SA maize farmers plan their smallest planting area in eight years
Intended decline in planting area by maize type, 2025/26 season vs 2024/25 (percentage decrease)
2.387M
hectares intended, 2025/26 season
2.724M
hectares planted, 2024/25 season
The cut is steepest for white maize — the staple that anchors the diets of lower-income households — signalling that risk aversion is falling hardest where food security is most fragile.