February 26, 2009

Argentina's crops continue to suffer from the effects of a prolonged drought but got a boost from recent rainfall, the Agriculture Secretariat said in its weekly crop report Wednesday (February 25). The report covers the period up to Feb. 19.

 

The Secretariat hasn't released the report since early this month. An Agriculture Secretariat spokesperson declined to comment on the reasons for the delay, but local daily El Cronista reported Tuesday the director of the department that produces the report, Mario Camarero, was recently fired. Camarero had headed the department for 8 years.

 

Soy planting is 99 percent complete and conditions are poor due to the drought.

 

In the Veinticinco de Mayo district of Buenos Aires province "its possible that the crop may recover if it starts to rain, but the crop has deteriorated," the Secretariat said.

 

However, the Agriculture Secretariat said in its monthly report last week that recent showers helped farmers' complete late planting and have "generated good expectations for future yields."

 

The Secretariat raised its forecast for soy area to a record 17 million hectares (42 million acres), up from 16.5 million hectares forecast last month.

 

The corn crop was seriously affected by the drought in many areas, although is in relatively good condition in the important corn-growing province of Cordoba.

 

In the Laboulaye district of Cordoba, "there's been a certain recovery after the rainfall last week, but if temperatures stay high, more water will be needed soon," the Secretariat said.

 

The sunseed harvest is progressing rapidly, although the condition of the crop is poor, according to the Secretariat. As of Feb. 19, farmers had harvested 30 percent of the crop, compared with 21 percent at this point a year ago.

 

In the Pehuajo district of Buenos Aires Province, early yields are coming in at between 1 tonne and 2.5 tonnes per hectare. The final stage of grain filling has been seriously affected by the hot, dry weather and the extent of the damage will become clearer over the next 15 days, the Secretariat said.