South Africa’s corn production poised to grow
In Ukraine, UkrAgroConsult reported that corn production in South Africa is positioned for continued growth in marketing year 2025-26 supported by stable planting area, higher anticipated yields and a slight shift to yellow corn two years after a drought-reduced crop, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture.
Production is projected to reach 16 million tons in 2025-26, up 4% from 15.4 million tons in 2024-25. Corn planting area will remain stable at 3 million hectares in 2025-26, spanning May 2026 to April 2027, due to declining corn prices.
The FAS made slight upward adjustments to its previous estimates for corn demand in 2024-25 and 2025-26, revising them to 14 million tons and 14.2 million tons, respectively.
Corn exports for 2024-25 are expected to be 1.5 million tonnes while FAS projects South Africa’s corn exports to increase by 13% in 2025-26, reaching 1.7 million tonnes, supported by the anticipated growth in production.
“Improved harvests in neighboring countries, particularly Zimbabwe and Zambia, are expected to reduce regional demand for South Africa’s corn exports, especially white corn,” the FAS said. “However, South Africa has resumed yellow corn exports to Asian markets, including Vietnam and South Korea, which remain profitable destinations for South African corn.”
Year-end stock levels are forecast to continue growing in 2025-26, reaching 1.2 million tons, the report added
Category: Food & Agriculture
