South Africa's corn production could increase 4.4 percent in the 2012–2013 season when compared to the 2011–2012 season, according to the Crop Estimates Committee, hitting 12.4 million metric tons by the end of harvest.
The estimate is more than the 11.8 million metric tons of corn harvested in 2011–2012, and includes a 10 percent increase in yellow-corn output to 5.6 million metric tons, while the harvest for the white variety will rise 0.1 percent to 6.75 million metric tons. “Production will rise because there was an increase in plantings and more yellow corn was planted in areas where there is irrigation,” raising yields, said committee spokesman Baldwin Netshifhefhe.
South Africa's wheat estimate sits at 1.92 million metric tons for the 2012–2013 season, according to the committee, matching its previous prediction. Soybean output will rise 41 percent to 914,350 metric tons, while sunflower production will increase 20 percent to 624,210 metric tons, said Netshifhefhe. The sorghum harvest will be 34 percent larger.
