December 18, 2009

 

Argentina corn forecast boosted to 1.95 million hectares

  

 

Argentina's 2009-10 commercial corn planting forecast was increased to 1.95 million hectares from 1.875 million, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange said in its weekly crop report Thursday (December 17).

 

Increased rainfall in recent weeks has improved conditions and allowed for some increased planting of late corn, the exchange said.

 

Still, planted area is seen falling 21% on the year.

 

With 83% of the crop planted, conditions are good or very good across most of the farm belt, the exchange said.

 

The Agriculture Ministry forecasts total corn area of 3 million hectares and the Rosario Grain Exchange sees total corn output of 13 million tonnes.

   

The exchange trimmed its forecast for sunflower seed planting to 1.278 million hectares from 1.3 million hectares estimated last week.

 

That puts area down 42.7% on the year.

 

Dry conditions in the southeast of Buenos Aires province and in La Pampa province caused some farmers to give up on sunflower seed planting, the exchange said.

 

To date, 98.6% of the crop has been planted, according to the exchange.

  

The wheat harvest is advancing, with 38% of the forecast 7.5 million tonnes harvested to date, the exchange said. Production is expected to be down 18.5% on the year.

 

The Agriculture Ministry pegs wheat output at 7 million tonnes.

  

A letup in showers over the past week allowed farmers to plow forward with soybean planting, with 80% of the record 19 million hectares seen going to the oilseed planted to date, the exchange said.

 

The Agriculture Ministry forecasts the planting of 18.2 million hectares.

 

The Rosario Grain Exchange forecasts soy production of 47 million tonnes, while the US Department of Agriculture expects 53 million tonnes.