February 24, 2004
Argentina's 2003-04 Corn Crop To Total 12.8 Million MT
As of Saturday, Argentine farmers had harvested 5% of the corn crop, putting production thus far at 693,156 tons. By this time last year, farmers had harvested 4.8% of the crop.
The average yield so far is 6.24 tons/hectare, compared with 6.42 tons a year ago at this time.
Based on the average yield so far, the exchange has estimated total production of around 12.8 million tons, though this figure could decline if the crop faces "adverse weather conditions within the next few days," the exchange said.
Meanwhile, as of Saturday, Argentina's farmers had finished collecting 21% of the 2003-04 sunseed crop.
Collection is down a tad from last year, when 21.7% of the crop had been harvested, according to the exchange.
Planted area totals 1.95 million hectares, though only 1.947 million hectares will actually be harvested, the exchange said, citing crop damage.
The average yield so far this year is 2.01 tons/hectare, compared with just 1.68 tons a year ago.
With adequate rainfall in the weeks ahead, total production will likely amount to between 3.3 million and 3.4 million tons, the exchange said.
This would be a decline of around 6% from a year ago.