January 20, 2005

 

 

Argentina to produce record harvest in 2004-05 

 

Argentina's farmers will harvest a record amount of grain and oilseed in 2004-05, Agriculture Secretary Miguel Campos said late Wednesday.

 

"The floor will be 71.6 million metric tons of major grains and oilseed. If everything goes well the harvest could reach 85 million tons," Campos said.

 

Campos said his conservative estimate for the 2004-05 harvest is 80 million tons. This would easily surpass the current record of 71 million tons set in 2002-03, according to official data.

 

"Everything would have to go wrong for us not to set a record," Campos said, noting that climatic conditions have been excellent so far this season.

 

Though planted area is up somewhat from a year earlier, farmers have been achieving higher yields due mainly to better weather, Campos noted.

 

The record harvest will be comprised mainly of corn, soybeans and wheat.

 

Campos said he expects farmers to produce between 17 million and 19.5 million tons of corn, with output likely totaling about 18 million tons.

 

For soybean output, the forecast is between 31 million and 39 million tons, with final production probably totaling 35 million tons.

 

Wheat production is almost certain to surpass 16 million tons, he said.

 

Argentina's corn and soybean crops are almost entirely planted and farmers have almost finished collecting the 2004-05 wheat harvest.

 

Argentina is the world's No. 2 exporter of corn, the No. 3 exporter of soybeans and the No. 5 exporter of wheat, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.