July 28, 2008

Rain improves wheat planting in Argentina; corn nearly completes harvest

Argentina's 2007-08 wheat benefit from rainfall in the central farm belt, but dry weather continues to hamper planting in the northwestern areas, the Agriculture Secretariat said in its weekly crop report Friday (July 25).

Planting is stalled in some areas of Cordoba and Santa Fe provinces, the Secretariat said.

Farmers had planted 80 percent of the 4.8 million hectares seen going to wheat this year as of July 24, the Secretariat said. The planting pace is 8 percentage points behind the pace at this date last year.

About 98 percent of the 2007-08 corn crop has been harvested as of July 24, one percentage point ahead of the pace at this time last year, the Secretariat said.

Output is forecast at 20.4 million tonnes.

On the other hand, Argentina's farmers kicked off the 2008-09 sunflower seed planting this week, with the area going to the oilseed expected to rise 6 percent from last season, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange said Friday in its weekly crop report.

More sunseed area is expected in the central pampas due to early drought, which prevented wheat planting in some areas, the exchange said.

Area is expected to increase in the Northern provinces, but dry conditions there may prevent farmers from reaching planting targets, according to the exchange.

Meanwhile, the 2007-08 soy harvest is complete, with production estimated by the Exchange at a record 48 million tonnes.