Bumper maize harvest expected

Maize yields are expected to reach about 111 447 tonnes this season, signalling a strong harvest that could exceed last season’s output by 37%.

About 23 390 hectares of maize have been planted nationwide, including both dryland and irrigated crops, according to the Agronomy Producers' Association (APA), which recently held its annual general meeting and information day at Summerdown.

Final figures will only be confirmed after the harvest.

The meeting highlighted a positive outlook for the current maize season, supported by favourable rainfall across most production zones.

Although some eastern regions received less rain, conditions were generally favourable, with maize receiving moisture at critical growth stages.

The association said weeds remain a challenge in some areas, while fewer pest problems have been reported.

A large volume of maize is expected to enter the market this year. Loide Uahengo, the Namibian Agronomic Board's (NAB) development manager, said this could put pressure on storage capacity and will require coordination among stakeholders to ensure efficient handling and processing.

Other crops

Groundnut plantings in the northern regions are performing well, while sunflower production remains limited due to market constraints, despite its value as a rotational crop for weed control.

A notable development discussed was the introduction by the APA of mobile scanning technology for leaf and soil analysis.

This system enables producers to identify nutrient deficiencies in real time and take corrective action more quickly, compared with traditional laboratory tests that can take several weeks, the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) said.

-Text supplied by the NAU.