May 29, 2006

 

Argentina's 2005/06 soybean crop 89 percent collected

 

 

Argentina's farmers had collected 89 percent of the 2005/06 soybean crop by Thursday (May 25), according to the latest data from the Agriculture Secretariat.

 

That puts the pace up from 86 percent a week ago, but down four percentage points from a year earlier.

 

As of Friday, they had collected 13,773,350 hectares.

 

Planted area totals 15,197,966 million hectares, compared with 14.4 million a year ago.

 

According to the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange, the average yield last week was 2.67 tonnes/hectare. By Saturday farmers had produced 37.453 million tonnes of soy.

 

The Exchange has estimated planted area totals 15.62 million hectares, up from 14.67 million 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 40 million tonnes.

 

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 had also harvested 79 percent of the 2005/06 corn crop by Thursday.

 

That puts the pace up from 70 percent a week ago but down from 83 percent a year earlier, when area was bigger. Dry weather has slowed the work of farmers this season and lowered yields.

 

As of Thursday farmers had harvested 1,845,160 hectares.

 

Planted area totals 3.05 million hectares compared with 3.348 million hectares a year earlier. These figures include area dedicated to corn grown exclusively for use as animal feed.

 

According to the Exchange, farmers had harvested 73 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 6.43 tonnes per hectare, putting production so far at 10.337 million tonnes, according to the Exchange.

 

The Secretariat has forecast corn production this season at 14 million tonnes, way down from 20 million tonnes a year ago, when excellent weather lifted yields to record levels.

 

The Exchange has forecast Argentine corn production at 14.4 million tonnes while the USDA has put local output at 15.5 million tonnes.