South Africa’s maize exports are on a solid trajectory, with the country due to remain a major exporter through to the end of the marketing year in April 2026.
That’s according to agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo, who forecasts South Africa’s 2025-26 maize exports at 2.4 million tonnes.
About 1.4 million tonnes will be white maize and one million tonnes yellow maize, for a total of 2.4 million tonnes of exports.
“We have already exported just over half of the expected maize, and we anticipate additional exports in the first quarter of 2026, mainly to the southern Africa region and Far East markets,” he said.
And thanks to the second-largest maize harvest on record in the 2024-25 season, at about 16.44 million tons, prices in South Africa are down by over 30% from a year ago.
“As I have highlighted in the past, we have an ample maize supply, which is behind the recent decline in prices.”
South Africa’s maize consumption is about 12 million tonnes, and the current harvest is well above domestic demand.
Sihlobo believes prices are likely to remain at these lower levels for some time, which is positive for consumers and the livestock industry, which primarily utilises yellow maize.
