News Agriculture

South Africa to Add 69,000 Hectares of Maize in 2025/2026

South Africa to Add 69,000 Hectares of Maize in 2025/2026
Friday, 28 November 2025 06:42
  • Farmers plan to plant 2.67 million hectares of maize in 2025/2026, up 2.7% from last season.

  • White maize area is set to rise by 15,000 ha (+0.9%), while yellow maize area will increase by 54,000 ha (+5.4%).

  • South Africa’s maize harvest is expected to rebound 28% to 16.4 million tonnes in 2024/2025.

South Africa, the continent’s largest maize producer, plans to maintain its recent production momentum following an improved 2024/2025 season.

The Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) said in its October outlook that farmers intend to plant about 2.67 million hectares of maize in the 2025/2026 agricultural season. The forecast represents a 2.7% increase—equivalent to 69,000 hectares—compared with the area planted last season.

The projection would mark the country’s largest maize area since 2021, when farmers planted 2.7 million hectares.

The CEC said, “The figures show that producers plan to plant 1.615 million hectares of white maize, which is 15,000 hectares (0.9%) more than the previous season. For yellow maize, the expected area is 1.051 million hectares, representing an increase of 54,000 hectares (5.4%) compared with the previous season.”

Officials attributed the optimistic forecast to favourable weather conditions. The South African Weather Service said in its late-September seasonal outlook that the country’s north-eastern regions should receive above-normal rainfall through mid-summer.

Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber, told News24 on 27 November that “the rains will help ensure the agricultural season starts on time and that we have excellent production conditions.”

The increase in planted area is expected to support the sector’s recovery. The CEC estimates that South Africa’s maize harvest will rise 28% to 16.4 million tonnes in 2024/2025 after a disappointing 2023/2024 season.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

On the same topic
Tanzania invested $9 million in irrigation equipment to accelerate nationwide irrigation projects. The government plans to drill 500 irrigation...
Liberia is preparing a national agricultural traceability system to comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) due to fully apply in late...
Senegal has inaugurated a vegetable oil refinery with a capacity of 600 tons per day. The CFA60bn project aims to cut imports and strengthen food...
Cameroon coffee export revenues tripled to 3.5 billion CFA francs Marketed output rose 10% in 2024-2025, NCCB data show Producer prices...
Most Read
01

Except for Tunisia entering the Top 10 at Libya’s expense, and Morocco moving up to sixth ahead of A...

Global Firepower Index 2026: Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria Lead Africa's Military Rankings
02

Circular migration is based on structured, value-added mobility between countries of origin and host...

Circular migration as a lever to turn Africa’s student exodus into value
03

BRVM listed the bonds of the FCTC Sonabhy 8.1% 2025–2031, marking Burkina Faso’s first securitiz...

BRVM Lists Burkina Faso’s First Securitization Fund Bonds
04

CBE introduced CBE Connect in partnership with fintech StarPay. The platform enables cross-border...

Ethiopia’s CBE launches digital platform to channel diaspora remittances
05

President Tinubu approved incentives limited to the Bonga South West oil project. The project tar...

Nigeria approves targeted incentives to speed up Shell’s Bonga South West project
Enter your email to receive our newsletter

Ecofin Agency provides daily coverage of nine key African economic sectors: public management, finance, telecoms, agribusiness, mining, energy, transport, communication, and education.
It also designs and manages specialized media, both online and print, for African institutions and publishers.

SALES & ADVERTISING

regie@agenceecofin.com 
Tél: +41 22 301 96 11 
Mob: +41 78 699 13 72


EDITORIAL
redaction@agenceecofin.com

More information
Team
Publisher

ECOFIN AGENCY

Mediamania Sarl
Rue du Léman, 6
1201 Geneva
Switzerland

 

Ecofin Agency is a sector-focused economic news agency, founded in December 2010. Its web platform was launched in June 2011. ©Mediamania.

 
 

Please publish modules in offcanvas position.