Jan 16, 2018
Benefits from Weekend Rains not uniform across Argentina
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Argentina Soybeans - Rains late last week and over the weekend brought some relief to farmers in northern Argentina. The heaviest amounts of 2-3 inched fell in central and northern Cordoba. In southern Cordoba, the rains were lighter and more scattered. Lighter amounts fell generally across northern Argentina. These rains were a temporary reprieve from the long term drought that has afflicted the region. More rain will be needed to recharge the depleted soil moisture.
The rains were more scattered and lighter across Buenos Aires and generally less than what had been forecasted. The forecast had called for up to two inches in Buenos Aires and that did not occur. In the city of Pergamino in northern Buenos Aires, the weekend total was 0.5 inches. The weekend rains did break the heat that had been running in the range of 100°.
The soybeans late last week were 94.3% planted according to the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange. The final planting was slowed due to dry weather in southern Argentina (Buenos Aires and La Pampa) as well as in northern Argentina. The recent rainfall in northern Argentina will help farmers finish the soybean planting in that region even though it is getting very late to plant soybeans.
There is a possibility that not all of the intended soybeans will get planted, especially the double crop soybeans. As a result, the Grain Exchange reduced their soybean acreage by 100,000 hectares to 18.0 million hectares. The Rosario Exchange also mentioned the possibility that not all of the intended soybeans will be planted.
According to the Buenos Aires Gran Exchange, the soybeans are 7% emerging, 46% in vegetative development, 45% flowering, and 2% filling pods. The crop is rated 19% poor to average, 78% good, and 2% excellent. The soil moisture situation is 5% drought, 37% average, 56% favorable, and 1% excellent.
Argentina Corn - The corn in Argentina is 85.8% planted according to the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange. The corn planting in northern Argentina is 30-40% complete and it continues to be delayed due to dry conditions. The recent rains will probably encourage farmers to now finish the corn planting.
The corn planted during the first phase of planting is filling grain or is already physically mature. They are starting to harvest some of the early corn in north-central Santa Fe and in eastern Entre Rios with reports of small ears and yields lower than last year. The problem for the early corn was dry weather during December when much of the crop was pollinating. In the province of Entre Rios, thus far it has been the driest January in 15 years.
The early planted corn had problems with dry weather during pollination and a lot of the corn in Argentina has just recently been planted, so there is a long time to go for the Argentine corn crop.