Argentina's drought continues to hinder field progress: BAGE

The corn crop planting in Argentina was 7.1% complete in the week to October 5, compared to 5.8% last week, the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange (BAGE) said in its weekly update late Thursday.

To date, the year-on-year planting delay caused by drought continues increasing, reaching 14 percentage points behind last year and bringing the 2022/23 sowing projection to 7.5 million hectares (ha), 200,000 ha below last year.

Sunflower

Sunflower planting moved up 2 percentage points week-on-week to 26.4% of the 2 million ha of the 2022/23 crop.

Due to low temperatures and a lack of surface moisture, planting maintains a year-on-year delay of 2.6 percentage points, but rainfall recorded Wednesday may help improve conditions in the days ahead, especially in the north.

Compared to the previous report, sunflower crops in good-to-excellent condition are now down 1 percentage point to 17% of the total crop.

Moisture conditions have improved, with now 41% of the total crop experiencing poor and dry conditions, versus 53% the week prior.

Wheat

Wheat harvest progress has begun, and fields surveyed in the north of the country are expected to produce yields in line with current projections.

At the same time, the lack of rain continues to reduce the potential in the center of the agricultural area, which could negatively impact the current production projection of 17.5 million mt.

Towards the south, despite low temperatures allowing for relatively stable crop conditions, the region will depend on rains in the short term, as sectors of the Southeast of Buenos Aires have started to show signs of water stress.

Wheat crops in good-to-excellent condition once again have remained unchanged at 14%, while those in poor-to-very poor condition, moved up 1 percentage point from the prior week to 46% of the total crop.

Crops under dry, poor conditions also moved up 1 percentage point from the last report to now 51% of the total crop.

Barley

The lack of rainfall continues to affect a large part of the estimated 1.3 million hectares of barley for the current campaign year.

While the crop is between heading and flowering over the center of the agricultural area, significant decreases in yields and even an increase in area losses are expected.

As a result, BAGE has lowered its original barley production projection down 400,000 mt to 5 million mt.