Johannesburg Maize forecast seen down slightly from previous.

South Africa’s Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) is expected to slightly lower its summer maize forecast next week but a bumper harvest is still seen. The CEC, which gives its next forecast on Tuesday, is seen pegging the harvest at 14.175 million tonnes, about 1% lower than its previous estimate of 14.32 million tonnes. This would still be over 82% more than the 7.78 million tonnes reaped last year, when drought hit the crop, pushing up food prices and inflation. The range was 13.5 to 14.6 million tonnes. yields depressed slightly in parts of the country’s maize belt where plantings were late and recent rainfall has been scattered.