July 3, 2006

 

Argentina's 2006/07 wheat crop 52 percent planted

 

 

Farmers in Argentina had planted 52 percent of the 2006/07 wheat crop by Thursday (Jun 29), the Agriculture Secretariat reported Friday.

 

The Secretariat has forecast planted area at 5.599 million hectares, up from 5.16 million a year earlier.

 

According to the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange, farmers had planted 37 percent of the 2006/07 wheat crop by Jun 23. The Exchange expects planted area to total 5.7 million hectares.

 

The Exchange reported earlier this week that dry weather may lead farmers to plant less wheat than originally expected.

 

"The persistent lack of water and the absence of forecasts for better climatic conditions are causing uncertainty about the forecasts we've made for the wheat areas in the south," the Exchange said. "The dearth of rain in western parts of Tres Arroyos is increasing to levels that may cause a drastic reduction in planting in this area near Buenos Aires and La Pampas (provinces)..."

 

However, the Secretariat said rain on Jun 24 and 25 had replenished soil moisture levels in many parts of Buenos Aires Province, which is home to 37 percent of Argentina's planted wheat area.

 

Farmers had planted 2,908,070 hectares by Thursday, according to the Secretariat.

 

In 2005/06 Argentina produced 12 million tonnes of wheat, according to the Exchange. That was down from 16.345 million tonnes a year earlier, when good weather helped lift yields.

 

The US Department of Agriculture has forecast Argentina's 2006/07 wheat crop at 14.3 million tonnes.

 

The Secretariat has not released a formal forecast for 2006/07 wheat production.