April 19, 2006

 

Argentina's 2005/06 soybean crop 41.4 percent harvested

 

 

Argentine farmers harvested 41.4 percent of the 2005/06 soybean crop as of Saturday, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange reported Tuesday (Apr 18).

 

"Even though recent rain once again complicated collection of the harvest in much of the production zone... it advanced 14.4 percentage points over the previous 10 days," the exchange said.

 

As of Saturday, farmers collected 6.426 million hectares, putting production until then at 17.369 million tonnes.

 

The average yield last week was 2.62 tonnes per hectare, little changed from a week ago but down from 3.05 tonnes/hectare a year ago when nearly ideal weather lifted yields.

 

Planted area totals 15.62 million hectares, up from 14.67 million a year earlier.

 

Last year, farmers produced a record 38.85 million tonnes of soy, according to the exchange.

 

The exchange has forecast 2005/06 output at 40.4 million tonnes while the US Department of Agriculture sees Argentina's soybean production at 40.5 million tonnes.

 

 

Corn

 

Farmers also harvested 35.3 percent of the 2005/06 corn crop by Saturday, putting the collection pace up 2.8 percentage points from a week ago and up 14 points from a year earlier.

 

By that same date, farmers harvested 777,741 hectares, putting production so far at 4.869 million tonnes.

 

The average yield last week was 6.26 tonnes/hectare, up from 6.24 tonnes/hectare a week ago but down 21.6 percent from 7.98 tonnes/hectare a year ago. A lengthy drought during planting season is hurting yields.

 

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

 

Production estimates are down because farmers planted less corn and dry weather damaged what was planted. Planted area totals 2.26 million hectares, down from 2.63 million hectares a year ago.

 

The 2005/06 area, including corn grown for use as animal feed, totals around 2.85 million hectares.

 

Argentines plant corn September through January and harvest it February through July.