South African farmers are expected to harvest 28% more maize in the 2024/2025 season compared with the previous one, the government's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) said on Thursday.

The CEC's final summer crop forecast estimated the 2025 maize harvest at 16.44 million metric tonnes, up from 12.85 million metric tonnes harvested the season before.

The previous estimate, on October 28, had put the 2025 maize harvest at 16.325 million metric tonnes.

The harvest is expected to consist of 8.38 million metric tonnes of white maize, for human consumption, and 8.06 million metric tonnes of yellow maize, used mainly in animal feed.