MAIZE FARMING 2.

What natural factors favour

1. Where is maize grown?
Our country produces around 14 million
tons of maize per year.
The most significant maize producing
regions are the Free State (45%),
Mpumalanga (21%) and the North-West
(18%) provinces.
3. Why is maize farming
important?
• Staple food for millions of people
• Animal feed e.g. chicken, cattle and
pigs
• Used in industry for production of food
products such as beer, cheese
spreads, instant coffee
• Exports earn foreign exchange
• Creates employment on farms and
related industry
• Encourages development of other
industries by using their products e.g.
fertilizer and farm equipment
• Consumes products from
industries, such as fertilizers, irrigation
equipment, herbicides, fuel and farm
implements
Export volume of maize and maize products
Export volume in 1000 metric tons
maize farming in the regions
indicated on the map?
• Summer rainfall region
• Rainfall of 600 – 1000 mm
• Sunny frost-free growing period
• Dry autumn and winter harvesting period
• Well - drained, fertile loamy soils
Limpopo
4. What other factors favour
maize farming in South Africa?
• Deep harbours and international airports
favour export of maize.
• Communication networks and
refrigerated containers make it possible
to maintain quality of products for local
and export markets.
• Import tariffs to protect locally produced
products
other 5. What are the challenges?
• Unreliable rainfall reduces yields
• Droughts result in huge losses
• Subsistence farming techniques reduced
soil fertility in some areas
• Soil erosion decreases the size of the
area under cultivation

4000
• Export opportunities are mainly limited to
African countries
• Cheap maize imports flood the market
2023

3000
• Small-scale farmers lack access to
specialist marketing support institutions
2018

2000 MAIZE PRODUCTS

2020

1000 Compiled by Hyran Gillion and Andre Cloete

2017