BUENOS AIRES: Dryness in Argentina is complicating this season's wheat sowing, with the Rosario grains exchange cutting its 2020/21 crop estimate on Wednesday while the Buenos Aires exchange warned that it may reduce its 6.5 million hectare planting estimate.

Another wheat-sowing estimate cut by the Buenos Aires exchange would be its third so far this season as persistently dry weather takes its toll on the Pampas grains belt.

In its weekly crop report, the Buenos Aires exchange said the dryness was affecting western parts of the central agricultural region.

"Given the lack of rains and forecasts for them in the short term, areas lacking water could continue to cut back on planting plans due to the impossibility of sowing what's left," the exchange said in the report. It added that 86.8% of the planned area for wheat had been sown so far.

Also on Wednesday, the Rosario grains exchange cut its 2020/21 wheat crop forecast to 18 million-19 million tonnes, from its previous estimate of 21 million-22 million tonnes, due to dryness.

In its monthly grains report, the Rosario exchange lowered its wheat planting forecast by 400,000 hectares to 6.6 million hectares, due to a lack of rainfall in western and northern wheat growing regions.

The Rosario exchange raised its 2019/20 corn crop estimate to 51.5 million tonnes from a previous 51 million tonnes.

The Buenos Aires exchange expects 50 million tonnes of corn to be brought in this season. It said dry weather has favored corn harvesting, with 86.4% of the crop taken in so far.