Farmers have planted a third more hectares of maize this season following increased rainfall and favourable climate conditions, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday. The Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) is expected to forecast the planted area at 2.6-million hectares, up 33.5% from the 1.947-million hectares planted in 2015, according to an average estimate of five traders and analysts polled by Reuters. The range was 2.4-million to 2.8-million hectares. The figure is 7% higher than the CEC’s last forecast of 2.44-million hectares. The CEC will issue its preliminary forecast for the area planted for the 2016-17 maize growing season on January 26. Improved weather conditions caused by a weak La Nina weather system, associated in Southern Africa with increased rainfall and lower temperatures, are expected to encourage farmers to plant more than in last season. "The increase is due to good rain over the festive season," said a trader. Rainfall for the remainder of the summer season until A...
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