December 30, 2003

 

 

Argentina's 2003-04 Wheat 61% Collected

 

Argentina's farmers collected 61.1% of the 2003-04 wheat crop as of December 27, the Buenos Aires Cereals exchange reported.

 

This is up from 50.7% a week ago. The exchange did not compare the pace of planting with that of the previous year.

 

Around 3,362,245 hectares have been collected so far, putting production at 7,801,396 metric tons.

 

The average yield so far is 2.32 tons per hectare, according to the exchange. This is below the average yield of 2.66 tons/hectare forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

 

Argentina produced 12.16 million tons of wheat in 2002-03, according to the exchange.

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated 2003-04 corn output at 12.5 million tons.

 

The Agriculture Secretariat has estimated 2003-04 output at 12.4 million tons, compared with 12.3 million tons last year.

 

The cereals exchange has forecast output at 12.9 million tons.

 

This would put 2003-04 output up 6% from the previous year, when Argentina produced 12.1 million tons, according to exchange data.

 

Production is likely to rise because of higher yields. However, collectible area, currently estimated at 5.49 million hectares, is down from 5.83 million in 2002-03.

 

Yields are higher even in areas that have been affected by a long drought, the exchange said.

 

"Even in Cordoba, yields are higher than expected," according to the exchange.