September 24, 2009
South African 2009 wheat production seen at 2.011 million tonnes
South Africa's 2009 wheat second production forecast is 2.01 million tonnes, up 20,380 tonnes, or 1.02 percent, from the previous estimate of 1.99 million tonnes, the Crop Estimates Committee said Wednesday (September 23).
The planted area was revised upward slightly to 657,500 hectares from the previous month's 656,200 hectares.
The second production forecast was expected to be increased by about 5,000 tonnes, or 0.3 percent, to 1.99 million tonnes from the previous estimate of 1.991 million tonnes, a poll by I-Net Bridge showed.
The views of four agricultural traders ranged from unchanged (1.99 million tonnes) to increased slightly (2.10 million tonnes).
"The forecast is likely to be a little lower," one trader said.
"Wheat is not profitable to plant at the moment," he said.
"The crop is looking good and they have had the necessary rains that they needed," another trader said.
"At this stage, the area was increased very slightly in Mpumalanga and Limpopo and the yields in the Northern Cape were increased," said Crop Estimates Committee member Rona Beukes.
