Jan 06, 2021
2020/21 Argentina Soybeans 88% Planted, 42% Good to Excellent
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The recent rains were more concentrated in the western and northwestern areas of Argentina with only limited rains in central and eastern areas. The forecast is only calling for scattered showers and warm temperatures with no widespread soaking rains. Rains across northern Argentina allowed for a rapid soybean planting pace in that region, which is usually the last area to plant soybeans. Planting was slow to get started in northern Argentina, but the pace has now accelerated.
In the core production areas, the soybean planting is complete, but that is not the case in northern La Pampa and western and southwestern Buenos Aires where there are about 250,000 hectares of soybeans left to plant. Planting has been slowed in that area due to dry conditions and if they don't get rain soon, some of those intended hectares of soybeans may not get planted. There are only about 2 weeks left in the soybean planting window especially in the more southern areas where late-planted soybeans can encounter freezing temperatures before they mature.
The soybeans were 87.5% planted last week compared to 84% last year and 89.6% average. This represents an advance of 10% for the week. In the core production areas, the soybeans are 100% planted with 70-80% planted in southern Argentina and 30-60% planted in far northern Argentina. The full-season soybeans were 90.9% planted and the double-crop soybeans were 80.2% planted. The full-season soybeans were 14% flowering and none of the double crop soybeans have started to flower.
The condition of the Argentina soybeans was rated 7% poor to very poor, 51% fair, and 42% good to excellent as of mid-week last week. The good to excellent percentage compares to 49% last week and 55% last year. The soil moisture for the soybeans was 29% short to very short and 71% favorable to optimum. The favorable to optimum percentage compares to 75% last week and 91% last year.