August 7, 2006

Argentina's 2006/07 wheat 90 percent planted

Argentine farmers had planted 90 percent of the 2006/07 wheat crop by Friday, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange reported Friday (Aug 4).

This puts the planting pace up from 85 percent a week ago but down 3.7 points from a year earlier.

"Last weekend's rains were very helpful in increasing the water content in the southeast and south of Buenos Aires Province," the Exchange said.

Farmers have planted 4.89 million hectares so far.

The Exchange expects planted area to total 5.43 million hectares, down from the 5.45 million hectares forecast last week.

Last year area planted with wheat totalled 5.2 million hectares.

In 2005/06 Argentina produced 12 million tonnes of wheat, according to the Exchange. That was down from 16.345 million tonnes a year earlier, when good weather helped lift yields on a bigger planted area.

The US Department of Agriculture has forecast Argentina's 2006/07 wheat crop at 14.3 million tonnes.