Current monitoring period focuses on maize production in seven southern hemisphere countries: Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Mexico, Kenya, Mozambique, and Zambia. Brazil is one of the major maize-growing countries in the southern hemisphere, with production concentrated in the central and southern regions. The current monitoring covers only Brazil’s first-season maize. Argentina is an important maize producer with a large growing area, mainly in the Pampas region. In Mexico, maize cultivation is primarily distributed in the northwest and south, and the current monitoring period corresponds to its second-season maize. South Africa’s maize production is concentrated in the eastern and central regions. Zambia is considered the second-largest maize producer in southern Africa after South Africa, with maize mainly grown in the Eastern, Central, and Southern provinces. Kenya and Mozambique are also indispensable maize producers in Southern Africa. Overall, during the monitoring period, total maize production in the southern hemisphere remained roughly unchanged from 2025, reaching 118.71 million tons. However, significant differences among major producing countries reflect diverse climatic conditions during this growing season and illustrate the interplay between changing climate conditions and agricultural resilience.

Supported by stable domestic feed demand and profitable cultivation, Brazilian farmers maintained generally steady enthusiasm for maize planting. CropWatch monitoring results show that compared with 2025, Brazil’s first-season maize planted area increased by 9.2%. However, due to insufficient precipitation, heat stress, and localized drought in some southern production areas, the average maize yield decreased slightly by 0.8%. Supported by the expanded area, total production still increased to approximately 34.67 million tons (+8.4%). In Argentina, driven by government policies that lowered export taxes and simplified export approval procedures, profit expectations improved somewhat. However, insufficient precipitation during the sowing window, high production costs, and reduced risk appetite led Argentine farmers to reduce maize planted area. CropWatch monitoring results show that compared with 2025, Argentina’s average maize yield fell by 0.8%, and combined with the contraction in planted area, total production decreased by 10.9%.

During this monitoring period, although rainfall in Mexico was significantly lower (by 34%) compared with the past 15-year average for the same period, improved reservoir water levels and a recovery effect from the low base of the previous year ensured better water supply for irrigated areas in Mexico. Compared with the previous year, Mexico’s second-season maize planted area was about 871,000 hectares, an increase of 18%; the yield was about 6,544 kg/ha, an estimated increase of 13%; and total production was about 5.70 million tons, an increase of 33%.

Due to relatively favorable maize prices and stable market demand, South African farmers’ enthusiasm for maize planting picked up during this monitoring period. Benefiting from improved precipitation conditions and suitable temperatures, South Africa’s maize planted area expanded by 3.0% and yield increased by 4.99%. Driven by both factors, South Africa’s total maize production is expected to reach 22.99 million tons, an increase of about 8.10%. This significant increase further consolidates South Africa’s position as a leading maize-producing country in Africa. Among other major maize-producing countries in Southern Africa, severely deficient precipitation and higher temperatures affected Zambia, the second-largest maize producer in the region. Zambia’s total maize production reached 3.49 million tons, a decrease of 5.9% compared with 2025. However, Kenya and Mozambique were less affected by changing meteorological conditions, with total maize production reaching 2.47 million tons and 2.38 million tons, respectively, representing increases of 0.8% and 3.0% compared with 2025.