February 22, 2005

Argentina's 2004-05 corn crop 2.6% collected

Argentine farmers had collected 2.6% of the 2004-05 corn crop by Saturday, according to the latest data from the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange.

As of Saturday, farmers had collected 67,118 hectares, putting production thus far at 330,198 metric tons. The average yield so far is 4.92 tons per hectare.

Farmers planted 2.565 million hectares, compared with 2.28 million a year earlier.

Last year, Argentina produced 13.1 million metric tons of corn, according to the exchange.

The US Department of Agriculture has forecast Argentina's 2004-05 output at 17.5 million tons, while the Agriculture Secretariat has put it at 19 million tons.

Farmers will harvest at least 18.6 million tons this year, according to the exchange.

This estimate is based on higher-than-expected yields. Yields are expected to total a record 7.3 tons per hectare because of favourable climatic conditions. In some areas yields will even surpass 10 tons per hectare, the exchange has said.

If climatic conditions prove favourable, the harvest could surpass 19 million tons, the exchange said.