October 15, 2007

Argentine corn planting advances as rains continue

Argentina's 2007/08 corn planting continued to surge ahead due excellent soil moisture levels, although the heavy rainfall made seeding impossible in some areas, the Agriculture Secretariat said in its weekly crop report Friday (October 12).

As of October 11, farmers had planted 41 percent of the 3.95 million hectares seen going to corn this season, 12 percentage points ahead of the planting pace on the same date last year, according to the Secretariat.

Wheat conditions are good, although high moisture levels are leading to some outbreaks of fungal infections and the rainfall hindered the application of fungicides, the secretariat said.

The secretariat estimates 2007/08 wheat planting at 5.4 million hectares.

The US Department of Agriculture Friday (October 12) upped its estimate for Argentine wheat production by 500,000 tonnes to 14.5 million tonnes.

As of October 11, farmers had planted 22 percent of the 2.75 million hectares seen going to sunseeds this season, one percentage point behind the planting pace at this time last year, according to the secretariat.