According to the forecast of analysts CEC, in 2016/17 MG sown area under maize in South Africa will increase by 26.5% in the year to 2.46 million ha. In particular, the area of sowing of the white grain will be increased by 43.4% to 1.46 million hectares of yellow corn 8.2%, to 1.01 million ha.

As noted in the CEC report, the main incentives for expanding acreage under grain this season will be beneficial for farmers, the domestic price of corn, and forecasters predicted the sufficient precipitation in the period of sowing and growing season of crops.

Recall that in 2015/16 as a result of severe drought caused by El Nino, the gross harvest of corn in South Africa fell to 7.5 million tons, which is 25% lower than the previous season. The reduction of the corn crop necessitated the importation in 2016/17 MG to about 2 million tons of grain.