Rains brought much-needed moisture to Argentine wheat growing areas this week, the government said in its weekly crop report on Friday. Argentina, a leading wheat grower, exports most of its crop to neighbouring Brazil. Dry weather was stressing young plants in southern parts of the Buenos Aires province, the top wheat-growing region.
"There were some rains in the Pigue district. The rainfall came at the right time to guarantee that the crops sprout all right and to allow farmers to finish planting," the Agriculture Ministry said in the report. Wheat-growing areas in the provinces of Santa Fe, Cordoba and La Pampa also saw some rains, according to the report, which is updated to Thursday.
Farmers had planted 87 percent of the 4.7 million hectares earmarked for wheat by Thursday, 8 percentage points up from the previous week and 7 points ahead of last season's pace. Earlier this month, the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange lowered its 2011/12 wheat area outlook to 4.7 million hectares, a 5 percent drop from a previous estimate. The Rosario grains exchange forecasts Argentina's 2011/12 wheat area at 4.5 million hectares. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts Argentina's 2011/12 wheat output at 15 million tonnes.
SOYA, CORN Argentine farmers have finished the 2010/11 harvest, and the ministry on Thursday lowered its soya production estimate to 48.8 million tonnes from 49.6 million previously. The La Nina weather anomaly brought severe dryness to Argentina's farming belt in late 2010, prompting analysts to lower their soya harvest forecasts. However, rains earlier this year revitalised the crop.
Argentina is the world's No 1 soyameal and soyaoil exporter, as well as its third-biggest soyabean supplier. The USDA sees Argentina's output this season at 49.5 million tonnes. With regards to corn, the report said the harvest was slow in the central provinces of La Pampa and Santa Fe due to high levels of soil moisture.