Argentina grains harvest advancing well

Argentine farmers are pressing ahead with its grain harvest, with some areas still struggling from the impact of a severe drought, the Agriculture Secretariat said in its weekly crop report Friday (Apr 3).

 

The early drought and continued dryness in northern fields has led to a decline in yields, the report said.

 

As of March 26, farmers had harvested 12 percent of the area seen going to soy, up from 5 percent at this point last year.

 

 

The corn crop also is continuing to suffer from the impact of the drought earlier in the season, as it reduces yields, the secretariat said.

 

As of March 26, farmers had harvested 24 percent of the area seen going to corn, in line with the pace at this point last year.

 

 

As of March 26, farmers had harvested 89 percent of the area sown to sunflower seeds this season, up from 69 percent at this point last season, the secretariat said.

 

Total production from the 2008-09 crop is seen at 2.4 million tonnes, down from 3.8 million tonnes in 2007-08, according to the secretariat.