South African corn forecast increases for 2009-2010

South Africa's second corn summer production forecast has increased 7.7% to 12.961 million tonnes, the Crop Estimates Committee said Wednesday (Mar 24).

The production forecast for white corn was decreased 0.2% to 7.786 million tonnes. The yellow corn production forecast is 5.175 million tonnes, an increase of 2%.

South Africa intends to plant 2.742 million hectares of corn in the 2009/10 season, down 0.5% from the previous forecast of 2.756 million hectares, said CEC.

White corn is expected to be planted on 1.72 million hectares, unchanged from the previous forecast.

The area for yellow corn is expected to be 1.023 million hectares, down 1.4% from a previous forecast of 1.037 million hectares.

CEC attributed the decrease in acreage to "an increase in yields for yellow corn which also led to an increase in production."