September 26, 2012

A drop of 10% on-year to just over four million hectares is expected for Argentina's total corn planting area.

According to the Rosario Grain Exchange on Tuesday (Sep 25), the forecast marks the first for the 2012-13 corn season, but the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange has forecast 2012-13 commercial corn area at 3.4 million hectares, down 12% on the year.

Corn planting is just starting and recent showers across the farm belt auger well for planting conditions.

In many areas yields have the potential to set new records, but some of the lower fields may be too wet, the Rosario Exchange said.

High global corn prices due to drought in the US have made the crop much more attractive to many Argentine farmers.

Argentina is the world's No. two corn exporter behind the US. Estimates for Argentina's 2012-13 crop production in millions of hectares or millions of tonnes (one hectare equals 2.47 acres).