S.Africa short of maize for biofuels-Monsanto

* Maize output still inadequate for biofuels

* Food security still priority

By Muchena Zigomo

CAPE TOWN, June 15 (Reuters) - South Africa is still not producing enough maize to use in its biofuels programme and the government was right to exclude the grain from the plan, a Monsanto (MON.N: Quote, Profile, Research) official said on Monday.

South Africa's government removed maize from the list of crops that could be used in its biofuels strategy two years ago, citing concerns over food security.

Some farmers had seen use of the grain for biofuels as part of a rescue plan for producers who have in the past seen surplus harvests depress maize prices.

"I think it's a very good thing to support biofuels and renewable energy, but South Africa at the moment is not producing enough maize to go into biofuels production," Arthur Schroder, Monsanto's Corn Breeding Lead for Africa, told Reuters on the sidelines of an agribusiness conference in Cape Town.

Monsanto is the world's largest seed company.