Page 14 - MEX-Yearbook-2017

Experts View

Commodity Markets in
South & Southern Africa:

An Introduction

Chris Sturgess
(Previously with the JSE commodities team for the past 20 years, Mr. Chris Sturgess
is the Chairman of the Association of Futures Markets (AFM). He is now more
actively involved in agritourism and commodities market consulting.)

Firstly, we would like to thank MEX Nepal for this saw a radical turn around in production levels also referred to as corn in many countries including
opportunity to contribute to your annual yearbook. of most cereal crops; following a severe drought yours) reached a new all-time record production
Reviewing the past editions of the book, it is the previous year, the region went from suffering of 16.744 million tons from 2.6 million hectares,
evident this is a wonderful resource to reflect on the shortages to securing significant surpluses on its this is an average yield of 6.3 tons per ha, up from
year gone by but also to familiarise yourself with grain balance sheets. the previous year when this was below 5 tons per
the markets and opportunities out there. Let’s take a look at the performance of some of the ha. White maize or corn is the stable food in South
Please allow me to expose you to the markets in major grain producing countries in Southern Africa.
South and Southern Africa and to provide you Let’s start with South Africa, by far the largest
with more information how these commodity producer of grains in the region and continent this
markets and the exchanges in this part of the world past year. Following really good rains at the right
have performed. The past season (2016/2017) time, we saw white and yellow maize (maize is

13 | MEX NEPAL YEAR BOOK 2017