HUGE MAIZE CROP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1939, Page 4

HUGE MAIZE CROP

BIG EXPORT SURPLUS LIKELY IN SOUTH AFRICA. REBATE ON RAILWAY RATES. Maize farmers, merchants, brokers and the Railway Administration are preparing to handle what is expected to be the country's greatest maize crop on record, states a South African paper. The latest reports from the maize belts of the Transvaal and Free State foreshadow a harvest of about 30.000,000 bags and it would occasion no surprise if the crop is up to 35,000,000 bags. The previous highest harvest South Africa has known, was 28,000,000 bags in the 1937 season. “Climatic conditions have been wellnigh perfect,” said a maize authority, “and we should be able to call this a real maize prosperity year.” The estimate of 30,000,000 to 35,000,000 bags should give an exportable surplus of from 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 bags. That would also be a record.

“In view of these excellent prospects farmers welcome the recent benefits announced by the Minister of Finance in his Budget speech —a rebate of 50 per cent on railway rates for maize. This means that the price to the producer will be increased by (id a bag and, on an exportable surplus of 20,000,900 bags, will put an additional £500,000 into the pockets of the maize farmers.”

Preparations for handling enormous maize stocks from June onwards are being made now by the Railway Administration and it is not expected that there will be delays or hitches in carrying supplies from the maize belts to the coast. The first official estimate of the maize crop is expected to show that 75 per cet» of the harvest will come from the Transvaal and Free State. Traders in Johannesburg are not ready to predict what internal’ and overseas prices will be when the maize comes on the market.