By Sizwe Dlamini
The CEO of the National Maize Corporation (NMC) Mavela Vilane says that they are not resting on their laurels, following concerns of an imminent maize shortage in the region.
There have been widespread reports of significant deficits in maize production across Southern African countries, exacerbated by the ongoing El Niño weather pattern causing severe drought conditions.
Countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe have reported alarming declines in maize production—60% in Zambia and 50% in Zimbabwe—due to a 20% reduction in February rainfall.
In an interview with this publication, Vilane expressed concerns about potential price increases for maize and beans in local markets, citing a drop in Eswatini’s maize production from 85,000 tons last season to 74,000 tons currently, despite an average annual requirement of 140,000 tons.
Given that major maize producers like South Africa and Zambia have also experienced decreased yields this season, Vilane warned that regional demand for maize may surpass current production capacities.
He emphasized that Eswatini may need to import maize and beans from farther north or from abroad to meet domestic demands, potentially leading to heightened food prices.
The severe rainfall deficit since January has had devastating consequences for rain-fed maize agriculture in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Angola, Mozambique, and Botswana, where maize is a critical dietary staple.
Speaking on Khaya FM, Wandile Sihlobo, a Senior Lecturer at Stellenbosch University’s Department of Agricultural Economics, highlighted the impact of scorching heatwaves on South Africa’s grain belt, resulting in a 25% decrease in the country’s white maize harvest compared to the previous year.
“Despite these shortfalls, South Africa maintains a surplus of 1.4 million tons of maize available for export, providing some relief against immediate shortages domestically”.
Sihlobo highlighted that countries neighbouring South Africa are heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture, such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, and they face the challenge of importing substantial quantities of maize from South Africa, where genetically modified maize adoption helps mitigate production challenges.
“South Africa’s surplus is insufficient to meet the looming shortages in these nations”, highlighting the region’s dependence on white maize production.
Sihlobo added that globally, maize production totals approximately 1.2 billion tons annually, predominantly yellow maize, with only 2% being white maize preferred for human consumption, mainly grown in Southern Africa and Mexico. “The challenge is with white maize, which is what is predominantly consumed in the region.”