JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) is expected to increase its maize crop forecast, owing to higher yields in parts of the maize belt, a Reuters poll showed on Monday. The committee may raise its sixth production estimate for this season to 11.75 million tonnes from 11.6 million in its previous survey last month, according to the average estimates of 10 traders polled by Reuters. The trader's estimates ranged between 11.5 and 12.0 million tonnes. "There's a lot of maize, I think the yields are much higher than what people think...I think we are going to see closer to 12 million tonnes," a trader said. Four of the traders polled expected the estimate to come in at 11.8 million tonnes. South African maize farmers, the biggest producers of the grain on the continent, realised higher crop yields due to better planting and weather conditions in most of the country's main maize growing regions, the majority of traders said. None of the traders wished to be named. The committee raised its forecast for maize production to 11.6 million tonnes in its previous forecast last month, citing improved deliveries from farms. Farmers started harvesting their crops in May, with the harvest season set to run through to September. The CEC is due to release its sixth production estimate for the 2008/09 season's summer crops and preliminary area figures for 2009 winter crops at 1230 GMT on Tuesday. | 
