March 30, 2005

 

Argentina's 2004-05 soybean crop 13 percent collected 

 

 

As of Saturday, farmers in Argentina had collected 13 percent of the 2004-05 soy crop, according to the latest data from the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange.

 

The exchange did not say how the pace of collection compares with that of the previous year. However, it said the average yield on this year's crop is hovering around 3 tonnes per hectare.

 

As of Saturday farmers had harvested 1.885 million hectares, putting production thus far at 5.7 million tonnes. The exchange has forecast total output at 37.7 million tonnes, assuming that yields will average 2.61 tonnes/hectare.

 

"What has been collected so far at the national level has produced yields that are 25 percent higher than those obtained by this time a year ago," the exchange said.

 

High yields in the main soy production zone have compensated for lower-than-expected yields in Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucuman, and northern parts of Cordoba and Santa Fe provinces.

 

Planted areas total 14.67 million hectares, according to the exchange. Last year, farmers planted 14.5 million hectares and harvested 32.2 million tonnes, the exchange said.

 

The US Department of Agriculture, which sees the average yield this year at 2.76 tonnes/hectare, estimates Argentina's 2004-05 soy output at 39 million tonnes.

 

The Agriculture Secretariat has forecast production at 37.5 million tonnes.

 

Corn
 

Meanwhile, farmers had collected 26 percent of the 2004-05 corn crop by Thursday, the exchange said.

 

That puts the pace of collection up from 18 percent a week ago but down from 35 percent a year ago.

 

By Thursday, farmers had collected 818,820 hectares. Planted area totals 3.423 million hectares, up from 2.99 million a year ago.

 

The crop continues to develop well, producing yields as high as 11 tonnes per hectare in some areas, the Secretariat said.

 

The Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange said earlier Tuesday that farmers had harvested 34 percent of the crop by Saturday.

 

Argentina produced 13.1 million tonnes of corn in 2003-04, according to the Exchange. The Secretariat has estimated output for that period at 13.5 million tonnes.

 

The US Department of Agriculture sees 2004-05 Argentine output at 19.5 million tonnes while the Exchange puts it at above 19.2 million tonnes. The Secretariat sees it at 19 million tonnes.