Agriculture
Maize production estimate revised upwards─── SABRINA DEAN 13:57 Thu, 27 Aug 2015
Bloemfontein - The Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) has adjusted the size of the expected commercial maize crop upwards by 0,8% or 83 200 tons.
The CEC said in its seventh production forecast for summer field crops that the estimate for maize now stands at 9,838-million tons. The expected white maize yield remains unchanged at 4,65-million tons while yellow maize yields have increased by 1,6% to 5,189-million tons.
The forecast remains unchanged for other summer field crops such as sunflower, soybeans, groundnut, dry beans and sorghum.
In its first production forecast for winter cereals, the CEC says wheat production is expected to decrease by just over 59 000 tons from the previous season to 1,691-million tons.
The Western Cape is expected to produce 51% of the country’s wheat crop, with Free State accounting for an estimated 14% and Northern Cape 16%.
Sabrina Dean/OFM News
