Worrying drought drives up South African maize prices

Maize prices in South Africa have hit record highs as the country faces its worst drought in decades.

The March contract for the white variety scale of maize has reached a new peak of 5,106 rand (€279) a tonne, according to Thomson Reuters data.

In worst-hit countries such as Malawi, much of the maize crop is produced by small-scale farmers, often just to feed their own families.