Main maize futures ended slightly lower in line with US corn futures, which South Africa traders watch closely to remain competitive in markets for which they compete.

The continent’s biggest maize producer exported 11,823 tons of yellow maize in the last week of the season, up from 4,479 in the week before, with Kuwait importing the bulk at 10,108 tons, the South African Grain Information Service (SAGIS) said.

Yellow maize is mainly used for animal feed.

White maize exports rose to 11,037 tons compared with 9,372 tons the week before, with Zimbabwe importing the most at 4,004 tons, SAGIS said on its website .

Zimbabwe, once a bread basket for the region, has said it expects its maize output to fall by 11 percent due mainly to bad weather and that it would issue import permits to traders and millers to plug a deficit.

The fresh sales pushed South Africa’s total maize exports for the 2009/10 season to a preliminary total of 1.65 million tons, compared to 2.17 million tons in the last season.

SAGIS is expected to release revised total maize exports for the 2009/10 season on May 19.

South Africa is expecting the country’s largest maize crop since the record 14.42 million ton harvest in the 1981/82 season, which would boost exports.

The government’s Crop Estimates Committee last month raised its 2009/10 maize crop forecast to 13.10 million tons.

Consecutive bumper harvests, lower international prices and good crop weather across the country’s main maize belt have dampened maize prices on the South African Futures Exchange (SAFEX) over the past year.

The most active July white maize contract was slightly lower, down 0.26 percent at 1,147 rand a ton on Tuesday, while July yellow maize futures were also down 0.41 percent to 1,200 rand a ton.

“Chicago was a little softer but the rand was weaker... the prices were more or less unchanged, nothing really to give the market impetus,” said a Johannesburg trader.

Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) corn futures ended down because of the stronger dollar on Monday. A weaker rand makes South African products cheaper for foreign buyers.