Nov 21, 2018
2018/19 Argentina Corn 36% Planted
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The heavy storms last week in central Argentina also impacted the corn crop as well. The stage of corn development last week ranged from just emerging to some corn that had already started to pollinate. Local reports indicated that hail and wind damage impacted at least a hundred thousand hectares of crops including corn, soybeans, wheat, and sunflowers. There is still plenty of time to replant the smaller corn if needed, but the more developed corn is more problematic.
The corn planting in Argentina only advanced 0.3% last week to 36.2% complete. The most advanced corn planting is in the northern core and southern core regions where the corn is 85-90% planted. In southern Argentina, the corn is generally 40-50% planted and no corn has been planted in far northern Argentina.
In their latest report, the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange rated the early planted corn at 1.6% very poor, 12.2% poor, 47.5% fair, 33.3% good, and 5.4% excellent. The soil moisture is rated 0% very short, 3.0% short, 38.5% favorable, 29.9% optimum, and 28.6% surplus. The earliest planted corn is transitioning from vegetative development to reproduction with a few fields already pollinating.
Corn planting in Argentina is usually slow during the month of November, but this year it is even slower than normal due to the wet weather. It is going to stay slow until the first week of December when farmers start on the second phase of their corn planting. The corn planting in Argentina will end about mid-January, weather permitting.
On the positive side, the rains have helped to recharge the soil moisture especially in Cordoba which could be helpful later in the growing season.