August 31, 2004

Argentina's 2004-05 Wheat Crop 97% Planted As Of Friday

Farmers in Argentina had planted 97.1% of the 2004-05 wheat crop by Friday, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange said Monday.
 
The pace of planting is down slightly from a year ago at this time, when farmers had planted 99.5% of the crop.
 
A relatively dry climate was helpful to farmers in areas that had received excess rain, the exchange said. Farmers still have to finish planting about 180,000 hectares before seeding is complete.
 
The exchange estimates planted area at 6.09 million hectares, compared with 5.92 million a year ago. Some 5.911 million hectares have been planted so far.
 
Argentina produced 14 million metric tons of wheat in 2003-04, according to exchange data. The Agriculture Secretariat has said 2003-04 production totaled 14.5 million tons.
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts that 2004-05 output will total 14.5 million tons.
 
Argentine wheat usually is planted between May and August. The crop is harvested between October and January.
CORN
 
Meanwhile, farmers had planted 0.3% of the 2004-05 corn crop by Friday, the exchange said.
 
As of Friday, about 7,705 hectares had been sown.
 
The exchange has forecast planted area of commercially tradable corn at 2.45 million hectares, compared with 2.23 million a year earlier.
 
Argentina produced 13.1 million tons of corn in 2003-04, according to the exchange. The USDA has forecast 2004-05 output at 15.5 million tons.