November 2, 2009

Argentine wheat and corn exports dropped off sharply in September as supplies from the drought-stricken 2008-09 crops dwindled, while soy shipments fell sharply as exporters concentrated on turning a small crop into meal and oil.

 

Argentina exported 102,497 tonnes of corn in September, down sharply from 1.029 tonnes shipped a year earlier, according to the latest data from the animal health and sanitation service Senasa.

 

September's corn shipments were valued at US$18 million, compared with US$242 million a year earlier.

 

Corn exports during the first nine months of the year totalled 6.83 million tonnes, down from 13.69 million tonnes a year earlier.

 

Iran, Colombia, Algeria, Malaysia and Egypt were the leading destinations for Argentine corn exports during the period.

 

Argentina exported just 517 tonnes of wheat in September, down from 834,480 tonnes shipped a year earlier, according to Senasa.

 

September wheat exports were valued at US$201,000, down from US$263 million a year ago.

 

Wheat exports during the first nine months of the year totalled 4.165 million tonnes, down from 6.99 million tonnes a year earlier.

 

During the first nine months of the year, Brazil dominated the import of Argentine wheat, buying 2.2 million tonnes. Iran and Peru followed with 367,286 and 304,581 tonnes, respectively.

 

Drought battered the 2008-09 soy crop, cutting production by about a third. Argentina's September soy exports totalled 259,645 tonnes, down sharply from the 1.292 million tonnes shipped a year earlier, according to the latest data from the agricultural health and sanitation service, Senasa.

 

Soy exports in September were valued at US$111 million, compared to US$517 million a year earlier.

 

Soy exports during the first nine months of the year totalled 4.3 million tonnes, down from 10.41 million tonnes a year earlier.

 

China is the main market for Argentine soy exports, buying 3.2 million tonnes during the first nine months of the year.

 

Soymeal exports in September totalled 1.138 million tonnes, down from 1.33 million tonnes a year earlier.

 

September soymeal exports were valued at US$464 million, up from US$441 million a year earlier.

 

Soymeal exports during the first nine months of the year totalled 10.4 million tonnes, up from 9.5 million tonnes a year earlier.

 

During the first nine months of the year, Indonesia was the leading importer of Argentine soymeal, buying 1.13 million tonnes. Vietnam followed with 932,687 tonnes, while the Netherlands bought 881,244 tonnes.

 

September soy pellet and cake exports totalled 36,629 tonnes, compared with 422,337 tonnes a year earlier.

 

Soy pellet and cake exports during the first nine months of the year totalled 1.65 million tonnes, compared to 2.24 million tonnes a year earlier.

 

Iran was the top destination for Argentine soy pellet and cake exports during the first seven months of the year, followed by Colombia, Malaysia and Ecuador.