S.Africa's maize planting area seen up 7% on higher prices and good weather

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African farmers are expected to plant 7% more hectares of maize in the 2020/2021 season compared with the previous season as higher prices and favourbale weather conditions encourage plantings, a Reuters survey showed on Monday.

South Africa's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) is expected to forecast the planted area at 2.78 million hectares of maize, up from the 2.61 million hectares planted last season, an average estimate of five traders and analysts surveyed showed.

The range of total maize estimates was 2.75 million hectares to 2.81 million hectares.

The crop is expected to consist of 1.70 million hectares of white maize, used mainly for human consumption, and 1.09 million hectares of yellow maize, used primarily in animal feed.

"Better seasonal conditions coupled with strong prices encouraged farmers to increase planted area under maize," said Senior Agriculture Economist at FNB, Paul Makube.

The CEC will release its estimate for the preliminary area planted of the 2021 summer crops on Thursday.

(Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; editing by Mfuneko Toyana)