Argentine farmers begin 2011-12 soya seeding

Argentine farmers began to plant soya this week for the 2011/12 season as recent rains boosted soil moisture, the Agriculture Ministry said in its latest report on Friday. Argentina is the world's top soyameal and soyaoil exporter and the third-biggest soyabean supplier.
The government says farmers will produce between 52 million tonnes and 53 million tonnes this season, up from 48 million tonnes last season. "Rains allowed soya seeding in Bolivar," the government said about the district located in Buenos Aires province, the country's top soya-producing region. The Buenos Aires Grains Exchange has not forecast soya output this season, but in its first area estimate for the crop on Thursday, it said farmers will plant 2011/12 soya on 18.6 million hectares, a slight increase from the 18.5 million hectares last season.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates Argentina's 2011/12 soya crop at 53 million tonnes, up from an estimated 49 million tonnes last season. Argentina is also a leading global wheat exporter and a key supplier to Brazil. The government sees 2011/12 wheat output slipping to 12.6 million tonnes from 15.3 million last season, because of dry weather that hit the crop in September.
Although the outlook has improved as a result of recent rains, the report said dryness caused yield losses in some areas planted with wheat. The USDA forecasts this season's wheat output at 13.5 million tonnes, down from 15.0 million tonnes last season.
Corn plantings have been delayed due to dryness, though showers this week provided fresh moisture to soils in corn-producing areas. "Seeding advanced significantly crops are healthy and plants are firm," the ministry said about Laboulaye in Cordoba province, one of the country's leading corn-producing regions.
Argentina is the world's No 2 corn exporter. By Thursday, farmers had planted 45 percent of the 4.9 million hectares forecast to be planted with corn, up 13 percentage points from last week, but lagging 14 percentage points behind the previous season's pace, the ministry said.
Agriculture Secretary Lorenzo Basso estimated last month the corn crop would come in at a record of about 30 million tonnes, while the USDA estimates Argentina's 2011/12 crop at 27.5 million tonnes. Regarding sunseeds, growers had planted 35 percent of the estimated sunseed area of 1.7 million hectares, the ministry said.