Chamwe Kaira
Namibia remains one of the main destinations for South African maize exports, although overall export activity from South Africa has slowed as the marketing year moves toward its end in April 2026.
Agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo said South Africa exported 39,584 tonnes of maize in the past week. About 14% of these shipments were sent to Namibia.
Zimbabwe received the largest share of the exports at 52%. Botswana followed with 15%, while the remaining shipments went to other markets in the Southern African region.
Despite these shipments, export volumes remain lower than expected for the season.
South Africa’s maize exports for the 2025/26 marketing year currently stand at about 1.6 million tonnes. The projected seasonal total is 2.4 million tonnes.
“We have seen much softer demand for maize this year, partly due to ample global supplies,” Sihlobo said.
He said it now appears unlikely that South Africa will reach its export target before the marketing year ends next month.
Nearly one million tonnes still need to be exported before the end of the season.
Key buyers are expected to include Zimbabwe and international markets such as Vietnam, South Korea and Taiwan. Regional importers such as Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique are also expected to continue purchasing maize. Demand from most markets has remained modest.
The weaker export performance may lead to higher carryover stocks into the next marketing season. The next season is also expected to produce a solid harvest.
Sihlobo said the larger supply outlook could place pressure on South African maize prices.
Lower maize prices may help ease food price inflation across the region, including Namibia, where maize is a key input in food production.
The Namibia Agriculture Union said local grain supply may improve slightly in 2026.
The union forecasts normal to above-normal rainfall across most production regions during the 2025/2026 season.
Despite this improvement, Namibia will still depend heavily on imports for grains.
The Namibia Agriculture Union said the country is expected to rely on imports for about 67% of its grain needs in 2026. This is slightly lower than the 73% recorded in 2025.
Local white maize purchases are expected to increase from 70,000 tonnes in 2025 to about 80,000 tonnes in 2026.
Wheat will remain mostly import-dependent. Only about 16% of national wheat demand is expected to be supplied locally.
The Namibia Agriculture Union said grain prices are expected to remain stable in 2026.
