29 / 73
ႄႋ
CHAPTER 1
By July 2005, it was estimated that the carry-over stock on 30 April 2006 could
amount to approximately 5,9 tons, which represented 72% of the normal annual
domestic consumption.
A study conducted by Grain SA showed that with the ruling producer prices at
the time it would not be economically viable to produce maize. Producers were
again urged during the 2005/2006 production season to plant less maize and to
rather investigate alternative possibilities like buying forward contracts (so-called
paper maize) or to not sell their maize during the 2005/2006 marketing season,
but to transfer it to the next year. This obviously influenced costs in terms of
interest and storage.
It was clear that, no matter which alternative the producers chose to address the
prevailing crisis, it could only be effective if production was substantially limited
during the next season. According to Grain SA’s final calculations of production for
the 2005/2006 season, producers were urged to restrict white maize plantings to
approximately 363 000 ha (nearly 80% less than the previous season) and yellow
maize to approximately 450 000 (a downscaling of approximately 58%).
Even though maize plantings were not limited to the exact extent Grain SA recom-
mended, only 2 032 million hectares were planted in the 2005/2006 production
season, resulting in 1 191 million tons, or 37%, less than the previous year. Com-
bined with other efforts made by producers, this meant that the goals could be
reached and it led to a reasonable recovery in the price of maize.
2013/2014 season
During the 2013/2014 season, approximately 14,3 million tons of maize were pro-
duced. Up to 2016 this represented the second largest maize harvest ever in South
Africa. Until then the most maize cultivated in the country was during the 1981/1982
production season, namely 14,87 million tons. The 2013/2014 harvest is even more
incredible because of the fact that it was produced on 2,6 million hectares, with an
average yield of 5,5 tons/ha, as opposed to 4,3 million hectares with an average
yield of 3,4 tons/ha during 1981/1982.
Both record-breaking years were blessed with good rains at the right time and ana-
lysts are of the opinion that comparisons could be made between the two years.
The improvement in average yield/hectare undoubtedly shows a significant im-
provement in efficiency in the maize industry during the twenty years after 1982.
This improvement can be attributed to various factors such as the improvement in
the quality of inputs, the conversion of the marginal fields into planted pasture in
terms of the land conversion scheme, increased effectiveness in general and huge
technological developments. The latter occurred not only in the area of machinery,
equipment and information systems, but also with respect to the genetic develop-
ment of seed, new active ingredients for pesticides and herbicides, as well as new
fertiliser products.
Producers at the meeting in Bellville.
Almost 1 500 stakeholders gathered at the
Velodrome in Bellville.
Mr Johan Kriel (ACDP, Western Cape)
speaking in Bellville.
Dr Kraai van Niekerk.
Mr Bully Botma (Chairperson of Grain SA)
delivering his speech.
Mr Johan Hoffman (producer from Botha-
ville).
The attendance at the mass meeting in Centurion was estimated to have been at least 5 000.