Mon 31 Mar 2008
The crop prospect for the first season in most of the Southern Africa countries is good. This is as a result of the normal to above normal rains that were received in most of the countries including Malawi, Zambia and South Africa. South Africa will be looking to replenish its stocks after a failed season in 2006/07 production year in which the country was forced to import maize in order to fulfill its export obligations. Information reaching RATIN indicates that South Africa imported maize from Zambia and re-exported the same to Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Available forecasts show that harvesting from South Africa is expected anytime after the second half of May 2008.