March 30, 2004

Argentina's 2003-04 Corn 30.4% Collected
 
Meanwhile, farmers had also collected 30.4% of the 2003-04 corn harvest by Saturday, the exchange reported. By this time last year, farmers had collected 44.1% of the harvest.
 
So far, farmers have produced 4,583,787 tons.
 
Collectible area stands at 2.215 million hectares and 672,720 hectares have been collected thus far.
 
The average yield last week was 6.81 tons/hectare, down from 7.26 tons a year ago at this time.
 
Based on the average yield so far, the exchange has estimated total production of 12.8 million tons. This would be a decline of about 3 million tons from the previous year, according to exchange data.
 
The USDA has forecast 2003-04 corn production at 12.5 million tons.
 
SUNSEED
 
Finally, farmers had collected 72% of the 2003-04 sunseed crop by Saturday. By last year at this time, farmers had collected 72.7% of the crop.
 
Planted area totals 1.95 million hectares, though only 1.937 million hectares will actually be harvested, the exchange said, citing crop damage.
 
The average yield so far this year is 1.94 tons/hectare, compared with 1.78 tons a year ago.
 
Production will total 3.47 million tons, the exchange said, slightly revising an estimate from last week that put output at 3.43 million tons.
 
Last year output totaled 3.6 million tons, according to the exchange.