September 24, 2009

South Africa's final summer corn production forecast was increased by 56,950 tonnes, or 0.49 percent, to 11.741 million tonnes from the previous estimate of 11.684 million tonnes, the Crop Estimates Committee said Wednesday (September 23).

The production forecast for white corn was left unchanged at 6.771 million tonnes.

The yellow corn production forecast is 4.970 million tonnes, up 56,950 tonnes, or 1.16 percent, from last months' estimate of 4.913 million tonnes.

The final forecast was expected to be decreased by 21,000 tonnes, or a marginal 0.2 percent, to 11.663 million tonnes from last month's estimate of 11.684 million tonnes, a poll by I-Net Bridge revealed.

The views of four agricultural traders ranged from unchanged [11.684 million tonnes] to slightly lower [11.6 million tonnes].

"The estimate is likely to be a little lower," a trader said.

"Farmers may be holding some of the corn back because of low prices," he said.

Crop Estimates Committee member Rona Beukes said the reason for the increase was the slightly higher yellow corn crop.

"We looked at the actual producer deliveries monitored by Sagis and those revealed a higher yellow corn crop," said Beukes.