November 24, 2010

 
Argentine farmers distressed by lack of rain
 

Soy farmers in Argentina's largest producing area are distressed after rains that fell on most of the country's green lands in the last three days did not take place in the region, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange said.

"It has been about 20 days without rain in parts of Santa Fe and Buenos Aires provinces", an analyst said. "Farmers say they will wait to start sowing as soon as rains fall, but rains do not come and they start to feel distressed."

Argentina is the world's third-largest exporter of soy, after the US and Brazil. Approximately 40% of Argentine production comes from the area known as the "heartland," which occupies the south of Santa Fe and the north of Buenos Aires. Sowing in the area was halted in the week to November 18 due to dry weather, the exchange said.

Soy planting began in late September and harvesting will start in the first half of 2011. National production in the 2010-2011 harvest will be approximately 52 million tonnes, Agricultural Undersecretary, Oscar Solis, said recently. The 2009-2010 crop reached 55 million tonnes, according to the exchange.

"Farmers can delay planting to wait for rains, but they will need moisture in the soil," the analyst said. Rains fell in other producing areas such as Cordoba province and southern Buenos Aires between November 20 and 22, the analyst added.