South Africa's 2015 maize output forecast seen little changed

South Africa is likely to slightly drop its 2015 maize output forecast, a Reuters survey showed on Monday, as farmers realised lower yields in crop-producing regions owing to drought. The government's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) last month pegged the 2015 forecast of maize output at 9.762 million tonnes, about a third lower than last year's harvest due to severe drought.
An average of four trading houses polled by Reuters said they expected the crop at 9.729 million tonnes, slightly lower than the previous official estimate. "Farmers have started to harvest and they have experienced lower yields than expected mainly as a result of the heat stress and the lack of sufficient rainfall during the pollination stage," said Absa's trading house. The estimates ranged from 9.735 million tonnes and 9.762 million tonnes.