April 3, 2006

 

Argentina 2005/06 soybean crop 19 percent harvested

 

 

Argentina's farmers had harvested 19 percent of the 2005/06 soybean crop by Thursday, the Agriculture Secretariat reported Friday (Mar 31).

 

That puts the collection pace up from 9 percent a week ago but down 1 percentage point from a year ago. Farmers are progressing quite quickly, given that area this season is almost 800,000 hectares bigger than that of the previous year.

 

As of Friday farmers had collected 2,918,560 hectares.

 

Planted area totals 15.182 million hectares, compared with 14.4 million hectares a year ago.

 

According to the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange, the average yield last week was 2.5 tonnes a hectare, up from 2.11 tonnes a week ago but down 17.5 percent from a year ago, when excellent weather lifted yields.

 

The exchange has estimated planted area totals 15.62 million hectares, up from 14.67 million hectares a year earlier.

 

Last year, farmers produced a record 38.3 million tonnes of soy, according to the Secretariat, which has forecast output this season at a record 39.5 million tonnes.

 

The exchange has forecast 2005/06 output at 40 million tonnes, while the US Department of Agriculture sees Argentina's soybean production at 40.5 million tonnes.

 

 

Corn

 

Farmers had also harvested 19 percent of the 2005/06 corn crop by Thursday.

 

That puts the collection pace up from 15 percent a week ago but down from 38 percent a year earlier, when area was bigger. Poor weather and rain have slowed the work of farmers this season and lowered yields.

 

As of Thursday, farmers had harvested 491,750 hectares.

 

Planted area totals 3.048 million hectares compared with 3.348 million a year earlier. These figures include area dedicated to corn grown exclusively for use as animal feed.

 

According to the Exchange, farmers had harvested 20.3 percent of 2.26 million hectares by Saturday.

 

The exchange's estimate does not include corn planted for use as animal feed. The average yield last week was 5.89 tonnes per hectare, putting production so far at 2.635 million tonnes, according to the exchange.

 

The Secretariat has forecast corn production this season at 13.9 million tonnes, well below 20 million a year ago, when excellent weather helped boost yields to record levels.

 

The exchange has forecast Argentine corn production at 14 million tonnes, while the USDA has put local output at 15.5 million tonnes.