June 26, 2006

 

Argentina's 2005/06 soybean crop 98 percent collected

 

 

Argentine farmers had harvested 98 percent of the 2005/06 soybean crop by Thursday (Jun 22), the Agriculture Secretariat reported Friday.

 

That puts the pace up from 97 percent a week ago and in line with that of the previous year.

 

The Secretariat said little about the condition of the crop.

 

As of Thursday they had collected 14,870,150 hectares.

 

Planted area totals 15,195,423 million hectares, compared with 14.4 million hectares a year ago.

 

According to the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange, the average yield last week was 2.64 tonnes/hectare. By Jun 16 farmers had produced 40.625 million tonnes of soy.

 

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 40 million tonnes.

 

The Exchange has forecast 2005/06 output at 40.75 million tonnes while the US Department of Agriculture sees Argentina's soybean production at 41.3 million tonnes.

 

 

Corn

 

Farmers had also harvested 92 percent of the 2005/06 corn crop by Thursday.

 

That puts the pace up from 90 percent a week ago but down from 93 percent a year earlier, when area was bigger.

 

As of Thursday farmers had harvested 2,141,830 hectares.

 

Planted area totals 3.07 million hectares compared with 3.4 million a year earlier. This includes corn grown solely for use as animal feed.

 

According to the Exchange, farmers had harvested 91.3 percent of 2.26 million hectares by Jun 16.

 

The Exchange's estimate does not include corn planted for use as animal feed. The average yield last week was 6.47 tonnes per hectare, putting production so far at 13 million tonnes, according to the Exchange.

 

The Secretariat has forecast corn production this season at 14 million tonnes, way down from 20 million 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 17.5 million tonnes.