January 11, 2005

 

 

Argentina's November 2004 Wheat And Corn Exports Up From 2003

 

Argentina's year-on-year wheat exports continued to rise in November as the country shipped more wheat to non- traditional markets such as Egypt and Sri Lanka, latest data from the Agriculture Secretariat showed.

 

Argentina exported 1,112,500 metric tons of wheat in November, an increase of almost 236% from the same month last year, revealed the Secretariat. 330,998 tons were shipped in November 2003.

 

Exports rose as more countries bought local wheat at discounted prices. Argentina sold wheat to 15 countries in November, compared to only three a year earlier.

 

Brazil, Argentina's No. 1 buyer, imported 367,715 tons of wheat in November, up about 17% from 314,844 tons a year earlier.

 

Egypt was the second largest buyer of Argentine wheat in November, accounting for 359,192 tons against none year earlier.

 

Tanzania came in third with 72,520 tons and Sri Lanka was fourth with 66,720 tons. A year ago, both countries did not buy any wheat from Argentina a year earlier.

 

2003-04 wheat production in Argentina is at an estimated 14.5 million tons and the country is confident that it can produce up to 15.7 million in the coming year 2004-05, according to Agriculture Secretary Miguel Campos.

 

The US Department of Agriculture has estimated that Argentina will export eight million metric tons of 2003-04 wheat. In 2004-05, exports will rise to 8.5 million, according to the USDA.

 

CORN EXPORTS

 

Meanwhile, Argentina exported 630,479 tons of corn in November, which is 7.4% more than the 587,279 tons exported during the same month a year earlier.

 

Sales rose as Malaysia bought 177,201 tons in November, compared with none a year earlier.

 

Chile ranked second as it imported 80,773 tons, down from 118,425 a year earlier.

 

South Africa came in third in November, importing 72,956 tons, up from 20,570 tons a year earlier.

 

Argentina is the world's No. 2 corn exporter, behind the US.

 

The country will probably export 8.65 million tons of 2003-04 corn, the USDA estimates. In 2004-05, this figure could rise to 11 million tons.