South Africa will begin importing genetically engineered white and yellow maize from the United States to address a significant shortfall in local maize production, caused by a mid-summer drought. The drought resulted in a 22% drop in maize output, marking the country’s smallest harvest in five years.
On November 19, the Department of Agriculture announced that it had resolved differences with the U.S. over genetically modified maize varieties, paving the way for import permits to be issued. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service, South Africa is expected to import approximately 800,000 tons of maize between May 2024 and April 2025 to make up for the deficit.
While imports will help meet demand, the South African Crop Estimates Committee indicated last month that farmers are unlikely to expand maize planting significantly in the coming year. The arrival of the La Niña weather pattern, which typically brings increased rainfall, is expected to improve conditions and potentially boost the 2025 maize harvest. The Crop Estimates Committee is scheduled to release its final figures for the 2023-2024 summer crops, including maize, later today.
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