South Africas maize industry entered the 2025/6 marketing year with expectations of robust export demand after producing a bumper crop of about 16.5 million tonnes. However, weaker than expected buying from key Asian markets curtailed exports during the season.
The industry had initially projected maize exports of about 2.4 million tonnes during the marketing year, which ended in April. The forecast was supported by a harvest that comfortably exceeded domestic demand of about 12 million tonnes, writes Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa chief economist, Wandile Sihlobo, in a recent blog.
Such an ample harvest clearly showed that the exports would be significant, as it far surpassed South Africas domestic maize needs of about 12 million tonnes.
