June 25, 2009

South Africa has raised its corn crop forecast to 11.6 million tonnes for the 2008-09 season, up from the 11.51 million tonnes estimated last month, the Crop Estimates Committee said Wednesday (June 24).

White corn production is forecast at 6.8 million tonnes from almost 6.74 million tonnes previously, and yellow corn output is estimated at 4.8 million tonnes against almost 4.78 million tonnes, the CEC said.

The area estimated for white corn was left unchanged at 1.489 million hectares, and the area for yellow corn at 938,500 hectares.

The CEC's fifth forecast was expected to be reduced by about 18,000 tonnes to 11.496 million tonnes, a poll of five agricultural traders by I-Net Bridge showed.