South African farmers intend to plant 35 percent more hectares of maize than last season as improved weather conditions encourage them to sow, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday. South Africa's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) is expected to forecast the planted area at 2.62 million hectares, 35 percent higher than 1.947 million hectares planted last year, according to an average estimate of five trading houses polled by Reuters.
The range was between 2.42 million to 2.74 million hectares. The poll is 7 percent higher than the previous CEC forecast of 2.44 million hectares as prospects of a wetter early summer, from November to January, had increased. The CEC will give its forecast on intentions to plant on January 26 for the 2016/17 maize growing season, which has already started on the eastern edge of the maize belt.
Favourable weather conditions are expected to encourage farmers to plant more hectares than the previous season as a weak La Nina weather system associated with increased rainfall and lower temperatures develops. "The recent rains should benefit planting," said one trader who expects planting to return to pre-drought levels.
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