South Africa's benchmark maize futures rode higher on Friday tracking overnight international prices, while wheat prices fell on the back of a slump in the US, traders said. The most active March white maize contract ended 2.65 percent higher at 1,742 rand a tonne and yellow maize for the same month was up 2.56 percent at 1,806 rand a tonne.
July white maize gained 2.73 percent to 1,691 rand a tonne, while yellow rose 2.61 percent to 1,769 rand. Both the March and July maize contracts were up by the maximum 45 rand daily limit for white and yellow maize. "Maize was up purely on the back of what happened in Chicago last night, Chicago was limit up so we're just following suit," a trader said.