The US Department of Agriculture, however, estimates that regional demand for South African maize exports is expected to decline due to improved harvests in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The facility began full-scale seed processing operations on August 21, coinciding with a critical phase in China’s corn planting calendar.
While some buyers have been battling with quality and quantity issues, others have been battling unnecessary price hikes.
The move reverses the temporary lifting of restrictions last year to meet local consumption.
Economists warn that rising maize prices threaten to drive inflation higher in an economy already strained by election-related spending.