56 MAIZE 



CHAP, which case South Africa would be the nearest producing 

 country. 1 



51. North Africa. — Egypt is the largest producer of maize 

 in North Africa, having nearly 2,000,000 acres under crop, 

 and producing some 8,500,000 muids. Maize is a staple 

 article of diet, and a certain amount is imported annually. 

 The Egyptian Sudan produces only a small quantity, 

 an average of 84,000 muids per annum for the three years 

 to 1908 inclusive. In Algeria, owing to lack of summer rains, 

 maize occupies but a very limited area, almost confined 

 to the Province of Oran (Riviere and Lecoq, I), and the annual 

 production is only about 125,000 muids. 



52. Tropical Africa. — Excellent maize is grown in parts 

 of Rhodesia, and this Colony is likely to become a very large 

 producer. A small export trade has been started (valued at 

 about .£30,000 in 1912), through the port of Beira. The 

 development of cattle-ranching on a large scale is likely to 

 lead to greater local consumption ; £60,000 worth of maize 

 was imported from the Union of South Africa in 1912. 



In Nyassaland a small quantity of maize is grown and 

 there appears to be scope for development, but it is probable 

 that more intensive crops such as coffee and cotton will prove 

 more profitable for that Colony. On the uplands of British 

 East Africa and the Uganda Protectorate maize-growing is on 

 the increase, and it is possible that this region will become a 

 competitor with South Africa for the export trade. The Suez 

 Canal charges may, perhaps, more than offset the shorter sea- 

 distance to Europe, but there seems to be a good opportunity 

 for developing the trade with India, Ceylon, and China. 



Comparatively little maize is produced in the remainder of 

 tropical Africa, partly owing to the general lack of agricultural 

 development, partly to the fact, already alluded to, that maize 

 does not thrive in tropical forest country, and partly, also, to 

 the depredations of the elephant and wart-hog. In Italian 

 Somaliland, German East Africa, Madagascar, the Astove 

 atolls, the Cosmoledo Islands, and Portuguese East Africa, 

 small quantities are produced, but the coast conditions do 

 not seem favourable to maize production on a large scale, 

 and other tropical crops generally pay better. 



1 Since this was written Australia has imported 242,000 muids of South 

 African maize in one season. 



