Agricultural futures: 19 August 2004
August 19, 2004
Johannesburg - South Africa would release an additional and final maize production estimate on September 20 after this year's late plantings, the crop estimates committee said yesterday.
Industry players asked for an additional report, which would be the eighth, because many local farmers planted maize at the last possible moment - in December last year and even January this year - to beat an early-season drought.
"We have had a late season and producers say there is still a lot of maize going into silos," a committee spokesperson said.
The season's seventh production estimate would be released at 2.30pm today, she said.
Analysts predicted that the committee could forecast a crop of 8.3 million tons today, a rise of 240 000 tons on the July figure.
Next month's forecast will include the second production forecast for winter crops for 2004 and the first intentions to plant summer field crops for the 2004/05 season.
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