Jan 06, 2010
Soybean And Corn Crops Improving In Argentina
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
After a slow start to the summer rains in Argentina, the rainfall amounts have now increased to the point where the soil moisture in the majority of the country is back to normal levels. In fact, the rainfall is now considered excessive in localized areas of northern Buenos Aires province and southern Santa Fe province. While localized flooding may harm a small amount of the summer crops in Argentina, in general, the moisture has been very good for the majority of the summer crops in Argentina. There are still a few areas that need additional rainfall especially in the southern and western locations, but even in these regions, the rainfall has been enough to insure adequate germination and stand establishment of the soybean crop.
The soybean crop in Argentina has benefited from the improved conditions. The soybean crop is approximately 93% planted and the remaining soybeans that need to be planted are double crop soybeans following the wheat harvest. Normally by this time of the year, the farmers in Argentina would have harvested all their wheat, but the wheat harvest is only 70% complete compared to an average of 95%.
The most advanced soybeans in Argentina are flowering and setting pods and the condition of the crop is good and improving. Some foliar diseases have started to appear in the soybean fields of Argentina, but rarely do diseases have a nationwide impact on yield.
A remaining uncertainty about the soybean crop is the acreage planted in 2009-10. The Argentine government estimates that 18.2 million hectares of soybeans were planted, but most private forecasters put the acreage at close to 19.0 million hectares.
The improved rainfall came in time for Argentine farmers to plant more corn than what been anticipated at the start of the growing season (remember the drought was still in place when corn planting began in September). The Argentine corn acreage is now estimated at 2.0 million hectares compared to the earlier estimate of 1.9 million hectares. The timing of the rains has also been very good for the development of the corn crop. The month of January is the primary month for corn pollination in Argentina and the corn crop is entering this critical phase in good condition. The soils in Argentina have a good water holding capacity, so even if the rainfall amounts would decrease in January and February, several more well timed rains would be sufficient to insure good corn yields in Argentina.