Oct 30, 2009
Soybean Planting In Argentina Reaches 5% Complete, Corn Planting Reaches 65%
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The farmers in Argentina have planted 5% of their 2009-10-soybean crop, which is 8-9% slower than normal for this time of year. Cooler temperatures in southern Argentina and dry pockets in northern Argentina will probably keep the planting pace slower than normal, at least in the near term. The most advanced planting is in the provinces of Entre Rios, northern Buenos Aires, and southern Santa Fe, where 10-11% of the crop has been planted. These are also the areas where the soil moisture is the highest. After the severe drought of 2008-09, the winter rains have recharged the soil moisture in the heart of the production region, but there are still soil moisture deficits in the northern and western provinces. Earlier this week, a frontal system dropped generally 1-2 inches in the eastern locations with much lighter amounts (less than a half an inch) in the northern and western provinces.
The 2009-10 soybean acreage in Argentina is expected to reach 19.0 million hectares, which is an all-time record. Soybean production is taking away acreage from corn, wheat, sunflowers, hay and pastures. With a projected record planted area, it will probably take longer to plant the 2009-10 Argentine soybean crop than in past years.
Argentine Corn planting reaches 65%
The corn planting in Argentina has reached 65% complete, which is slightly slower than the average planting pace. The most advanced corn planting in the central provinces of southern Cordoba, southern Santa Fe and northern Buenos Aires where 90-100% of the crop has been planted. The slowest planting progress continues to be in the northern provinces where rainfall has been sparse and the southern provinces where it too has been dry and the temperatures have been cooler than normal. The total 2009-10 corn planted acreage in Argentina is expected to reach 1.9 million hectares.
In the main corn-producing region, the germination and plant populations are normal and the most advance corn is in the 4-6-leaf stage. The soil moisture is plentiful and the early crop conditions are rated good. In central Buenos Aires province, a late spring frost hurt some of the early-planted corn, but it has since recovered and the corn is in the 2-6-leaf stage.
If the corn and soybean acreages end up as indicated, 19.0 million hectares for soybeans and 1.9 million hectares for corn, the soybean acreage in Argentina will be ten times as large as the corn acreage.