Maize remains South Africa's greatest grain

Zunel van Eeden looks at maize production, and the pests and diseases that farmers should be on the lookout for to maintain their good yields and profitability.

- Zunel van Eeden

It is no secret that maize is one of the most important crops worldwide, and at the rate at which maize plantings increase with each new season, it will probably overtake wheat plantings by 2030. This is largely due to meet the increasing demand for human consumption, livestock and industrial use.

White maize is primarily grown for human consumption by smallholders and commercial producers, and yellow maize is planted by commercial producers for industrial use and animal feed. South Africa is the biggest maize producer in Africa. However, the 2022/23 harvest season was challenged by numerous factors, and producers in co-operation with agricultural businesses had to adopt a defensive mode to reach noteworthy yields.

CLIMATE IMPACT

Excessive climate anomalies (heatwaves, drought, excessive precipitation, and hail) places South Africa’s national food security and economic growth in jeopardy because of the significance of maize production for both local consumption and exports to other African countries.

One of the biggest obstacles to maize production in South Africa is drought, especially in semiarid and drought-prone areas like the Western and Eastern Cape. Extended dry spells have a negative effect on maize yields because the crop needs enough moisture to grow to maturity.