The previous estimate on July 26 put the 2024 maize harvest at 13.33 million tonnes.

The harvest is expected to consist of 6.19 million tonnes of white maize, for human consumption, and 6.87 million tonnes of yellow maize, used mainly in animal feed.

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