Nov 01, 2017
Farmers in Argentina Planting Summer Crops at Average Pace
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Farmers in Argentina have just gotten started on planting their 2017/18 soybean crop. According to the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, 1.8% of the crop had been planted by late last week. The average for this week is 3.2%. Approximately 60% of the soybeans planted thus far have been in the northern core and southern core regions. In both regions, the increased wheat acreage has led to a reduction in the full-season soybean acreage.
Farmers have focused their efforts on planting their corn to this point. Soybean planting in Argentina generally reaches 50% planted sometime during the first week of December.
Due to better margins for corn, Argentine farmers are expected to reduce their soybean acreage once again in 2017/18. The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange is estimating the soybean acreage at 18.1 million hectares or down 5.7% from last year. I am not quite as pessimistic and I am estimating the soybean acreage at 18.35 million hectares.
The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange reported that as of late last week, 32.8% of the corn crop in Argentina had been planted. The average for this week is 33%. Farmers in Argentina generally slow down their corn planting during November to avoid having the corn pollinate during January, which can be the hottest and driest time of the growing season. The corn crop in Argentina reaches 50% planted generally during about the second week of December.