Argentine soya planting helped by rains

The planting of 2011/12 soyabeans in Argentina was helped by recent rains that brought relief to farmers after a dry September, the Agricultural Ministry said in its weekly report on Friday. Argentina is 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 last season.
In the town of Marcos Juarez, in the farming province of Cordoba, soya planting "advanced in a steady manner, although many farmers stopped in order to plant in steps, now that moisture and climate conditions are allowing the work to be done without problems," the ministry said. By Thursday, growers had planted 17 percent of the 18.8 million hectares that the government expects to be planted with 2011/12 soyabeans, the report said. The South American country is also the world's No 2 corn exporter but dryness has delayed seeding of that crop.
While heavy rains last month provided moisture to soils, plantings have nearly come to a halt following forecasts for few showers in some areas and low moisture in others. "Corn planting is still very much behind due to low moisture and low temperatures," the report said about the district of Pigue in Buenos Aires province, the country's top corn-producing region.
Many Argentine farmers will probably wait several weeks before planting corn to keep the crops from being hurt at a critical development stage by La Nina-related dryness starting in December. Growers have sowed 63 percent of the 4.9 million hectares expected to be planted with 2011/12 corn, up 7 percentage points from last week, but 6 percentage points behind last season's pace.
Agriculture Secretary Lorenzo Basso estimated in September that the corn crop would be a record of about 30 million tonnes, while the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates Argentina's 2011/12 harvest at 27.5 million tonnes. Argentina is also a major global wheat supplier and the country's 2011/12 wheat output is estimated by the government at 12.6 million tonnes while the USDA forecasts it at 13.5 million tonnes.
Gathering of the 4.6 million hectares sowed with wheat has begun and the crop shows irregular conditions because some areas need more rain while others could be hit by too much, the report said. Regarding sunseeds, the ministry said growers have planted 65 percent of the 1.7 million hectares planted with 2011/12 sunflowers.