February 4, 2009

 

Argentina's soy crop continues to struggle because of hot, dry weather, with early planted crops growing at slower-than-average rates and seeds planted later failing to sprout in parched soils, the Agriculture Secretariat said in its weekly crop report Tuesday (February 3).

 

In the Pehuajo district of Buenos Aires province, recent rainfall has helped crop development but more rain is needed soon, the Secretariat said in the report, released with more than a week of delay for undisclosed reasons.

 

The situation is worse farther north. In Entre Rios province, recent precipitation was not enough to improve soil moisture because high temperatures caused rapid soil evaporation. The Secretariat expects low yields in the province and said the situation will worsen if no rain falls soon.

 

As of January 29, farmers had planted 96 percent of the area seen going to soy, down from 99 percent at this point last year.

 

Area is seen at a record 16.6 million hectares this season, according to a Jan. 21 estimate. That's down from a previous estimate of 17.8 million hectares.

              

The corn crop is in bad shape due to the drought and hot weather, the Secretariat said.

 

Conditions are better in Cordoba province, where rain of between 26 and 60 millimetres fell and helped reverse the damage on crops from the drought in some fields. Only a quarter of the crop in Cordoba province has been "very affected" by the drought, the Secretariat said.

 

In the Pigue district of Buenos Aires province, crop damage from the drought is thought "irreversible" in many fields. Some parts of Buenos Aires province saw rainfall over the past week, but not enough to recover average soil moisture for boosting yields. In the Tandil district, an estimated 15 percent to 20 percent of the crop will go to cattle forage because of poor quality.

 

As of January 29, farmers had planted 96 percent of the area seen going to corn, down from 98 percent at this point last season, according to the Secretariat.

 

On January 21, the department cut its forecast of planted area to 3.4 million hectares from 3.5 million.

 

Sunseed crop conditions are poor across the farm belt because of the drought and fast soil evaporation because of high temperatures, with "very low yields" expected in parts of Buenos Aires, Entre Rios, La Pampa and Santa Fe provinces.

 

Yields in some parts of these provinces could rise if there is sufficient rainfall, while the crop is better in parts of Cordoba, where there has been more rainfall, the Secretariat said. In Villa Maria, Cordoba, the sunseed crop is good and "there are no significant pests or health problems," the Secretariat said.

 

As of January 29, farmers had harvested 13 percent of area sown to sunflower seeds this season, up from 9 percent at this point last season.

 

On January 21, the Secretariat cut its estimate of total planted area to 2 million hectares from 2.2 million, and said it expects production between 2.5 million and 3 million tonnes.

 

Farmers wrapped up the 2008-09 wheat harvest last month.

 

The Secretariat said it expects production of 8.3 million tonnes this season, down from a previous estimate of 9 million tonnes. The estimates are sharply lower than the 16 million tonnes grown last season, due to decreased planted area and drought damage.