Nov 25, 2020
Argentina Soybeans 20% Planted, Slow due to Dryness
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The dryer-than-normal spring weather in southern South America is impacting farmers in Argentina as well as in southern Brazil. There were some localized heavier rains over the weekend in western and northern Argentina, but not enough to recharge the depleted soil moisture. In the dryer areas of Santa Fe and Cordoba provinces, they will need 4-6 inches of precipitation to recharge the soil moisture. There are some showers in the forecast for this week, but they are expected to be light leading to only minor improvements in soil moisture.
Argentine farmers had planted 20% of their 2020/21 soybeans as of late last week compared to 31% last year and 34.4% average according the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange. This represents an advance of 8.9% for the week. The most advanced planting is in the northern core and southern core areas where the soybeans were 55-60% planted. Good planting progress was made in southern Cordoba, northern La Pampa, and western Buenos Aires provinces. The slowest planting progress is in the eastern areas where it is about 20% behind average.
In their latest Panorama Agricola, the Grain Exchange estimates that farmers in Argentina will plant 17.2 million hectares of soybeans (42.4 million acres) in 2020/21 and that the soybean production will be 46.5 million tons. They are estimating the average soybean yield at 2,790 kg/ha (41.5 bu/ac). Prior to the complications from the dry weather, the Grain Exchange had projected that Argentina would plant 19 million hectares of soybeans in 2020/21 (46.9 million acres) with a production of 55 million tons.