October 17, 2007

Argentina improves corn planting despite rain

Farmers in Argentina have improved their corn crop seeding for 2007/08 despite persistent rains that hindered planting in some areas, the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange said in a weekly report.

Sowing continued in much of Cordoba and Santa Fe provinces, the No. 1 and No. 3 corn-growing districts in Argentina, which is the world's second-biggest corn exporter after the United States.

Rains "in southern Santa Fe and eastern Cordoba did not significantly hinder the pace of planting, which has covered about 80 percent of forecast area to date," the grain exchange said, referring to figures updated to Friday (October 12).

Precipitation however slowed planting in northern parts of No. 2 corn producer Buenos Aires province.

Nationwide, farmers have seeded 33.2 percent of the 3.2 million hectares forecast for commercial-use corn, rising 8.2 percentage points from a week earlier.

Argentina's Agriculture Secretariat has not yet forecast 2007/08 corn production, but the US Department of Agriculture estimates Argentine output at a record of 22.5 million tonnes.