March 7, 2006

 

Argentina's 2005/06 corn crop 7.5 percent collected

 

 

Farmers in Argentina had collected 7.5 percent of the country's 2005/06 corn crop by Saturday, 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 was bigger.

 

As of Saturday farmers had harvested 164,780 hectares, putting production thus far at 901,986 tonnes.

 

The average yield last week was 5.47 tonnes/hectare, down 22 percent from a year ago and lower than the 7.2 tonnes/hectare forecast by the US Department of Agriculture for this season.

 

The USDA has forecast Argentina's 2005/06 corn output at 15.5 million tonnes while the Exchange puts it at 14 million tonnes, way down from about 19.62 million a year earlier.

 

The production estimate for this season is down because farmers planted less corn and dry weather damaged what was planted. The Exchange expects planted area to total 2.26 million hectares, down from 2.63 million hectares 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.