South Africa has cut its corn output forecast by 1.6 percent due to drought in some growing regions, according to the country's Crop Estimates Committee. The number is now 11.6 million metric tons of corn, down from the 11.8 million metric tons predicted in March.
South Africa produced 12.8 million metric tons of corn in 2010, the country's largest crop since 1982. “Prolonged dry spells in the Northwest and Free State provinces” reduced the forecast, said Marda Scheepers, a spokeswoman for the committee.
Farmers will probably sow 516,600 hectares of wheat, 1.1 percent more than the area planted last season, according to the committee. The country’s farmers planted 551,200 hectares of wheat in 2012, the smallest area since the start of record keeping in 1931. South Africa is expected to harvest 1.92 million metric tons of wheat this season.
