January 18, 2005

 

 

Argentina's 2004-05 Soy, Corn Planting Update

 

Argentine farmers had planted 95% of the country's 2004-05 soybean crop by Friday, the latest Agriculture Secretariat data show.

 

This puts the pace of planting up from 94% last week but down from 98% a year ago, the Secretariat said.

 

Planted area totals 14.2 million hectares, compared with 14.235 million a year earlier.

 

As of Friday, farmers had planted 13,514,230 million hectares.

 

The Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange sees the 2004-05 area at 14.7 million hectares. As of Saturday, some 14,141,900 hectares have been planted, according to the exchange.

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture sees Argentina's 2004-05 soy output at 39 million tons. The Secretariat has so far given no forecast of 2004-05 soy production.

 

The crop is developing well in most provinces, though a lack of rain has delayed growth in parts of Buenos Aires Province, the Secretariat said.

 

Argentine wheat is normally planted from October through January and harvested from May to August.

 

CORN

 

By Friday, farmers also had planted 96% of the 2004-05 corn crop, Secretariat data show.

 

That puts the planting pace up from 95% a week ago but down from 98% a year earlier.

 

The Secretariat expects farmers to plant 3.345 million hectares, up from 2.988 million a year ago.

 

As of Friday, they had planted 3,224,549 hectares.

 

The exchange said farmers had planted 99.1% of the crop as of Saturday, with the area of exportable corn at 2.53 million hectares.

 

Argentina produced 13.1 million tons of corn in 2003-04, according to the exchange. The Secretariat has estimated an output of 13.5 million tons during this period.

 

The USDA has forecast 2004-05 Argentine output at 16 million tons while the exchange has said output could total 17.5 million tons.

 

The crop is evolving from well to very well in most areas, the Secretariat said.