July 17, 2006

 

Argentina's 2005/06 soybeans remain 99 percent collected

 

 

Farmers in Argentina had harvested 99 percent of the 2005/06 soybean crop by Thursday (Jul 13), which means the collection pace hasn't changed since mid-June, the Agriculture Secretariat reported Friday.

 

That pace is inline with that of the previous year.

 

The Secretariat said 3 percent of the planted area in Chaco Province has yet to be collected.

 

"Yields there, even if they are variable, are considered to be good," the Secretariat said.

 

As of Thursday, farmers nationwide had collected 14,917,420 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, farmers had finished collecting the crop more than a week ago. Output totalled 40.75 million metric tonnes.

 

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 US Department of Agriculture sees Argentina's soybean production at 41.3 million tonnes.

 

 

Corn

 

Farmers had also harvested 96 percent of the 2005/06 corn crop by Thursday.

 

That puts the pace up from 95 percent a week ago but down from 97 percent a year earlier, when area was bigger.

 

As of Thursday, farmers had harvested 2,245,140 hectares.

 

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

 

According to the Exchange, farmers had harvested 98 percent of 2.26 million hectares by July 7.

 

The Exchange's estimate does not include corn planted for use as animal feed. The average yield last week was 6.51 tonnes per hectare, putting production so far at 14.06 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 14 million tonnes.