June 12, 2006

 

Argentina's 2005/06 soybean crop 93 percent collected
 

 

Farmers in Argentina had harvested 93 percent of the 2005/06 soybean crop by Thursday (Jun 8), the Agriculture Secretariat reported Friday.

 

That puts the pace up from 92 percent a week ago, but down from 97 percent a year earlier.

 

A lack of diesel in some areas slowed farmers' work last week, the Secretariat said.

 

As of Thursday they had collected 14,637,470 hectares.

 

Planted area totals 15,197,966 million hectares, compared with 14.4 million a year ago.

 

According to the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange, the average yield last week was 2.66 tonnes/hectare. By Saturday farmers had produced 39.585 million tonnes of soy.

 

The Exchange has estimated planted area totals 15.62 million hectares, up from 14.67 million a year earlier.

 

Last year farmers produced a record 38.3 million tonnes of soy, according to the Secretariat, which has forecast output this season at a record 40 million tonnes.

 

The Exchange has forecast 2005-06 output at 40.75 million tonnes while the US Department of Agriculture sees Argentina's soybean production at 41.3 million tonnes.

 

 

Corn
 

Farmers had also harvested 86 percent of the 2005/06 corn crop by Thursday.

 

That puts the pace up from 83 percent a week ago but down from 91 percent a year earlier, when area was bigger.

 

As of Thursday, farmers had harvested 2,010,730 hectares.

 

Planted area totals 3.05 million hectares compared with 3.348 million a year earlier. These figures include area dedicated to corn grown solely for use as animal feed.

 

According to the Exchange, farmers had harvested 84.8 percent of 2.26 million hectares by Saturday.

 

The Exchange's estimate does not include corn planted for use as animal feed. The average yield last week was 6.45 tonnes per hectare, putting production so far at 12.079 million tonnes, according to the Exchange.

 

The Secretariat has forecast corn production this season at 14 million tonnes, way down from 20 million a year ago, when excellent weather lifted yields to record levels.

 

The Exchange has forecast Argentine corn production at 14.4 million tonnes while the USDA has put local output at 17.5 million tonnes.