JOHANNESBURG - South Africa is bracing for a hot, dry summer as severe El Niño conditions take hold in several parts of the world.
Some experts have warned that the country cannot afford to be caught unprepared amid an increased risk of drought.
However, Grain SA CEO Dr Tobias Doyer says South Africans need not be overly concerned. He says the country is in a fortunate position after recording bumper harvests over the past few years.
The current maize crop exceeds 17 million tonnes, while South Africa consumes about 12 million tonnes annually.
"There's a surplus of about five million and on top of that, surpluses from previous seasons which have not been imported," he says.
Doyer says that even if drought conditions develop, it will take time before consumers feel any impact on food prices.
He says the greater risk is for neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe and Zambia, which do not have the same production capacity or grain reserves as South Africa.