November 26, 2007

 

Argentina to re-seed some soy, corn due to frost
 

 

Argentine farmers in a number of areas hit hard by frost last week will have to replant soy and corn seeds due to the damage suffered, the Agriculture Secretariat said in its weekly crop report on Friday (November 23, 2007).

 

Frost swept the low-lying areas of the farm belt last week, causing fears of widespread damage. However, the developing wheat crop seems to have escaped relatively unharmed, according to the Secretariat.

 

Wheat
 

As of November 22, farmers had harvested 9 percent of the 2007-08 wheat crop, 16 percentage points behind the harvest pace last season, according to the Secretariat. Yields from the early wheat have averaged about 1.6 tonnes per hectare, according to the Secretariat.

 

The late frost affected some areas severely, but should not have a significant effect on overall output, the Secretariat said.

 

"Abundant rainfall and higher temperatures over the past weeks caused a significant recuperation of the (wheat) crop in the bulk of the planted area...allowing the crop to withstand the negative affects that could have been caused by the frosts over the past 15 days," the Secretariat said in its monthly crop report Thursday.

 

The Secretariat sees 2007-08 wheat production of 15.4 million tonnes. The US Department of Agriculture sees 14.7 million tonnes of wheat coming from the Pampas this season.

 

Corn
 

While some corn fields will have to be replanted due to the frost, many of the young plants will recover, although development will be delayed, the Secretariat said.

 

As of November 22, farmers had planted 78 percent of the 4 million hectares seen going to corn this season, five percentage points ahead of the planting pace on the same date last year, according to the Secretariat.

 

Soy
 

Farmers have planted 45 percent of the record 16.6 million hectares seen going to soy this season, according to the Secretariat.

 

Dry weather in some areas has slowed planting and frost damage will necessitate some reseeding, it said.

 

The planting pace is 10 percentage points behind the pace on the same date last year.

 

Sunseed
 

As of November 22, farmers had planted 85 percent of the 2.6 million hectares seen going to sunseeds this season, one percentage point ahead of the planting pace at this time last year, according to the Secretariat.

 

Estimates for Argentina's 2007-08 crop production in millions of hectares (HA) or millions of tones.

 

                                         Wheat          Soy           Corn          Sunseed

 Agriculture Sec't                15.4MT        16.6HA       4HA             2.6HA

 USDA                               14.7MT        47.5MT       24.5MT         4.5MT

 B.A. Cereals Exchange       15.2MT       16.8HA        3.2HA          2.7HA

 AgriPac Consultores           17MT          52MT          26MT            4.8MT

 Panagricola S.A.                15MT          48.5MT        25MT           4.8MT

 Granar S.A.                       15.6MT       48-50MT      25 MT          4.6MT

 Agropuerto S.A.                 14.5MT       46.5MT        25.5MT        4.6MT

 

Argentina's historical production estimates in millions of tonnes, according to the Agriculture Secretariat:

 

                            Wheat    Soy        Corn      Sunseed

 2006-07                14.6      47.6        21.8         3.6

 2005-06                12.6      40.5        14.5         3.8

 2004-05                16         38.3        20.5         3.7

 2003-04                14.6      31.6        15            3.1

 2002-03                12.3      35           14.7         3.4