January 24, 2006

 

Argentina to harvest 11.8 million tonnes of wheat in 2005/06

 

 

Argentina's farmers will harvest 11.8 million tonnes of wheat in 2005/06, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange forecast Monday.

 

This forecast, which is based on higher-than-expected yields in south-eastern Buenos Aires Province, puts production up 200,000 tonnes from the previous estimate.

 

Buenos Aires is home to more than half of Argentina's planted wheat area.

 

By Saturday farmers had harvested 98.5 percent of crop, according to the Exchange.

 

The Exchange did not say how the collection pace compares with that of the previous year.

 

The average yield last week was 2.43 tonnes/hectare, the Exchange said.

 

The US Department of Agriculture, which has forecast the average yield for Argentine wheat this season at 2.39 tonnes/hectare, sees final output totalling 12.1 million tonnes.

 

Planted area totalled 5.08 million hectares, down from 6.09 million hectares a year ago.

 

By Saturday farmers had harvested 4,775,150 hectares, putting production so far at 11.652 million tonnes.

 

If the Exchange's forecast holds, it would put output down from a record 16.345 million tonnes last season. Dry weather and low wheat prices led farmers to plant less wheat this season.

 

Argentines plant wheat May through August and harvest it October through January.