Harvesting is well advanced for the 1998 coarse grain crop. Official estimates of maize production point to an output of 7.88 million tonnes, some 19 percent below average but somewhat better than initial estimates of the season’s outcome. In several areas and particularly in the North West Province, the late planted crop has progressed better than expected, as a result of favourable weather conditions between March and May.
The improved harvest prospects have led to a decrease in domestic maize prices, which may also improve prospects for exports. This should benefit countries in the sub-region such as Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zambia, which may experience a shortage of maize during the 1998/99 marketing season.