December 30, 2003

 

 

Argentina's 2003-04 Corn 88.3% Planted

 

88.3% of Argentina's 2003-04 corn crop has been planted as of December 27, up from 83.5% a week ago, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange said in its weekly crops report.

 

The exchange did not say how the pace of planting compares with that of the previous year.

 

The exchange kept its estimate for planted area of commercially tradable corn at 2.2 million hectares. This is down from 2.4 million hectares a year earlier.

 

As of Saturday, farmers had planted 1,942,500 million hectares of 2003-04 corn, according to the exchange.

 

Around 250,000 hectares have yet to be planted in northern provinces, according to the exchange. Recent rain in these areas could be good for growth and might cause the exchange to increase its estimate for planted area.

 

The crop is developing well in Buenos Aires province, where the grain is filling out well, the exchange said.

 

The Agriculture Secretariat expects 2003-04 seeded area to total 2.796 million hectares. In 2002-03, Argentina planted 3.092 million hectares of corn and produced 15 million metric tons of the grain, Secretariat data show. Both of these estimates include corn used as feed.

 

According to the exchange, Argentina produced 15.25 million tons of corn last year.

 

The U.S. Department has estimated 2003-04 corn production at 13.5 million tons.

 

SOYBEANS

 

Meanwhile, the exchange said farmers had planted 89.5% of the 2003-04 soybean crop by Saturday.

 

This is up from 88.3% a week ago.

 

"Area that was planted early is beginning to flower in eastern and northern parts of Cordoba, center-south Santa Fe, Entre Rios and northern Buenos Aires," the exchange said. "The best lots are in these last two areas."

 

The pace of planting is down one percentage point compared with that of the previous year, according to the exchange.

 

Area is expected to total 13.9 million hectares, the largest soy area in Argentine history.

 

A week ago, the exchange estimated that 2003-04 soybean production will rise 1.1 million metric tons from a year ago, putting output at almost 36.4 million tons.

 

Last year, farmers planted 12.8 million hectares and produced 35.27 million tons of soybeans, according to the exchange. The USDA estimates 2003- 04 soybean production at 36.5 million tons.

 

Some 12,443,400 hectares had been planted by Saturday.

 

SUNSEED

 

Finally, farmers had also planted 98.4% of the 2003-04 sunseed crop by Saturday. This is up from 94.5% the previous week.

 

The exchange did not say how the pace of planting compares with the previous year. But it did say that the condition of the crop in some areas is in delicate shape of because recent storms and excess precipitation. Moreover, future storms may pose a problem for the crop.

 

"The condition of the crop in northern Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero and Chaco was good until last week," the exchange said. However, the crops in these areas will "have to put up with the impact of severe storms."

 

Area is estimated at 1.95 million hectares, the exchange said. Compared with a year ago, area is expected to decline 15.2%, the exchange said.

 

In 2002-03, farmers planted 2.3 million hectares.

 

So far 1,919,200 hectares have been planted.

 

The Agriculture Secretariat expects to total 2.058 million hectares, down from 2.32 million the previous year, according to official data.

 

Neither the exchange nor the Secretariat has forecast total sunseed production for 2003-04.

 

The USDA has estimated 2003-04 sunseed output at 3.3 million tons.