Asian demand helps South Africa market its record corn harvest

Far East countries have become the main buyers of South African corn, helping the country balance its record harvest and support the domestic market. South Africa is expected to produce about 17.3 mln tons of corn in the 2026/27 season, one of the largest crops in its history.

Harvest progress has been slower than usual due to heavy rainfall. By the end of June, only 27% of the crop had been delivered to commercial silos, although grain quality is reported to be better than last season. Harvesting is expected to accelerate as weather conditions improve.

Corn exports are already gaining momentum. During the week ending June 19, South Africa exported 113.8 thsd tons of corn, with Vietnam accounting for 76% of shipments and South Korea for another 11%. The remaining volumes were exported to African countries.

Since the start of the 2026/27 marketing year in May, Far East countries have purchased about 72% of South Africa’s 607.2 thsd tons of exported corn. Analysts attribute the strong demand to the high quality of South African grain, its naturally low moisture content due to sun drying, and competitive pricing. In the previous season, African countries, particularly Zimbabwe, were the leading buyers.

South Africa is expected to export around 3 mln tons of corn in the 2026/27 marketing year, up 50% from the previous season. Analysts say strong export demand is essential to prevent oversupply in the domestic market and support stable prices. Additional demand could come from Southern African countries if El Niño negatively affects crop production across the region next season.

Tags: South Africa, crop forecast, corn, export