December 26, 2005

 

Argentina's 2005/06 wheat harvest 58 percent collected

 

 

Argentine farmers increased the place of collection this past week while harvesting the 2005/06 wheat crop, the Agriculture Secretariat reported Friday.

 

By Thursday, farmers had collected 58 percent of the crop, raising that figure from 46 percent a week ago. The pace of collection is down from 61 percent a year ago.

 

"The harvest proceeded at a good pace during the week, with the exception of some areas in southern (Buenos Aires) province, where irregular rain and elevated moisture slowed work," the Secretariat said.

 

Buenos Aires Province is home to 58 percent of the national planted wheat area.

 

The USDA, which has forecast the average yield this season at 2.39 tonnes/hectare, sees final output totalling 12.1 million tonnes.

 

So far farmers have harvested 2.822 million hectares, the Secretariat said.

 

Planted area totalled 5.035 million hectares, down from 6.262 million a year ago. Farmers planted less wheat this season because of dry weather and low wheat prices.

 

According to a recent forecast from the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange, farmers will produce 11.4 million tonnes of wheat in 2005-06. That would put production down about 47 percent from the previous year, when output was a record 16.345 million tonnes, according to the Exchange.

 

Collectable area totals 4.908 million hectares, down from 6.09 million hectares a year ago, according to the Exchange.

 

Nationwide, the average yield last week rose to 2.67 tonnes/hectare from 2.56 tonnes/hectare a week earlier and up from 1.67 tonnes/hectare two weeks ago, the Exchange said earlier this week.

 

Argentines plant wheat May through August and harvest it October through January.