December 14, 2004

 

 

Argentina's 2004-05 Soy Crop 73% Planted as of Saturday

 

Argentine farmers had planted 72.6% of the 2004- 05 soybean crop as of Saturday, according to the latest data from the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange.

 

Although rain slowed farmers' work last week, the pace of planting still is up from 64.6% the previous year. Last year, farmers planted 14.5 million hectares and harvested 32.2 million metric tons of soy.

 

The exchange sees the 2004-05 area at 14.7 million hectares. Some 10,673,700 hectares have been planted so far.

 

In general the crop is in good shape, the exchange said, saying that current conditions bode well for good vegetative development.

 

Neither the exchange nor the Agriculture Secretariat has formally forecast 2004-05 soybean production.

 

The US Department of Agriculture sees Argentina's 2004-05 soy output at 39 million tons.

 

CORN

 

Meanwhile, farmers had also planted 92% of the 2004-05 commercial corn crop by Saturday. This puts the pace of planting up from 77.2% a year earlier.

 

Poor climatic conditions made it hard for farmers to plant the crop last week, the exchange said. The pace of planting rose only two percentage points from a week earlier.

 

The exchange sees the planted area of exportable corn at 2.5 million hectares. Last year area totaled 2.28 million hectares.

 

As of Saturday farmers had planted 2,300,520 hectares.

 

Argentina produced 13.1 million tons of corn in 2003-04, according to the exchange. The USDA has forecast 2004-05 output at 15.5 million tons.

 

SUNSEED

 

Farmers had planted 99.5 of the 2004-05 sunseed crop as of Saturday.

 

The exchange sees the planted area for 20004-05 sunseed at 1.92 million hectares, up from 1.8 million a year ago.

 

In 2003-04, Argentina produced 3.24 million tons of sunseed, according to the exchange.

 

The USDA has forecast 2004-05 sunseed production at 3.4 million tons.