Argentine 2011/12 wheat is flourishing thanks to good soil moisture and favourable weather in many growing regions, the Agriculture Ministry said on Friday in its weekly report. Argentina is a top global wheat exporter and Brazil is its biggest market.
"Wheat crops are evolving favourably and are not showing any health problems," the ministry report said about Bolivar in central Buenos Aires province, the country's top wheat-growing region. In some areas, though, farmers advanced slowly with plantings due to scarce rainfall this season. Farmers had planted 97 percent of the 4.7 million hectares (11.6 million acres) earmarked for wheat by Thursday, up 3 percentage points from last week and 1 point ahead of last season's pace.
Argentina's 2011/2012 wheat harvest is expected to come in at 12.5 million tonnes, the Rosario Grains Exchange said this week in its first estimate for this season's crop The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) cut its estimate for Argentine wheat output to 13.5 million tonnes from 15 million tonnes previously.
CORN, SUNSEED Argentina is the world's second-largest corn supplier after the United States. The 2010/11 harvest is in its last stages but La Nina-related dryness from earlier in the season reduced corn yields. Corn gathering advanced slowly this week due to excess moisture in the grains, the report said.
Growers gathered 98 percent of the 4.4 million hectares planted with 2010/11 corn by Thursday, matching last season's pace. The Buenos Aires Grains Exchange forecasts 2010/11 corn output at 21 million tonnes, while the USDA forecasts 22 million tonnes. With regard to sunflowers, some progress was made in seeding the 2011/12 crop this week although farmers are discouraged by flocks of hungry parrots eating their crops. Argentina's Agriculture Ministry has not estimated sunflower area yet, but the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange estimates the crop's area at 1.86 million hectares.
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