February 21, 2006

 

Argentina's 2005/06 corn crop 2.3 percent collected

 

 

Argentine farmers had collected 2.3 percent of the country's 2005/06 corn crop by Saturday Feb 18, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange reported Monday.

 

The Exchange did not say how the collection pace compares with that of a year ago, when area of the corn crop was bigger.

 

As of Saturday farmers had harvested 51,776 hectares, putting production thus far at 303,872 tonnes.

 

The average yield last week was 5.87tonnes/hectare, lower than the 7.2 tonnes/hectare forecast by the US Department of Agriculture. The USDA has forecast Argentina's 2005/06 corn output at 15.5 million tonnes while the Exchange has put it at 14 million tonnes, way down from about 19.62 million tonnes a year earlier.

 

The Exchange expects yields this season to be 17 percent lower than they were a year ago, when excellent weather helped lift yields and production to record levels.

 

The production estimate for this season is down because farmers planted less corn. The Exchange expects planted area to total 2.26 million hectares, down from 2.63 million a year ago.

 

Yields are expected to decline because of dry weather that damaged the crop during key phases of the planting season.

 

The 2005/06 area, including corn grown for use as animal feed, will total 2.85 million hectares, the Exchange has said.

 

Argentina's Corn Association, Maizar, says production this season will likely total 14 million tonnes.

 

Argentines plant corn September through January and harvest it February through July.