Agri Hour
Maize production in neigbouring Zimbabwe is down by 53%─── CHRISTAL-LIZE MULLER 05:41 Mon, 24 Jun 2019
Maize production conditions in Zimbabwe could be worse than what was originally anticipated. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) pegged South Africa's neighbouring country's 2019/20 maize production at 800 000 tonnes.
The chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, Agbiz, Wandile Sihlobo, says this is as a result of the reduction in the area planted and expectations of, among others, poor yields on the back of drier weather conditions earlier in the season.
Damages caused by Cyclone Idai earlier this year has had an effect. He says Zimbabwe consumes about 2 million tonnes of maize a year.
Here is Sihlobo...
That was Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, only on OFM. Tune in on Before Dawn every Tuesday morning when Sihlobo will provide a weekly note on South African agricultural markets.
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