SA’s 2016 maize plantings seen at 5-year low

Johannesburg - South African maize farmers intend to plant 2.55 million hectares of the staple grain in the 2016 season, its lowest level since 2011 due to drought, the country's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) said on Tuesday.

This plantings next year will be 3.8% less than this year's 2.65 million hectares, an official said.

"The decrease can be attributed to drought conditions in the most important planting areas," CEC's Marda Scheepers said, adding that there could also be a switch to planting oil seeds.

The committee also said the forecast for the 2016 wheat crop output is estimated at 1.54 million tonnes, down from 1.64 million tonnes in the previous forecast.

A survey by Reuters had shown farmers plan to sow 2.63 million hectares with maize, slightly down from 2.65 million hectares last year, according to an average estimate of seven trading houses.