Every few years South Africa produces enough corn to compete for export sales. The latest statistics from the South African Grain Information Service show that in the May-April 2010/11 marketing year South Africa exported 1.05 million metric tons (41 million bushels) of white corn and 1.02 million metric tons (40 million bushels) of yellow corn.

Most of the white corn was exported to Sub Saharan Africa with 613,080 mt (24 million bushels). South Korea was the largest overseas purchaser at 203,087 mt (8 million bushels). Other buyers included Italy, Mexico and Pakistan. South Korea was the largest single buyer of yellow corn (610,721 mt/24 million bu) compared to Sub-Saharan Africa at 129,137 mt (5 million bu) and smaller sales to Japan, Taiwan, Spain, Portugal and Kuwait.

In the current marketing year (May–October 2011), South African corn exports have included more than 1 million mt (39.4 million bushels) of white corn and 650,000 mt (25.5 million bu) yellow corn. As the main buyer of white corn, Mexico purchased 701,279 mt (27.6 million bu) with smaller sales to Italy, Korea and Venezuela. South Korea is the leading purchaser of yellow corn (302,259 mt/11.9 million bu) followed by Taiwan (161,550 mt/6.4 million bu).

Meanwhile, concerns are being raised that production forecasts may be too optimistic and that South Africa could face a very tight stocks situation from January through April, especially for white corn.