Argentine 2011-12 corn sowing advances swiftly: government

Argentine farmers made swift progress to plant 2011/12 corn thanks to moist soils, though cold weather caused delays in some areas, the Agriculture Ministry said on Friday. Argentina is the world's No 2 corn exporter but dryness has delayed seeding of the crop. Heavy rains this month provided moisture to soils and helped speed plantings, but farmers are still behind last season's pace.
"Corn planting has ended ... and crops are developing. However, low temperatures are not ideal," the report said about the district of Veinticinco de Mayo in Buenos Aires province, the country's top corn producing region. By Thursday, farmers had planted 56 percent of the 4.9 million hectares forecast to be planted with corn, up 11 percentage points from last week, but lagging 9 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 US Department of Agriculture forecasts this season's crop at 27.5 million tonnes. Argentina is also a major global wheat supplier Wheat crops are thriving in most areas, the report said, adding that rains this week boosted crop development and most plants are either in good or very good condition.
However, some areas are in urgent need of showers to guarantee proper crop development, the ministry said. Farmers have started gathering 2011/12 wheat in some of the country's northern provinces. The government estimates this season's wheat output at 12.6 million tonnes, below the USDA's forecast of 13.5 million tonnes.
The Buenos Aires Grains Exchange expects the 2011/12 wheat harvest to be at least 12.6 million tonnes, down from 15.8 million tonnes last season. Argentina is also the world's top soyameal and soyaoil exporter and the No 3 soyabean supplier. The government says farmers will produce between 52 million and 53 million tonnes this season, up from 48 million tonnes last season.
Farmers, who began planting 2011/12 soya last week, continued seeding in several other soya-producing regions, the report said. The USDA sees this season's soya crop at 53 million tonnes, up from an estimated 49 million tonnes last season. Growers had planted 52 percent of the estimated sunseed area of 1.7 million hectares.