Source: Zimbabwe remains the most reliable buyer of South African maize.
South Africa’s maize exports will fall short of the seasonal export forecast of 2.40 million tonnes for the 2025-26 marketing year, which ends this month, April. The exports so far are at 1.95 million tonnes as of 17 April 2026.
Given a softer weekly export pace, it is unlikely that the country will see strong enough momentum in the remaining weeks of the current marketing year to reach the 2.40 million tonnes seasonal forecast for maize exports. The challenge is the softer global demand, not supply availability. South Africa has ample maize supplies following favourable agricultural seasons.
South Africa’s maize exports in the 2025-26 marketing year have mainly been to the African continent, with Zimbabwe as the major buyer, accounting for 38% of South Africa’s maize exports so far.
The likes of Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea, amongst others, that typically import maize from South Africa didn’t import much this year as they relied on ample, cheaper global maize supplies.
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