The latest data from the Arable Industry Marketing Initiative survey for maize grain and silage shows that growers had a good season with yields up on both crops.
Average yields for maize grain were at 11.6 tonnes a hectare and at 21.9t of dry matter a hectare for maize silage, according to the data from 87 survey farms.
Maize grain growers in Mid Canterbury and northern and southwestern North Island reported a good growing season although there were some reports of poorer crops which suffered from a wet spring and/or dry conditions during the season.
The estimated 2024 harvest tonnes of maize grain were 30% up on 2023, with increased harvest hectares and yield both up 14%.
The maize grain harvest was 68% complete as at June 1, which is less than the 11-year average of 77%. The estimated total tonnage of 250,700 tonnes (including unharvested grain) was up on last season’s harvest tonnage (up 30%), as a result of an increased yield (up 14%) from an increased harvest area (up 14%).
The majority of the crop – 87.9% – has been sold, leaving 30,400t unsold, as held by growers with most of the unsold tonnage unharvested.
This compared to 16,700t unsold at the same time last year, and higher unsold tonnages at the same time in three of the nine previous years.
As a percentage of harvestable hectares, this amounted to 32%, which the survey said was an unusually high amount. Over the previous 11 years, the average was 23% unharvested.
Unsold stocks on hand of maize grain, as held by growers amounted to 30,400t, which was higher than last season’s 16,700t but lower than unsold stocks in three out of the previous nine seasons.
The survey noted that the quantity of maize grain held by merchants has not been determined and the survey sample is small.
The estimated total tonnage for the maize silage harvested this season was up 9% with an estimated total tonnage of 1,114,600t.
This Is the result of a 17% increase in yield from a reduced harvest area (down 6%). About 57% of the total silage crop had been sold or used, leaving 481,700t DM unused/unsold.
Unsold/unused maize silage stocks on hand was 481,700t DM, higher than in all of the 10 previous seasons, but less than 10% higher than in four of those seasons.
As of June 1, maize grain sowing intentions on a hectare basis for the 2024-2025 season is 27% down on last season, and maize silage sowing intentions were 12% down on last season.
