USDA – World Agricultural Production, Apr 2024

South Africa's corn production for the 2023/24 marketing year is estimated at 14.0 million metric tons, a decrease of 1.5 million metric tons (10 percent) from last month and 3.1 million metric tons (18 percent) from the previous year. The USDA production estimate includes both developing and commercial sectors, with the commercial sector contributing to 96 percent of the total crop. The harvested area is projected to be 3.0 million hectares, with a yield of 4.67 metric tons per hectare, which is down 10 percent from last month and 20 percent from the previous year. These lower yields are attributed to El Niño induced dry spells and heat waves in February and early March, affecting the early grain-filling stages of the crop. Crop conditions were favorable initially but deteriorated due to a three-week long dry spell in mid-February to early March. The South Africa Crop Estimates Committee reported that crop yields were below average in most provinces, with North West province experiencing the highest decrease. Additionally, FAS personnel observed below-average crop conditions in North West compared to other provinces during their visit in early March.