SA’s 2017 commercial maize harvest is expected to be 2.16% higher than previously forecast in June — the largest maize crop in the country to date. In its sixth production estimate for the year, the crop estimates committee said on Wednesday that the size of the maize crop had been set at 15.969-million tonnes in July. The three main maize-producing areas‚ the Free State‚ Mpumalanga and the North West‚ are expected to produce 83% of the 2017 crop. Favourable weather conditions earlier this year enabled farmers to increase the area planted for summer crops. By the close of trade, the September 2017 white maize future contract was valued at R1,800 a tonne‚ or 1.11% lower on the day. The yellow maize contract had shed 0.78% to R1,917. The production forecast for sunflower seed was unchanged at 821‚970 tonnes. The forecast for soybeans was also unchanged at 1.34-million tonnes. The preliminary area estimate for wheat was 498,850ha, which is 1.87% or 9,515ha less than the 508,365ha plant...
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